By Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
On June 18, the Virginia Board of Education announced the 2020 Exemplar Performance School. The awards were based on performance and practice during 2018-2019 and prior years.
“The criteria for the exemplar performance awards are designed to incentivize schools to make the changes in instruction, policy, support services and practice required to make progress toward meeting the Board of Education’s objective of achieving equity in opportunities and outcomes for all students,” Board of Education President Daniel A. Gecker said. “The increase in the number of awards earned this year is evidence of the progress our schools were making toward this objective before the pandemic forced the closure of schools in March.”
Notably for Botetourt County, Central Academy Middle School was recognized for innovative practices used to elevate the quality and character of the school environment to create a positive atmosphere for learning and to reflect the norms, goals and values of the community. The school received the 2020 Board of Education Innovative Practice Award, which recognizes innovations implemented over the course of two academic years that improve student outcomes. This is the first year that the award has been issued. Central Academy was the only individual school to receive the award.
Schools, divisions, and local school boards earn recognition for exemplary innovative practices based on the following criteria:
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School- or division-wide implementation for two full academic years of a new or creative evidence-based alternative to existing instructional or administrative practices aligned with one of the following priority areas:
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Closing achievement gaps among vulnerable and/or minority student groups;
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Developing an integrated STEM approach to learning;
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Building genuine relationships with families to support overall family well-being and children’s healthy development;
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Enhancing technology infrastructure to increase student access to connected devices and the internet;
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Elevating the quality and character of the school environment so that it reflects the positive and support norms, goals, and values of the community;
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Retaining high-quality teachers; and
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Developing life-ready students through implementation of the Profile of a Virginia Graduate and the 5 C’s framework (skills in critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and citizenship); and
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Data provided by school or division demonstrate that the practice is meeting its objectives and is having a significant impact on outcomes for the targeted student population.
“I am so excited that our faculty and staff have been recognized by the Virginia Department of Education for their hard work and ‘out of the box’ thinking. Our teachers work diligently each and every day to meet the needs of our students. It is truly an honor for our school community to receive this award,” Tim McClung, principal at Central Academy Middle School, said.
Buchanan Elementary School was one of 71 schools to receive the 2020 Board of Education Highest Achievement Award.
Schools recognized for the award were “accredited” during 2019-2020 and demonstrated high levels of success across all school quality indicators, including success in narrowing achievement gaps.
Schools also had to meet the Level One accreditation benchmark for reading, mathematics, and science based on the student pass rate, not including growth or progress on assessments taken by English language learners. Schools must also have had no more than a five percent achievement gap, for schools with two student groups, or a 10 percent gap for schools with three or more student groups, between the lowest-performing group and all other students in the school. In addition, schools must have achieved at Level One on all other applicable school quality indicators.
“I was excited to learn about the 2020 Board of Education Highest Achievement Award, not for myself, but for the teachers, students, staff and parents who work daily to educate, inspire and nurture each and every student. We are humbled by the award and will continue to strive to meet the needs of all our precious students,” Debbie Garrett, principal of Buchanan Elementary School, said.
Additionally, Cloverdale Elementary School was one of 375 schools that earned the 2020 Board of Education Continuous Improvement Award.
“This award is a direct reflection of the hard work of our students, staff, and parents. Our dedicated team works hard to provide an education that will prepare students to be “out of the box” problem solvers that our society needs. Most importantly, I am proud of the willingness of my teachers and students to continue to learn and grow amidst the many challenges they face and to do so with grace and integrity,” Jessica Martin, principal at Cloverdale Elementary School, said.
Schools recognized for continuous improvement were rated “accredited” or “accredited with conditions” for 2019-2020 and met at least one of the following four criteria based on performance during 2018-2019:
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A 10-point increase in the combined rate in reading and math, and in the pass rate in science;
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A 10-point increase in the combined rate in reading and math for two or more student groups across three years;
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A decrease in the chronic absenteeism rate for three years; or
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For schools with a graduating class, an increase in the Graduation and Completion Index and a decrease in the dropout rate for three years.
“Botetourt County is blessed with great schools. It is gratifying to receive these distinct honors for three schools in our division because it is a testament of the quality of education that our students are receiving. And, I am grateful to the educators and administrators who have devoted their careers to helping our children. I am just so proud for everyone involved,” Michelle Crook, chair of the Botetourt County School Board, said.
“I congratulate the principals, teachers, support professionals and students of all of these schools and divisions for the achievement, innovations and hard work recognized by these awards,” Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane said. “I believe the success of these schools and school divisions will inspire learning communities across the commonwealth as they plan for the reopening of school and prepare to meet the instructional and social-emotional needs of students — especially students most impacted by the closure this spring.”
