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| Irisburg and Woolwine earn state distinction |
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Thursday, March 11, 2010
By ELIZA WINSTON - Bulletin Staff Writer
Two area schools were among those recognized Wednesday for raising the achievement of economically disadvantaged students.
The Virginia Board of Education honored 10 school divisions and 102 schools, according to a news release. The recognition is based on assessments made during 2008-2009 and the previous school year.
Both Irisburg Elementary School in Henry County and Woolwine Elementary School in Patrick County were recognized as Title I Distinguished Schools.
According to education department spokesman Julie Grimes, the status was given to schools that maintained full state accreditation under the Standards of Learning program for two consecutive years, met federal benchmarks in reading and mathematics and had average test scores in both subjects at the 60th percentile or higher.
“This recognition confirms that Irisburg is a great school. I congratulate Mrs. (Jo Ellen) Hylton,” Irisburg principal, “and her staff on this achievement,” Henry County Schools Superintendent Anthony Jackson said in a statement.
The Henry County School Board recently approved closing Irisburg and moving its students to Axton Elementary School as a way to help save money. The system faces losing millions in state funds next fiscal year.
Title I provides funding to school divisions and schools for programs to raise the achievement of students identified as being at risk of academic failure. The federal education law requires schools and school divisions to meet annual objectives for increasing student achievement on statewide assessments in reading/language arts and mathematics.
William Sroufe, principal of Woolwine Elementary, said the hard work of teachers and staff at the school made the award possible. In all of Patrick County, dedication to students by staff is huge, he said.
“Everyone at Woolwine Elementary takes their job seriously, from the custodian to me,” Sroufe said. “Anyone who spent five minutes in this school could see it is a place where kids are loved and cared for.”
Teachers at Woolwine look at data available from the state that show students who may be in jeopardy, and that data, as well as teacher intuition, help teachers work with those kids, Sroufe said. The school also provides after-school tutoring for students who need extra help, he said.
Woolwine Elementary also has a low student-to-teacher ratio, with about 17 to 18 students per teacher in each class, he said. There are 245 students at the school, which includes grades pre-K to seventh.
“It is a great honor to be recognized as one school out 102 that were chosen from 134 school districts across the state,” Sroufe said. “It’s the second year in a row for us, and I see no reason there won’t be a third.” |
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