Seven schools earn Governor's Award for Educational Excellence

Governor Robert McDonnell today announced that 447 Virginia public schools have earned the 2012 Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence. Of those 447 schools, seven schools in Roanoke County earned the Governor’s Award:

Bonsack Elementary School
Cave Spring Elementary School (four-time winner)
Clearbrook Elementary School (three-time winner)
Glen Cove Elementary School
Green Valley Elementary School
Oak Grove Elementary School
Penn Forest Elementary School

The award is the highest honor under the Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) incentive program created by the Board of Education in 2007, which recognizes schools and divisions that achieve excellence goals and far exceed minimum state and federal accountability standards. This is the fourth straight year Cave Spring Elementary School has received the Governor’s Award and the third straight year for Clearbrook Elementary School.

“I’m very proud of the staff, students and parents of all these schools,” said Roanoke County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Lorraine Lange. “Receiving the Governor’s Award is the result of a tremendous amount of effort and dedication,” she said.

To qualify for the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence, schools and school divisions must meet all state and federal achievement benchmarks for at least two consecutive years and achieve all applicable excellence goals for elementary reading, enrollment in Algebra I by the eighth grade, enrollment in college-level courses, high school graduation, attainment of advanced diplomas, increased attainment of career and industry certifications, and participation in the Virginia Preschool Initiative. Schools and school divisions earn bonus points for other performance measures, including the Governor’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Scorecard.
Six schools in Roanoke County earned the Board of Education’s Excellence Award, the second-tier honor in the VIP program. These schools and divisions also have met all state and federal accountability benchmarks for at least two consecutive years and have made significant progress toward goals for increased student achievement and expanded educational opportunities. Statewide, 188 schools statewide earned the Excellence Award. The schools in Roanoke County earning the Excellence Award are:

Back Creek Elementary School
Cave Spring High School
Fort Lewis Elementary School
Glenvar Middle School
Masons Cove Elementary School
Mount Pleasant Elementary School

Also, six schools in Roanoke County and 171 schools statewide earned the Board of Education’s Competence to Excellence Award. This award recognizes schools and divisions that have met all state and federal benchmarks for at least two consecutive years and are making progress toward VIP objectives that reflect the goals of the governor and the board.

The schools in Roanoke County earning the Competence to Excellence Award are:

Glenvar Elementary School
Glenvar High School
Herman L. Horn Elementary
Hidden Valley High School
Mountain View Elementary
W.E. Cundiff Elementary

(Last updated 1/5/12)