Provided by Prince William County Schools (PWCS)
Schools across the county will be celebrating in the coming months, as 49 have earned the title “School of Excellence,” two more than took the honor last year. School of Excellence is the highest recognition awarded to a school by the Prince William County School Board. Selection is based on each school’s performance data for the 2016-17 school year.
Those honored include 36 elementary, three combined (K-8, traditional), six middle, and four high schools. Many have received the coveted designation for several consecutive years, with some schools having earned it for nearly every year the honor has been in existence.
“This tells us our schools are making real progress in helping students achieve proficiency in the core subject areas that are vital to their future success,” said PWCS Superintendent Dr. Steven Walts. “We’re proud of the results and remain committed to continuous improvement for all students.”
Schools of Excellence must be fully accredited by the state. In addition, schools are measured on various Strategic Plan indicators, including overall subject pass rates, reduction of achievement gaps between student groups, improvement in student performance, wellness, and stakeholder satisfaction. High schools are also assessed for graduation rates and for the percentage of students earning “pass advanced” status on standardized tests. Schools are awarded bonus points based on several criteria.
Schools of Excellence for 2016-17 are:
- Alvey Elementary School
- Ashland Elementary School
- Battlefield High School
- Bel Air Elementary School
- Belmont Elementary School
- Bennett Elementary School
- Benton Middle School
- Brentsville District High School
- Bristow Run Elementary School
- Buckland Mills Elementary School
- Bull Run Middle School
- Cedar Point Elementary School
- Chris Yung Elementary School
- Coles Elementary School
- Enterprise Elementary School
- Fitzgerald Elementary School
- Forest Park High School
- Gainesville Middle School
- Glenkirk Elementary School
- Gravely Elementary School
- Haymarket Elementary School
- Henderson Elementary School
- Lake Ridge Elementary School
- Lake Ridge Middle School
- Loch Lomond Elementary School
- Marshall Elementary School
- Marsteller Middle School
- McAuliffe Elementary School
- Mountain View Elementary School
- Nokesville School
- Occoquan Elementary School
- Old Bridge Elementary School
- Osbourn Park High School
- Patriot High School
- Pattie Elementary School
- Penn Elementary School
- Pennington Traditional School
- Piney Branch Elementary School
- Porter Traditional School
- Reagan Middle School
- River Oaks Elementary School
- Rosa Parks Elementary School
- Springwoods Elementary School
- T. Clay Wood Elementary School
- Triangle Elementary School
- Tyler Elementary School
- Victory Elementary School
- Westridge Elementary School
- Wilson Elementary School
School of Excellence celebrations will take place at designated locations throughout the coming months. Look for information from individual schools. For now, parents and community members can begin recognizing the teachers, administrators, staff, and students, of new Schools of Excellence for a job well done.
