KINGWOOD — Two Preston County schools were honored by the State Department of Education and Board of Education Monday for exceeding state standards.
Kathy Hypes of the West Virginia Department of Education presented plaques to Aurora School and Preston High School at the Preston County Board of Education meeting.
Only 51 schools of the 634 in the state are being recognized this year for exceeding standards on the 2017-‘18 Balanced Scorecard, the state’s student testing system.
“And Preston County has two of those schools,” Hypes noted, prompting a “woo hoo!” from Preston BOE President Jack Keim and applause from those present.
But PHS and Aurora were among even more select groups.
Preston High — Board Member Bob Ridenour corrected Hypes when she referred to it as Preston County High — was one of 34 honored as a West Virginia Distinguished School.
It is also one of 16 schools being recognized in West Virginia for exceeding standards in post secondary achievement. Post secondary achievement includes dual credit classes, which enable students to earn both high school and college credit; the number of Career Tech Education completers; and Advanced Placement test participation grades.
Aurora is one of only three middle schools in the state honored for exceeding standards on the Balanced Scorecard, Hypes said. Only 15 schools, including elementary, middle and high schools, were honored for attendance, which is what Aurora was honored for, she said.
“Our state’s new accountability system for schools and districts measures student accountability on multiple indicators of success,” Hype said. “Such as on track to graduate, attendance, post secondary achievement, math and English language arts.”
The State Board of Education and Department of Education recognized schools based on, “individual measures that define student performance, growth and school quality,” Hype said.
“You set a high standard,” Keim told principals from the two schools. “Now the rest of the county is going to have a lot to live up to.” He encouraged them to share with other schools in the county how they reached the achievement.
