The Mississippi Department of Education honored the Newton County School District’s students, faculty administrators and support staff on Friday for its “A” rating in the year’s accountability assessment for the 2016-17 school year.
Newton County was one of only 15 out of 144 public school districts in the state to earn an “A” rating.
At the event that was held in the Newton County High School Gym, NCSD Board President Mark Savell kicked things off by thanking the students and staff for their achievements and the Newton County High School choir, under the direction of Suzanne Cain, performed the Star Spangled Banner.
NCSD J.O. Amis then introduced State Superintendent of Education Carey Wright who started the “Celebration of Excellence” tours in 2016 to make in-person visits to each “A” district instead of sending letters of congratulations.
“I really wanted to be here face- to-face and deliver a message personally to the students and the community and administrators because I just feel this kind of excitement and celebration deserves something very special,” Wright said during her speech. “Earning an ‘A’ is not easy, and right now we have the most rigorous standards that we’ve ever had in the state and you’ve taken the most rigorous exams you’ve ever had in the state. So to earn an ‘A’ for an entire district is really quite an honor.”
Wright also recognized fourth grade teacher Tamra Mills, who is the school’s representative on the state Teacher’s Advisory Council, and said that the MDE’s open communication with teachers around the state has been vital to the state’s recent improvements in education.
“We are outpacing the nation with our growth on the national assessments. Our kindergarten teachers are knocking it out of the park with our kindergartners each and every year,” Wright said. “There’s a lot to be proud where public education is concerned in the state of Mississippi.”
The district rose from a “B” district in the 2015-16 school year finishing 15th in the rankings for school districts with 668 total points.
Newton County Elementary School retained it’s “A” rating with 444 total points and Newton County Middle/High School had a “B” rating with 668 total points.
It was the second straight year that Wright and her staff have stopped in Newton County on their tour with the Union Public School District earning an “A” rating in the 2015-16 school year.
