Governor Nathan Deal along with the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) recently named Thomas County’s Cross Creek Elementary School as being one of the highest performing elementary schools in the state with an achievement rate in the top 93rd percentile statewide.
Cross Creek was the only school in the Southwest Georgia RESA District to be recognized. The school awards, developed by GOSA and approved by the State Board of Education, are part of Georgia’s Single Statewide Accountability System.
The “Silver Award” designation indicates that Cross Creek students exhibited high growth in student achievement by earning a three-year average CCRPI Progress Score in at least the 93rd percentile in the state. The Governor’s awards help parents, students, educators and communities have clear and concise information about school performance to better understand the strengths and challenges of their local schools.
“I want to congratulate all of the award winning schools across our state, as well as the students and teachers who have worked tirelessly toward these accomplishments,” said Deal.
“We are very proud to receive this designation because it reflects the achievement of students of all ability levels and all socio-economic groups within our system,” said Thomas County School Superintendent Dr. Dusty Kornegay.
“As a unified district, all of our students progress through every school,” Kornegay explained. “We do not have a high-achieving school and lower achieving schools; each of our schools offers opportunities for the full spectrum of students. For Cross Creek to out-perform other schools, including those which some may consider to be more ‘elite,’ is a tremendous testimony to the quality of our instructional program and the dedication and hard work of our students, teachers, and staff. I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Kornegay said.
Cross Creek Principal Clay Stanaland commented on the award, “This award just confirms that our system and school offer a quality educational program that promotes the academic achievement of all students. The efforts of our staff and the implementation of research-based intervention strategies that help close learning gaps as well as the acceleration of those ready to move on are key factors to our success.”
Associate Superintendent Melanie Chavaux who serves as the school system’s Chief Academic Officer stated, "I am proud of each student, faculty, and staff member as well as administrators and parents for this accomplishment.”
“Receiving this recognition represents the result of the compassion for teaching and the commitment to raising the level of rigor for each child, Chavaux said. “It has been a process of planning purposefully and not abandoning the plan when there wasn't" a quick and easy solution. As a career educator with more years behind me than left in front of me, I feel fortunate to have been able to see Cross Creek Elementary receive such a well-deserved recognition."
Notice of the award came just in time for teachers to be told on the last day of post-planning as they celebrated the end of the school year with a Hawaiian-themed luncheon. Kornegay surprised the teachers with the announcement, and he along with Chavaux and members of the school system’s curriculum department gave each Cross Creek teacher a silver dollar as a memento of the award.
“I'm so excited that Cross Creek received this award,” said third grade teacher Jen Mobley.
“All of our teachers work hard to make sure that all students are engaged and challenged every day,” said Mobley. “Our daily interventions that help students who need remediation in reading and math, as well as our enrichment opportunities for students who need acceleration has really paid off. I'm so proud to be a part of the Cross Creek family.”
Julie Atkinson, another Cross Creek teacher, commented, “At Cross Creek, teachers use data to identify student needs and differentiate instruction. We meet students where they are academically and work with them individually and in small groups to move them forward.”