State Superintendent Ward visits Piney Creek School to offer praise

Piney Creek School received its fourth consecutive ‘school of excellence' banner last Friday. NC Superintendent of Schools Mike Ward said the school is part of a statewide pattern of accomplishment that has earned national recognition, including the attention of two presidents.

Ward visited the school for a special presentation of the excellence award. To be named a school of excellence, the highest accolade in the state's ABCs academic standards, a school must meet expected or high growth and have at least 90 percent of pupils score at grade level or better on end-of-grade tests (end-of-course tests in high school).

"Our schools in North Carolina are making progress faster than any other schools," Ward said.

He said that during conversations he had with then-President Bill Clinton and with President Bush, each president praised the achievements of the state's schools. "They were talking about Piney Creek Elementary School and other schools across the state of North Carolina....North Carolina has earned a great reputation."

The Nov. 21 program in the school gymnasium opened with selections by Piney Creek's seventh and eighth grade band, including "America the Beautiful," directed by Larry Carmichael.

"A Day Worth Remembering"

Student Council Vice President Brittany Sturgill then introduced Alleghany County Schools Superintendent Duane Davis, saying, "Mr. Davis has continued to give the necessary support in order to allow our school to fulfill once again the status of a North Carolina school of excellence."

In his remarks, Davis told pupils, teachers and parents, "All of the work you have accomplished is a remarkable feat. All of the Alleghany County commissioners need to be given credit for putting education first in Alleghany County...

"This is a day worth remembering."

Although state school officials visit all schools of excellence to award the banners, not all such schools receive a visit from Ward himself.

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