Lavonia Elementary Gets State Award

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

A Franklin County school receives a special designation.

Lavonia Elementary School has been chosen as a Title I Highest Progress Reward School based on its achievement scores in 2013-14.

Title I schools are designated by the State as schools with higher than average poverty levels and are eligible for free, federally funded school breakfasts and lunches and other programs.

Franklin County School Superintendent Dr. Ruth O’Dell congratulated Lavonia Elementary’s teachers and staff and said the designation is well-deserved.

“One thing Lavonia Elementary has had a long history of being able to do is to identify those kids that really need to show progress,” O’Dell said. “They’ve been very good at being able to do that and then to design a program to help them.”

O’Dell went on to say the progress improvement report also reflects a commitment on the part of teachers and staff to give students who need it, the attention they need.

“They also have high expectations for their children and lots of good relationships with the kids and the community. So, these are all things that come together to help a school get on the Reward School list where they are really making progress beyond what they might be expected to make,” O’Dell said.

In order to be considered a Highest Progress Reward School, the school must be among the top 10 percent of Title I schools in the state, have the highest three-year average Progress scores, and must not be identified as a Priority or Focus school.