By LINDSAY LORENZ, Register Staff Writer
Gainesville Daily Register
Gainesville —
After being consistently ranked as an academically acceptable district by the Texas Education Agency, Gainesville Independent School District is celebrating improved rankings based on TAKS scores.
The ratings, to be officially released this afternoon, Superintendent Bill Gravitt said, rank Edison and Chalmers Elementary schools as exemplary, Lee Intermediate as recognized, the middle school as acceptable, the high school as recognized and the district as a whole as recognized.
“We’re just tickled to death,” Gravitt said.
Last year’s scores left the district with an academically acceptable rating, and the only schools recognized were Edison and Chalmers. The previous year, the district missed the adequate yearly progress mark for its performance in reading and math.
Gravitt said the improved ratings are the result of years of hard work.
“It didn’t just happen in 30 minutes,” he said.
High School Principal Gene Suttle, who said he was ecstatic to hear the news, agreed.
“This is something we’ve been working toward for the last two years,” he said.
In 2006, Gainesville High School was one of two schools in the county to be ranked as academically unacceptable.
Suttle said he attributes the improvements to both teachers and students.
“It starts with the efforts our teachers make in the classroom and their willingness to work with each individual student,” he said.
Although that’s only half of the equation. Suttle said he’s proud of his students for their willingness to learn and perform well on tests.
“The rating signifies that everybody did their part,” he said.
Suttle said ultimately, the rating is a great compliment to the district’s students and teachers for their hard work.
Gravitt said during the last few years the district has been providing its teachers with professional development in order to align student’s knowledge with state recommendations.
“Our leaders have worked harder than any faculty in the country to get where they are today,” he said.
He added that today’s students are smarter than ever, but making sure that’s reflected on TAKS means both teachers and students must work harder.
“It’s just giving them the things they need to be successful,” he said.
Gravitt said principals were excited when they heard the news.
“It makes me very, very proud,” he said.
