Date:   November 10, 2003 
Contact: Irene Cromer
703-791-8720 

Superintendent of Schools Edward L. Kelly has named forty-two county schools as “Schools of Excellence.”  Schools that attain this designation must demonstrate high levels of performance on the SOL tests for two different groups of students, those beginning the school year on grade level and those beginning the school year below grade level. 

The two criteria for determining a School of Excellence are that 1) the school must be fully accredited by the state and 2) achieve an overall index score of 3.5 or higher according to Prince William County Public Schools guidelines.  The index score is calculated by examining how well students who are above and below grade level perform on SOL tests.

To obtain the highest rating, schools must ensure that ninety-five percent of students beginning the year on or above grade level pass the SOL tests.  They must also ensure that fifty percent of students beginning the year below grade level pass the SOL tests.

Twenty-three schools have earned this distinction for the first time, seven schools are being recognized as Schools of Excellence for the second time, nine schools are third-time recipients of this honor, and three schools will be recognized as four-time Schools of Excellence.

Schools receiving the Excellence award for the first time are Ashland Elementary; Benton, Beville and Bull Run middle schools; Cedar Point, Dumfries and Featherstone elementary schools; Forest Park High School; Graham Park Middle School; Hylton High School; Kerrydale and Loch Lomond elementary schools; Marsteller Middle School; Minnieville and Pattie elementary schools; Potomac High School; Potomac View, Signal Hill, and Sinclair elementary schools; Stonewall Jackson High School; Tyler and Vaughan elementary schools; and Woodbridge Senior High School.

Schools honored for the second year are Antietam, Coles, King, Marumsco Hills, and Montclair elementary schools; and Saunders and Woodbridge middle schools.

Bennett and Bristow Run elementary schools; Brentsville District High School; and Lake Ridge, Marshall, Nokesville, Old Bridge, Rockledge, and Springwoods elementary schools have earned the Schools of Excellence distinction for the third year.

Four-time recipients of the award are Henderson and Mountain View elementary schools and Osbourn Park High School.

The annual awards will be celebrated at school sites in the near future.  The celebrations will recognize the contributions of the entire school community in achieving the School of Excellence designation.