Named ‘High Progress School of Honor’

PEDRO — The Ohio Department of Education notified the administration at Rock Hill Middle School on Oct. 29 the school was designated as a High Progress School of Honor based on math and reading data obtained from the 2013-14 Ohio School Report Card.

This is the first time Rock Hill Middle School has earned this distinction.

“It’s always exciting to receive a letter recognizing our students’ performance,” Darrell Humphreys, RHMS principal, said. “Our teachers and students are working very hard and this recognition validates what we are trying to do here.”

The school will celebrate the accomplishment with an assembly later this month when a banner displaying the recognition arrives from ODE.

“It’s important to take time and celebrate,” Humphreys said. “It’s important for the students to know we appreciate their effort and recognize their success.”

The Schools of Honor program looks at schools with a high percentage of students from economically disadvantaged homes and tracks the performance of all students in these areas for the past five years, according to a letter sent to Humphreys from Dr. Richard Ross, Ohio superintendent of public instruction.

“It spotlights schools that have shown sustained progress in student performance by all students over that time period,” Ross wrote in the letter. “By showing consistent progress in raising math and reading skills for all student groups, you have proved that administrators, teachers and families who have high expectations and provide continual support can enable students from all backgrounds to achieve academically. I thank you for the role you are playing.”

Humphreys admits, however, earning the distinction is an ongoing effort by everyone at Rock Hill Middle School.

“I am very proud of the efforts of our students and faculty,” he said. “This award certainly validates that good things are happening academically here at Rock Hill Middle School. The stakeholders in our community should be very proud of this designation as well.”

The High Progress School of Honor recognition comes on the heels of the Rock Hill Middle School cross-country team winning the Ohio Valley Conference.

“It’s been a good year for students at Rock Hill Middle School,” Humphreys said.