Gazebo Gazette
The Harrison County School District is an A-RATED DISTRICT. It is the first A rating in the district’s history. According to unofficial Performance Level Grades from the Mississippi Department of Education, HCSD gained ten points overall and the list of A-rated schools has grown. HCSD now ranks among the top 25 school districts in Mississippi.
“I am very excited about Harrison County School District’s A rating, and am extremely proud of our students, teachers, administrators and staff for their hard work and dedication! This achievement speaks volumes about their determination to reach our goal of earning the highest academic rating possible,” said HCSD Superintendent Roy Gill.
The grading system for each school and district is based on various factors, including state test scores, student progress, college and career readiness, graduation rate, and participation rate. In HCSD, the number of A-rated schools has increased from eight to ten. These ten schools are:
- D’Iberville Elementary School
- D’Iberville Middle School
- Lizana Elementary School
- Lyman Elementary School
- North Woolmarket Elementary & Middle School
- Pineville Elementary School
- Saucier Elementary School
- West Harrison High School
- West Wortham Elementary & Middle School
- Woolmarket Elementary School
West Harrison High is one of the highest achieving high schools in Mississippi. West Harrison not only maintained its A ranking for the third straight year, the school is also ranked third in the state.
“We are thrilled to be the first school in Harrison County with an accountability score above 800. By increasing our score over 30 points from the 2017-18 school year, our teachers are proving they can and will prepare our students for growth and proficiency. At West Harrison High School, we are committed to remaining one of the top high schools on the Gulf Coast and in the state of Mississippi,” said West Harrison High Principal Dana Trochessett.
At the elementary school level, Pineville Elementary is ranked sixth in the state.
With a 10-point increase districtwide, HCSD has experienced back-to-back growth. Last year, HCSD gained a total of 22 points, and was only four points away from making an A.
“Our schools set high expectations, and I felt confident our students and staff would rise to the challenge. We will continue to address areas that need improvement by Empowering Excellence in Everyone, because we are striving to be the top school district in the state of Mississippi,” said Roy Gill.
The accountability results will not become official until the Mississippi State Board of Education approves them on Thursday, September 19.