Seal of the Governor
For Immediate Release: June 27, 2018
Contacts: Office of the Governor: Ofirah Yheskel, Ofirah.Yheskel@governor.virginia.gov | Virginia Department of Education: Charles Pyle, (804) 371-2420, charles.pyle@doe.virginia.gov

Governor Northam and Board of Education Announce 2018 Virginia Index of Performance Awards

RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam and the state Board of Education announced today that 349 schools and 16 school divisions earned 2018 Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) awards for advanced learning and achievement. The VIP program recognizes schools and divisions that exceed state and federal accountability standards and achieve excellence goals established by the Governor and the Board of Education.

“The teachers, principals and support staff in these schools share a commitment to academic excellence and meeting the needs of every learner,” said Governor Northam. “I congratulate our educators, school administrators, and the students of these great schools for achieving the Commonwealth’s highest award for schoolwide excellence.”

The schools and school divisions earning 2018 VIP awards — which are based on student achievement and other performance indicators during 2016-2017 — include:

  • 14 schools that earned the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence
  • One division and 133 schools that earned the Board of Education Excellence Award
  • 15 divisions and 202 schools that earned the Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award

“Once again we see that so many of our schools and divisions outperform our academic standards — standards that set the bar for the rest of the country,” said Secretary of Education Atif Qarni. “I commend and celebrate the students, teachers, and support staff for their dedication and commitment to personal and professional achievement.”

2018 Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence

Fourteen schools earned the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence, the highest VIP award. These schools are as follows:

  • Arlington County — Arlington Traditional, Jamestown Elementary and Swanson Middle
  • Chesterfield County — Bettie Weaver Elementary, Cosby High and Robious Elementary
  • Fairfax County — Cooper Middle, Franklin Middle, Keene Mill Elementary, Longfellow Middle and Rocky Run Middle
  • Loudoun County — J. Michael Lunsford Middle
  • Roanoke — Crystal Spring Elementary
  • Virginia Beach — Great Neck Middle

To earn the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence, schools and school divisions must meet all state and federal achievement benchmarks and achieve all applicable excellence goals for elementary reading, enrollment in Algebra I by the eighth grade, enrollment in college-level courses, high school graduation, attainment of advanced diplomas, increased attainment of career and industry certifications, and participation in the Virginia Preschool Initiative.

2018 Board of Education Excellence Awards

One division — Falls Church Public Schools — and 133 schools earned the Board of Education Excellence Award, the second-highest honor in the VIP program. The division and schools also met all state and federal accountability benchmarks and made significant progress toward goals for increased student achievement and expanded educational opportunities set by the board.

“The Virginia Index of Performance provides a means for the Board of Education to recognize schools that far exceed the minimum requirements of state accreditation and federal accountability,” said Board of Education President Daniel A. Gecker. “It provides an incentive for continuous improvement for all schools. I congratulate all of these divisions and schools as they celebrate their success.”

The schools receiving Board of Education Excellence Awards are as follows:

  •  Albemarle County — Virginia L. Murray Elementary
  • Arlington County — Arlington Science Focus School, Ashlawn Elementary, Discovery Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Nottingham Elementary, Taylor Elementary, Tuckahoe Elementary and Williamsburg Middle
  • Botetourt County — Colonial Elementary
  • Chesapeake — Grassfield Elementary, Grassfield High, Great Bridge High and Hickory High
  • Chesterfield County — Enon Elementary, Greenfield Elementary, Midlothian High, Midlothian Middle, Tomahawk Creek Middle, Winterpock Elementary and Woolridge Elementary
  • Fairfax County — Archer Elementary, Canterbury Woods Elementary, Carson Middle, Chantilly High, Chesterbrook Elementary, Churchill Road Elementary, Colvin Run Elementary, Flint Hill Elementary, Floris Elementary, Forestville Elementary, Frost Middle, Greenbriar West Elementary, Haycock Elementary, Lake Braddock Secondary, Langley High, Lemon Road Elementary, Madison High, Marshall High, McLean High, Mosby Woods Elementary, Navy Elementary, Oak Hill Elementary, Oakton Elementary, Oakton High, Poplar Tree Elementary, Robinson Secondary, Sangster Elementary, Spring Hill Elementary, Stenwood Elementary, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Wakefield Forest Elementary, Waynewood Elementary, West Springfield High, Westbriar Elementary, Willow Springs Elementary, Wolftrap Elementary and Woodson High
  • Hanover County — Cool Spring Elementary, Kersey Creek Elementary and Pearson's Corner Elementary
  • Henrico County — Colonial Trail Elementary, David A. Kaechele Elementary, Deep Run High, Echo Lake Elementary, Gayton Elementary, Glen Allen Elementary, Holman Middle, Maude Trevvett Elementary, Mills E. Godwin High, Nuckols Farm Elementary, Pocahontas Middle, Rivers Edge Elementary, Shady Grove Elementary, Short Pump Elementary, Short Pump Middle, Three Chopt Elementary, Tuckahoe Elementary and Twin Hickory Elementary
  • Loudoun County — Belmont Ridge Middle, Belmont Station Elementary, Briar Woods High, Cardinal Ridge Elementary, Emerick Elementary, Farmwell Station Middle, Freedom High, Lincoln Elementary, Little River Elementary, Madison's Trust Elementary, Mill Run Elementary, Newton-Lee Elementary, Riverside High and Stone Bridge High
  • Montgomery County — Blacksburg High and Gilbert Linkous Elementary
  • Newport News — Deer Park Elementary and Hilton Elementary
  • Poquoson — Poquoson Elementary and Poquoson Primary
  • Prince William County — Ashland Elementary, Battlefield High, Cedar Point Elementary, J.W. Alvey Elementary, Mary G. Porter Traditional, Patriot High, Pennington School and Thurgood Marshall Elementary
  • Richmond — Open High
  • Roanoke — Grandin Court Elementary
  • Roanoke County — Bonsack Elementary, Cave Spring Elementary, Cave Spring High, Green Valley Elementary and Hidden Valley High
  • Russell County — Belfast Elk Garden Elementary
  • Scott County — Weber City Elementary
  • Spotsylvania County — Chancellor Elementary
  • Virginia Beach — John B. Dey Elementary, Kingston Elementary, North Landing Elementary, Old Donation School, Red Mill Elementary, Strawbridge Elementary and Thoroughgood Elementary
  • Washington County — High Point Elementary and Watauga Elementary
  • West Point — West Point High
  • Wise County — Central High and Eastside High
  • Wythe County — Speedwell Elementary
  • York County — Mount Vernon Elementary, Tabb Elementary and Waller Mill Elementary

2018 Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Awards

The Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award was earned by 15 divisions and 202 schools that met all state and federal benchmarks and made progress toward the goals of the Governor and the Board of Education.

“The criteria for these awards provide short-term and long-term goals for principals, superintendents and communities as they develop the improvement plans all schools must have under the Board of Education’s new accreditation standards,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction James F. Lane. “Congratulations to the students in these divisions and schools and to the dedicated educators who made these successes possible.” 

The divisions receiving Distinguished Achievement awards are as follows:

  • Botetourt County
  • Fairfax County           
  • Goochland County
  • Hanover County
  • Lexington       
  • Loudoun County
  • Poquoson
  • Roanoke County
  • Salem
  • Virginia Beach
  • Washington County
  • West Point
  • Wise County
  • Wythe County
  • York County  

The schools receiving Distinguished Achievement awards are as follows:

  • Albemarle County — Hollymead Elementary, Joseph T. Henley Middle, Meriwether Lewis Elementary and Western Albemarle High
  • Alexandria City — Lyles-Crouch Elementary
  • Amherst County — Temperance Elementary
  • Arlington County — Long Branch Elementary, Washington-Lee High and Yorktown High
  • Augusta County — Riverheads High
  • Bath County — Millboro Elementary
  • Botetourt County — Cloverdale Elementary and James River High
  • Campbell County — Leesville Road Elementary
  • Charlotte County — Eureka Elementary
  • Chesapeake — Butts Road Intermediate, Butts Road Primary, Great Bridge Intermediate, Great Bridge Middle, Great Bridge Primary, Hickory Middle, Southeastern Elementary and Western Branch High
  • Chesterfield County — Bon Air Elementary, Clover Hill Elementary, Grange Hall Elementary, J.B. Watkins Elementary, Robious Middle, Swift Creek Elementary and W.W. Gordon Elementary
  • Danville — Galileo Magnet High
  • Dickenson County — Ervinton Elementary
  • Dinwiddie County — Sunnyside Elementary
  • Fairfax County — Centreville High, Crossfield Elementary, Fairfax High, Fairhill Elementary, Great Falls Elementary, Hunt Valley Elementary, Kent Gardens Elementary, Kilmer Middle, Kings Glen Elementary, Laurel Ridge Elementary, Liberty Middle, Mantua Elementary, Orange Hunt Elementary, Powell Elementary, Shrevewood Elementary, South County High, South County Middle, Springfield Estates Elementary, Sunrise Valley Elementary, Terra Centre Elementary, Thoreau Middle, Vienna Elementary, Westfield High and White Oaks Elementary
  • Falls Church — George Mason High and Mary Ellen Henderson Middle
  • Fauquier County — P.B. Smith Elementary
  • Franklin County — Boones Mill Elementary and Burnt Chimney Elementary
  • Hampton — Armstrong Elementary
  • Hanover County — Atlee High, Chickahominy Middle, Laurel Meadow Elementary, Rural Point Elementary and South Anna Elementary
  • Henrico County — Crestview Elementary, George H. Moody Middle, Glen Allen High, Jackson Davis Elementary, Pemberton Elementary and Springfield Park Elementary
  • Henry County — Rich Acres Elementary
  • Isle of Wight County — Carrsville Elementary
  • Lexington — Harrington Waddell Elementary and Lylburn Downing Middle
  • Loudoun County — Blue Ridge Middle, Broad Run High, Cedar Lane Elementary, Creighton’s Corner Elementary, Eagle Ridge Middle, Harper Park Middle, Hillside Elementary, John Champe High, John W. Tolbert Jr. Elementary, Legacy Elementary, Liberty Elementary, Loudoun County High, Loudoun Valley High, Lowes Island Elementary, Mercer Middle, Moorefield Station Elementary, Pinebrook Elementary, Rock Ridge High, Rosa Lee Carter Elementary, Seldens Landing Elementary, Steuart W. Weller Elementary, Stone Hill Middle, Sycolin Creek Elementary, Trailside Middle and Woodgrove High
  • Louisa County — Louisa County High
  • Montgomery County — Blacksburg Middle, Harding Avenue Elementary and Kipps Elementary
  • Norfolk — Larchmont Elementary
  • Orange County — Locust Grove Elementary and Locust Grove Primary
  • Patrick County — Blue Ridge Elementary, Meadows of Dan Elementary and Woolwine Elementary
  • Pittsylvania County — Chatham Elementary, Dan River High, Stony Mill Elementary, Tunstall High and Union Hall Elementary
  • Poquoson — Poquoson High and Poquoson Middle
  • Powhatan County — Powhatan Elementary
  • Prince George County — South Elementary and William A. Walton Elementary
  • Prince William County — A. Henderson Elementary, Bennett Elementary, Brentsville District High, Buckland Mills Elementary, E.H. Marsteller Middle, Gainesville Middle, Mountain View Elementary, Occoquan Elementary, Old Bridge Elementary, Osbourn Park High, Ronald Wilson Reagan Middle, T. Clay Wood Elementary, Nokesville School and  Westridge Elementary
  • Pulaski County — Dublin Elementary
  • Radford — Belle Heth Elementary and McHarg Elementary
  • Richmond — Mary Munford Elementary
  • Roanoke — Wasena Elementary
  • Roanoke County — Back Creek Elementary, Cave Spring Middle, Clearbrook Elementary, Glenvar High, Glenvar Middle, Hidden Valley Middle and Penn Forest Elementary
  • Rockbridge County — Mountain View Elementary
  • Rockingham County — East Rockingham High, John W. Wayland Elementary and Spotswood High
  • Russell County — Honaker Elementary, Lebanon Elementary and Lebanon Primary
  • Salem — Salem High
  • Scott County — Yuma Elementary
  • Southampton County — Nottoway Elementary
  • Spotsylvania County — Riverbend High
  • Stafford County — Colonial Forge High, Mountain View High, Rodney E. Thompson Middle and Winding Creek Elementary
  • Tazewell County — Dudley Primary, Graham Intermediate, Richlands Elementary and Tazewell Elementary
  • Virginia Beach — Creeds Elementary, Frank W. Cox High, Glenwood Elementary, Green Run Collegiate, Hermitage Elementary, Kempsville Elementary, Landstown Elementary, Ocean Lakes High, Pembroke Elementary, Princess Anne Elementary, Princess Anne High, Princess Anne Middle, Salem High and Trantwood Elementary
  • West Point — West Point Elementary and West Point Middle
  • Williamsburg-James City County — Jamestown High and Matoaka Elementary
  • Wise County — L.F. Addington Middle, St. Paul Elementary, Union High and Union Primary
  • Wythe County — George Wythe High, Max Meadows Elementary, Rural Retreat Elementary, Rural Retreat High and Sheffey Elementary
  • York County — Bethel Manor Elementary, Coventry Elementary, Grafton High, Seaford Elementary, Tabb High, Tabb Middle and York High

More information about the VIP incentive program for schools and school divisions is available on the VDOE website: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/statistics_reports/va_index_performance_awards/index.shtml

# # #