Georgia Department of Education Recognizes 20 HCS Schools as 2024-2025 Literacy and Math Leaders

HENRY COUNTY, GA – The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) recently named 20 Henry County Schools elementary, middle, and high schools as 2024-2025 Literacy and Math Leaders.

The Literacy Leader and Math Leader award program celebrates schools that have demonstrated exceptional achievement, growth, or both on annual end-of-grade or end-of-course reading and mathematics assessments.

Schools receiving Gateway Growth or Gateway Achievement awards met stringent criteria that underscore the importance of grade-level reading in third and sixth grades and numeracy skills in fifth and eighth grades.

Schools were eligible for awards in additional grade levels if they first qualified for a Gateway Growth or Gateway Achievement award.

Literacy Leader Awards

A total of 10 HCS schools were among the 406 elementary, middle, and high schools across Georgia recognized as  2024-2025 Literacy Leaders. The schools received the honor based on the criteria specified for elementary and middle schools, while the American Literature End-of-Course assessment, the state test for high school English Language Arts, determined the high school award.

Of the 10 HCS Literacy Leader schools, East Lake Elementary, Walnut Creek Elementary, and Hampton Middle School earned Growth awards for more than one grade level.

The HCS schools named Literacy Leaders for demonstrating achievement or growth in the percentage of students reading at or above grade levels are as follows:

• Austin Road Elementary School: 3rd Grade Gateway Growth
• Bethlehem Elementary School: 3rd Grade Gateway Growth
• Cotton Indian Elementary School: 3rd Grade Gateway Growth
• Dutchtown High School: High School Growth
• East Lake Elementary School: 3rd Grade Gateway Growth, 4th Grade Growth, and 5th Grade Growth
• Hampton Middle School: 6th Grade Gateway Growth and 7th Grade Growth
• Luella Elementary School: 3rd Grade Gateway Growth
• Oakland Elementary School: 3rd Grade Gateway Growth
• Walnut Creek Elementary School: 3rd Grade Gateway Growth and 4th Grade Growth
• Wesley Lakes Elementary School: 3rd Grade Gateway Growth

Schools earn the Literacy Gateway Growth award when the percentage of third-grade, sixth-grade, or high school students reading at or above grade level is 90 percent or higher.

“Every student matters at East Lake, and every moment counts,” said Principal Dana Flowers. “We are embracing this daily mission as we empower our students to read with confidence, think with clarity, and grow as lifelong learners. I am so proud of our teachers for their exceptional commitment to ensuring students read with purpose and reach new levels of success. We are excited to be recognized as a Literacy Leader, and we are incredibly proud of our students for the hard work and growth that made this achievement possible.”

East Lake Elementary School was also one of seven HCS schools to receive the prestigious John Hancock Banner and Proficiency Ribbon, which recognizes schools where 90% of students can write their names in cursive. Competence in cursive writing is closely linked to improved spelling and overall literacy proficiency.

“Dutchtown High School is honored to be recognized as a Literacy Leader in Georgia,” added Principal Travis Chapman. “This achievement reflects the dedication of our teachers, the resilience of our students, and our unwavering commitment to building strong readers and thinkers. We are devoted to rigorous instruction, student growth, and preparing every scholar for life beyond the classroom.”

Literacy Leader qualifications use the Georgia Milestones Reading Status indicator, which is based on the Lexile score associated with students’ performance on a subset of questions on the English Language Arts assessment.

Georgia Milestone assessment results released by GaDOE in August showed that the percentage of HCS students reading on grade level increased in six of the seven tested grades compared to the previous year’s performance.

Additionally, eight of the 10 HCS Literacy Leader schools earned the 3rd Grade Gateway Growth award, mirroring the GMA results, which indicated the largest reading improvements were realized at the third-grade level.

Improvement in reading performance across HCS reflects strategic efforts by the Board of Education aimed at literacy growth, including the district’s Henry Reads campaign, professional development for school leaders and educators, and investments in high-quality instructional resources focused on the science of reading.

Math Leader Awards

A total of 10 HCS schools were among the 479 elementary, middle, and high schools across Georgia recognized as 2024-2025 Math Leaders. The schools received the honor based on the criteria specified for elementary and middle schools, while the Algebra: Concepts and Connections End-of-Course assessments, the state test for mathematics in high school, determines the high school award.

The HCS schools named Math Leaders for demonstrating achievement or growth are as follows:

• Austin Road Middle School: High School Growth
• Dutchtown Elementary School: 5th Grade Gateway Growth
• Eagle’s Landing Middle School: High School Growth
• Flippen Elementary School: 5th Grade Gateway Growth
• Impact Academy Middle School: High School Outstanding Achievement
• Locust Grove Middle School: High School Growth
• Luella Middle School: High School Growth
• McDonough Middle School: High School Growth
• Ola Middle School: High School Achievement
• Timber Ridge Elementary School: 5th Grade Gateway Growth

Schools earned the Math Gateway Growth award when the percentage of fifth-grade, eighth-grade, or high school students scoring proficient or above in mathematics increased based on tiered growth criteria. Middle schools offering high-school-level Algebra were eligible for the High School Growth award.

“We are honored that Impact Academy Middle School has been recognized as a 2024-2025 Math Leader by the Georgia Department of Education,” said Principal Delphine Patterson. “This recognition reflects our commitment to excellence, data-driven teaching, and our unwavering pursuit to be the best of the best. Every decision we made was centered on winning for kids, and this achievement is a direct result of the dedication of our teachers, the persistence of our students, and the partnership of our families.”

HCS also demonstrated districtwide gains in math, particularly at the elementary school level, based on Georgia Milestone assessment results. Similarly, GaDOE’s recently released 2024-2025 College and Career Ready Performance Index showed district and schoolwide gains in math and literacy scores.

“Year-over-year improvements in performance highlight the board’s investment in empowering all students K-12 and our district’s determination to ensure bright futures begin in Henry County Schools,” said Superintendent Dr. John Pace III. “We are establishing a foundation that ensures our students thrive as they progress through the district and beyond. From professional development to adhering to rigorous instructional criteria, our school and district leaders are laser-focused on growth in every measure. Congratulations to our schools and students for their determination and commitment to academic excellence.”

Throughout the 2025-2026 school year, State School Superintendent Richard Woods will visit select schools identified as Literacy Leaders, Math Leaders, or both to recognize and congratulate them.

Superintendent Woods presented 14 HCS schools with a total of 15 Literacy and Math Leader awards last year.