Awards

Exceptional Education Achievement Awards Presented

exceptional education

(Front Row, L to R): Vickie Murphy, Principal of John L. Hurt, Jr. Elementary; Jenny Eaton, Principal of Chatham Elementary; Maxine Diggs, Principal of Mount Airy Elementary; and Donna Yeatts, Education Committee Chair from the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce.

(Back Row, L to R): Charles Miller, School Board Member/Banister District; Samuel Burton, School Board Member/Chatham-Blairs District; and Don C. Moon, School Member/Staunton River District

Chatham Elementary, John L. Hurt, Jr. Elementary and Mount Airy Elementary schools were honored at the June 10, 2008 Pittsylvania County School Board meeting by the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce.

Each school received an Award for Exceptional Education Achievement.

Mrs. Yeatts' remarks are below:

Presentation to Chatham, John L. Hurt Jr.,
and Mt. Airy Elementary Schools

Good Evening. I’m Donna Yeatts, Human Resources Manager for Columbia Forest Products and Chair of the Education Committee of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce.

As we work to create exceptional business growth in this region, it is imperative that we have a strong educational system to provide a competitive and creative workforce for our current and future employers. The Chamber prides ourselves on being this region’s leading advocate for a strong workforce development system whose foundation is built on successful and accountable schools. Our region has made monumental strides in recent years and, as a Chamber, we not only strive for – but we want to recognize - exceptional education achievement in our region.

The Chamber’s Education Committee is here tonight to commend three Pittsylvania County schools – Chatham Elementary School, John L. Hurt Jr. Elementary School, and Mt. Airy Elementary School - for their designation as a Distinguished Title I School.

Virginia recognized 118 schools this past year as “Title I Distinguished Schools” for maintaining full state accreditation under the Commonwealth’s Standards of Learning program for two consecutive years, meeting federal benchmarks in reading and mathematics and having average test scores in both subjects at the 60th percentile or higher.

These awards truly demonstrate that all children can learn and achieve. Furthermore, these awards underscore the excellent educators we have who do not allow economic challenges to deter their quest of preparing every child for a brighter future.

On behalf of the Chamber’s Board of Directors and Education Committee, we would like to publicly express our gratitude to the administration, the staff, the parents, and the students of Chatham Elementary School, John L. Hurt Jr. Elementary School, and Mt. Airy Elementary School. It is my privilege to present these three schools with the Award for Exceptional Education Achievement on behalf of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce.

Award for Exceptional Education Achievement

chamberaward

(L to R) James E. McDaniel, Division Superintendent; Don C. Moon, School Member/Staunton River District; Vickie S. Murphy, Principal of John L. Hurt, Jr. Elementary and Julie Brown, Education Committee Member from the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce.

John L. Hurt Jr., Elementary was recognized at the May 13, 2008 Pittsylvania County School Board meeting. A presentation was made by Julie Brown of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce on behalf of its Board of Directors and Education Committee.

Ms. Brown's remarks are below:

Presentation to John L. Hurt Elementary School

Claiborne Pell, a former US Senator from Rhode Island who was primarily responsible for the creation of Pell Grants, once stated, “The strength of the United States is not the gold at Fort Knox or the weapons of mass destruction that we have, but the sum total of the education and the character of our people.

The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce strongly agrees with Senator Pell and prides ourselves on being this region’s leading advocate for a strong workforce development system whose foundation is built on successful and accountable schools. Our region has made monumental strides in recent years and, as a Chamber, we not only strive for – but we want to recognize - exceptional education achievement in our region.

The Chamber’s Education Committee wants to take a few minutes this evening to commend John L. Hurt Elementary School for its designation by Governor Tim Kaine as a high-performing Virginia public school.

Hurt Elementary was one of only 89 Virginia public schools that met the rigorous criteria required to earn the Governor’s Award for Education Excellence. This award recognizes outstanding schools that meet all state and federal achievement benchmarks for at least two consecutive years

On behalf of the Chamber’s Board of Directors and Education Committee, we would like to publicly express our gratitude to the administration, the staff, the parents, and the students of John L. Hurt Elementary School. It is my privilege to present John L. Hurt Elementary School with this Award for Exceptional Education Achievement on behalf of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce.