- Media Contact: GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 463-1487, dtofig@gadoe.org (To speak to those at the winning schools, please go through the local central office).
- Public Contact: Ask GaDOE Help Desk, (404) 651-2800, askdoe@doe.k12.ga.us

November 30, 2007 -- State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox named 23 Georgia Schools of Excellence in Student Achievement this morning.
Superintendent Cox announced the winning schools during a speech at the Georgia School Boards Association/Georgia School Superintendents Association Annual Conference.
"These schools are the best of the best," said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. "The teachers, students, parents and staff at these 23 schools are focused and determined and they are getting the job done."
"Congratulations to everyone who works for and supports our Georgia Schools of Excellence."
The Georgia Schools of Excellence are honored in two categories. One school from each Congressional District is chosen in each of the following categories (see the full criteria):
- Top 10%: Schools that are in the top 10 percent of schools in Georgia as measured by assessments in reading and mathematics.
- Greatest Gains: Schools that demonstrated greatest continuous gains in student achievement for the past three years as measured by assessments in reading and mathematics.
The Georgia Schools of Excellence will be honored at a banquet in February at the Georgia World Congress Center.

The 2007 Georgia Schools of Excellence in Student Achievement are:

GREATEST GAINS
cong. dist./school/system
1 Appling County Primary, Appling County
3 Futral Road Elementary, Spalding County
4 Salem High, Rockdale County
5 F.L. Stanton Elementary, Atlanta Public Schools
6 Etowah High, Cherokee County
7 McConnell Middle, Gwinnett County
8 Huntington Middle, Houston County
9 North Forsyth Middle, Forsyth County
10 Oconee County High, Oconee County
11 Daniell Middle, Cobb County
12 Southeast Bulloch High, Bulloch County

TOP 10%
cong. dist./school/system
1 Ware Magnet School, Ware County
2 Robert A. Cross Middle Magnet, Dougherty County
3 Rising Starr Middle, Fayette County
4 Hawthorne Elementary, DeKalb County
5 DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb County
6 Murdock Elementary, Cobb County
7 Freeman's Mill Elementary, Gwinnett County
8 Quail Run Elementary, Houston County
9 Matt Elementary, Forsyth County
10 Rocky Branch Elementary, Oconee County
11 East Central Elementary, Rome City
12 Savannah Arts Academy, Chatham County

MORE INFORMATION:
- Georgia Schools of Excellence Criteria

CONGRATULATIONS HAWTHORNE!

You've earned the PTA's School of Excellence for Parent/Family Involvement. We celebrate our school's commitment to making parent involvement and engagement a priority within the school community. Many thanks to Jane Sinner and her committee for conducting the survey, setting standards and submitting the application.