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Tritt Elementary School has been named a 2006 Georgia School
of Excellence by the Georgia Department of Education. Located
in northeast Cobb, Tritt is one of only 20 schools statewide
to receive the prestigious designation this year. The Georgia
Schools of Excellence program began in 1984 and has become a
badge of honor for schools. Schools are selected based on
overall excellence and gains in student achievement.
The Georgia Schools of Excellence program
identifies two winning schools from each congressional
district in Georgia, based on two sets of criteria. First, a
school must rank highest in its congressional district and
also be among the state’s top 10 percent of schools. Tritt
Elementary meets this qualification in Congressional District
6, making the school eligible for a No Child Left Behind Blue
Ribbon Schools Award nomination. Another school is chosen from
each congressional district for showing the greatest
continuous gains in student achievement in reading and
mathematics over a three-year period. Schools chosen for
either category must meet Adequate Yearly Progress for at
least three consecutive years, meet or exceed state mean
scores in Science and Social Studies and have 100 percent of
the teaching staff meet Georgia’s ‘highly qualified’
standards.
Dr. Rebecca Rutledge, principal at Tritt,
was thrilled to find out about the honor and praised her
forward-thinking, cooperative staff for working toward student
success. “I feel that good teachers have high expectations for
students, but even higher expectations for themselves,” said
Dr. Rutledge.
She also emphasized Tritt’s focus on
gathering, analyzing and reacting to students’ academic data.
The school has assembled data teams for each grade level. The
teams meet twice monthly to collect and discuss pre- and
post-test information and how they can best address Tritt
students’ needs. The teams have created a tightly-knit,
enthusiastic staff with attitudes that rub off on students.
“Teacher collaboration is a major school goal,” Dr. Rutlege
said. “I attribute this positive school culture to teacher
collaboration, as well as parent and community involvement at
every level.”
The percentage of Tritt students exceeding
standards on the spring 2005 Criterion Reference Competency
Tests (CRCT) increased in all subject areas in third grade,
and in four of five subject areas in fifth grade. Third
graders exceeded standards at a higher rate in all five
subjects, with the biggest gain an 11 percent increase in
Mathematics. Sixty-four percent of fifth graders exceeded
standards on the English/Language Arts segment, an 18 percent
increase from 2004. Fifth graders also continued to improve
scores in Reading, Mathematics and Science.
Dr. Rutledge said that the high level of
parent and community participation also contributes to the
school’s academic success. “We have parents helping out in
classrooms throughout the school and our 15 Partners in
Education are supporting all of our efforts,” she said. Dr.
Rutledge also said that her approach sets a positve tone for
teachers and students. “I feel like we treat each other with
respect each and every day. It’s never impossible to tell
someone how well they’re doing.”
Cobb Superintendent Fred Sanderson was
proud to see Tritt Elementary represent the Cobb County School
District as a Georgia School of Excellence. “Being named a
School of Excellence is such an honor for Tritt and for our
District - it speaks to how hard Dr. Rutledge and her staff
have worked to motivate their students for success. It will be
great to see that flag flying at Tritt, representing this
accomplishment, and I hope to see more of our schools flying
it in 2007,” said Sanderson.
Tritt Elementary opened in 1980 and is
celebrating its 25th anniversary throughout this school year.
The school is located on Post Oak Tritt Road in Marietta and
named for Will Tritt, a lifelong east Cobb resident and
community contributor. The school is also a recent recipient
of the 2005 Platinum Award from the Governor’s Office of
Student Achievement, for having the top percentages of
students meeting or exceeding state standards.
Details about the Georgia Schools of
Excellence program, including selection criteria, is available
from the Department of Education’s web site at
www.doe.k12.ga.us.
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