28 schools earn state designation for high performance and improvement
   
In yet another indicator that Rutherford County Schools is among the elite performers in Tennessee, a record number of district schools have earned the distinction of “Reward School,” the Tennessee Department of Education announced today.
 
Schools are recognized as a Reward school when they demonstrate high levels of performance and/or improvement in performance by meeting their annual measurable objectives across performance indicators and student groups, and the
Reward school distinction places significant emphasis on improvement from the prior school year, according to TDOE.
 
Last school, 20 Rutherford schools earned the designation, and the previous record is 21 schools.
 
“I am ecstatic to see our schools, our administrators, our teachers, our staff, our students, and our parents recognized for their determination, dedication, and pursuit of high performance,” Director of Schools Dr. Jimmy Sullivan said. “The key to our schools’ success is not a secret. We invest our efforts into meeting our students where they are and ensuring they grow academically each year. Our strategy is working, as evidenced by these designations today.”
 
The designations were approved today by the State Board of Education and then announced publicly by the Tennessee Department of Education.
 
Earlier this year, Rutherford County Schools was named a Level 5 school district for student growth, for the sixth consecutive year. In addition, 32 of the district’s school also earned a Level 5, which is the highest designation offered by the state.
 
Following is the list of the 2024-2025 Reward Schools announced today:
• Barfield Elementary School
• Blackman Elementary School
• Blackman Middle School
• Buchanan Elementary School
• Cedar Grove Elementary School
• Central Magnet School School
• Christiana Elementary School
• Christiana Middle School
• Eagleville School
• Homer Pittard Campus School
• Lascassas Elementary School
• McFadden School of Excellence
• Oakland High School
• Oakland Middle School
• Plainview Elementary School
• Rockvale Elementary School
• Rockvale Middle School
• Rocky Fork Elementary School
• Rocky Fork Middle School
• Siegel Middle School
• Smyrna Elementary School
• Stewartsboro Elementary School
• Stewarts Creek Elementary School
• Stewarts Creek High School
• Stewarts Creek Middle School
• Thurman Francis Arts Academy
• Whitworth-Buchanan Middle School
• Wilson Elementary School