By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

Braelinn Elementary School and McIntosh High School were both ranked academically second in the state among elementary and secondary schools this week by The Center for Education Policy in Atlanta.

According to Dr. Bob Martin, principal of Braelinn, the rankings for the states' 1,065 elementary schools were based primarily on scores from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, administered to fifth graders last spring. “The Center for Education Policy is a private group of individuals concerned about public education,” said Martin. “They do a number of things related to education, and the report card is one of things they do,” he explained.
“This is a very simple report card,” Martin added. “It ranks schools; lots of people don't like to see this done. They have a formula to apply to those [ITBS] scores which takes in the poverty level,” he said. Braelinn does not have students that meet poverty level criteria, Martin said, but the interpretation of rankings also gave the school a “One Plus,” which means students are actually scoring better and performing above the norm expected for a school of its kind.

Martin said much of the school's success is due to Braelinn's supportive parents, prepared students and great teachers. “For a school principal, Braelinn is a dream world,” he admitted. “Every day I'm thankful to be here,” Martin said of the three years he has been principal.

“We'll take all the accolades we can get,” Martin added, noting that all schools in the county are “doing very well.” All Fayette County elementary schools fell within the 25th percentile ranking from number two Braelinn, which came in behind the number one school, a magnet school in DeKalb County, to North Fayette Elementary ranking 256th in the state.

Martin said parental involvement in their children's education sets Braelinn and other Fayette County schools apart from those, for instance, in south Georgia, “where mom and dad are working like dogs to put something on the table.

“It makes a huge difference,” he said. “Our parents send their children to school with a good breakfast, they read to them, practice numbers with them, travel with them...” He went on to say that other schools also have good teachers, but teach children whose homes are at or close to the poverty level, who may not get a decent breakfast, and have no reading matter in the house.

Based on the center's Report Card, Fayette County's elementary schools are ranked as follows: Braelinn two, Peeples 15, Kedron 36, Huddleston 103, Brooks 132, Burch 141, Spring Hill, 144, Fayette Elementary 162, Tyrone 175, Oak Grove 190, Peachtree City 203, East Fayette 236 and North Fayette 256.

The county's high schools ranked among the top 30 in the state. McIntosh was graded number two out of 319 secondary schools. The number one school was a magnet school in Augusta. Starr's Mill was ranked 11, Fayette County High 21 and Sandy Creek 28.

McIntosh principal Greg Stillions said, ”I have to give credit to the staff,” regarding the school's top ranking. He praised the school's teachers for pushing students to reach their high expectations. “If things are going well in the building, we'll take the glory where it's headed... we're blessed at McIntosh.”

Despite the high calibre of students teachers have to work with at McIntosh, Stillions said it was still up to the staff “to reach a level of above average performance.” Parent involvement with their students also runs high at the school. “They're concerned with what's happening with their grades... with their kids' lives.”

To maintain the quality education McIntosh now provides, Stillions said he and his staff must continue to strive to find better ways to do things.

The high schools' ranking is based on SAT scores, graduation statistics and the degrees and tenure of staff, according to Stillions.

Among the state's 410 middle schools, Rising Starr ranked 15, Fayette Middle 27, Whitewater 28, J.C. Booth 30 and Flat Rock 49.