Submitted by Grayson Williams
Hart County Charter System
The Hart County Charter System proudly welcomed Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods to North Hart Elementary School for a special ceremony recognizing Hart County Middle School, North Hart Elementary and South Hart Elementary as 2024-2025 Math Leader Schools on Wednesday, May 13. North Hart Elementary was also recognized as a 2024-2025 Literacy Leader School at the event. The recognition, awarded by the Georgia Department of Education, honors schools across the state for exceptional performance and growth in mathematics and literacy.
During the visit, Superintendent Woods presented an official Math Leader banner to North Hart Elementary and South Hart Elementary, while also presenting ribbons to be added to previously earned Math and Literacy Leader banners for North Hart Elementary and Hart County Middle School, celebrating the schools’ outstanding academic accomplishments. The program opened with a welcome from Hart County Charter System Superintendent Jennifer Carter, followed by the presentation of banners and ribbons by Superintendent Woods to school principals.
“As a district, our vision is to be recognized for educational excellence. The goal is to create a school district where every student is challenged to grow, supported to succeed and inspired to dream big. This means building classrooms where innovation thrives, teachers feel empowered and learning is both deep and meaningful,” Hart County Charter System Superintendent Jennifer Carter said to the crowd of students, staff and guests. “This afternoon, we come together to celebrate the progress we have made in pursuit of this vision and to recognize the dedication, talent and potential that each of you brings into our schools each day.”
A total of 406 schools met the qualifications for recognition as 2024-2025 Literacy Leaders. Awards were given based on the outlined criteria at the elementary and middle-school levels and at the high-school level based on the American Literature EOC, which is the state test for ELA in high school. Literacy Leader qualifications use the Georgia Milestones Reading Status indicator, which is based on the Lexile score associated with students' performance on a subset of questions on the ELA assessment. GaDOE also recognized Literacy Leader schools for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years.
A total of 479 schools met the qualifications for recognition as 2024-2025 Math Leaders. Awards were given based on the outlined criteria at the elementary and middle-school levels and at the high-school level based on the Algebra: Concepts and Connections EOC, which is the state test for mathematics in high school. Math Leader qualifications are based on students achieving the Proficient Learner level or above on the Georgia Milestones mathematics assessments. GaDOE recognized Math Leader schools for the 2023-2024 school year.
North Hart Elementary earned Literacy Leader distinction through 3rd Grade Gateway Growth, reflecting substantial improvement in the percentage of students reading at or above grade level. The school also posted strong performance in mathematics, earning its first Math Leader banner for 3rd Grade Growth and 5th Grade Gateway Growth recognitions.
South Hart Elementary also earned Math Leader status for the first time through its 5th Grade Gateway Growth recognition, demonstrating increases in the percentage of students performing at the Proficient Learner level or above in mathematics.
Hart County Middle School added a ribbon to their banner after being recognized as a Math Leader for High School Outstanding Achievement in mathematics, based on performance on the Algebra: Concepts & Connections End-of-Course assessment.
State Superintendent Woods commended Hart County Middle School, North Hart Elementary and South Hart Elementary for their dedication to student growth and achievement. He also encouraged students and staff to continue pursuing academic excellence.
“Strong literacy and math skills open the door for every opportunity our students will encounter in school, in their future careers and in life,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “The schools recognized as Literacy Leaders and Math Leaders have shown a deep commitment to ensuring every student has the tools to succeed. I’m proud to honor their work and the positive impact they’re making on students across our state as we work to prepare all students for life.”
The Hart County Charter System extends its gratitude to the Georgia Department of Education, participating dignitaries and the entire school community for their support in fostering high-quality math and literacy instruction and student achievement.