"Mineral County Schools today announced that all schools in the county met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) school-wide under West Virginia Achieves, the states No Child Left Behind (NCLB) implementation plan. In addition, six school#146;s met AYP for all subgroups."

"‘I am so proud of our teachers and our students,’ said Skip Hackworth, Superintendent. ‘Our WESTEST scores prove that our schools are committed to closing the achievement gap for all students. Our calculations suggest that we met high achievement standards in 92 percent of the NCLB accountability cells. We are moving in the right direction and I am confident that our momentum will continue.’"

"Mineral County has already taken several steps to ensure schools are getting the assistance needed to improve student achievement school-wide and in targeted sub-groups. For example:

• All teachers have had the opportunity to attend training sessions associated with brain research as it relates to childhood development;
• Special education teachers have been developing a collaborative teaching model designed to more effectively meet the needs of individual students with disabilities;
• Primary level teachers have attended training designed to improve reading instruction;
• Middle school teachers have all attended training in developing writing skills across the curriculum;
• All secondary teachers attended staff development training in Kagan Structures For Success;
• All teachers have [attended] training sessions designed to better acquaint them with the West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives.

"Mineral County has also selected a school system planning team that has been working with the West Virginia Department of Education to develop a long-term plan to prevent students from falling behind in the future and to close the achievement gap."

"‘Now that we have reliable data and a researched based school system improvement plan in place, this is our opportunity to target those pockets of children that need most help,’ said Mike Burke, School Improvement Team Chair and County Director of General Education. ‘We have a lot of work to do and I know we will be successful.’"

"Hackworth presented the Board of Education 12 goals associated with student and school performance at a Board meeting on August 17. Along with these goals to be considered by the Board he also recommended a new county mission statement, ‘Success For All Students[:] No Exceptions, No Excuses.’"