Reward For Success In 2005-06 Ignites Fire For Students To Excel In Effort To Bring Home A 9th School Of Excellence Designation From State

Blowing Rock School is using a proven formula to go after their ninth consecutive School of Excellence designation from the North Carolina Department of Education. Hard work by students and faculty in partnership with strong support from parents and the business community, and a pat on the back for past accomplishments will hopefully be the ingredients that adds one more banner to the wall of honor at the local school.
The hard work by students and teachers and the strong support from parents and businesses are on going and will intensify as state mandated testing begins soon, and the pat on the back was highlighted this past Friday when the students were rewarded with a day of thanks that included everything from hamburgers and hotdogs to airwalks - a day for the students to close up their text books for a full day, get out from behind their desk, and celebrate the past and fire up for the new challenge.
“This day is special to the faculty and students,” said Blowing Rock School Principal Patrick Sukow as he watched young people enjoying themselves in the school gym that had been converted into a circus atmosphere. “Our reasoning is that we thank them for what they have accomplished in the past and ignite the fire that will bring them success in the future.”
With the help of the school PTO and others most students spent the day jumping, sliding, crawling, bouncing and falling on half a dozen giant air walk pieces that had been set up in the school gym. Original plans were to have the games and activities outside, but a light rain and dense fog changed those plans.
Students used a winter’s build up of energy to tackle and challenge all the air walk units and other activities provided during the day, only breaking long enough to enjoy a lunch that was prepared to be a picnic on the ball field, had it not rained.
The School of Excellence award is the highest awarded by the Department of Education and is earned by only a select number of high achieving schools from Murphy to Manteo. Blowing Rock is one of only three schools statewide to have attained the status for eight consecutive years, and the only school in Watauga County to be designated the top honor during the 2005-06 school year.
“Of course our goal is to go for our ninth this year, and I know already that our students will do well,” said one faculty members. “But the fact is that because the honor is based on test scores that show significant improvement each year it is becoming harder and harder to hit those target percentage figures considering the fact we have consistently been near the top of the level for the past eight years. It’s quite a challenge for us and for the students.”
By Monday things were back to normal at the school campus, and students were busy preparing for classes.