KSES, PEFAMS named ‘Reward Schools’ by state

Both elementary schools in South Cheatham have been identified as Reward Schools by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) for the 2022-2023 school year.

Reward School status is the top distinction a school can earn in Tennessee, the Cheatham County School District touted on Feb. 20. 

Kingston Springs Elementary School (KSES) and Pegram Elementary Fine Arts Magnet School (PEFAMS) were two of the three schools given this designation in the district. 

PEFAMS (left) and KSES (right) staff celebrate their honorable distinctions on Feb. 20 / CCSD Twitter

“Schools receiving this designation exemplify student success in achievement and growth in the tested areas,” the district said. “We are so proud of our students, faculty, and staff! Their hard work and dedication is appreciated and deserves to be recognized.” 

According to TDOE, Reward School designation is given to schools that demonstrate high or improving levels of performance, across all indicators from the prior school year. 

“I am excited to highlight the Reward Schools and Exemplary Districts across the state for their commitment to ensuring students are growing and learning every day," TDOE Commissioner of Education Lizzette Reynolds said in a statement. “These annual designations are a testament to the hard work our educators and school and district leaders provide to students each and every day across the state.”

“We are so proud of all of the hard work our students and teachers are doing everyday,” PEFAMS wrote on Facebook. “The best is yet to come!” 

Late last year, TDOE awarded KSES with the only ‘A’ grade ranking for schools in the county. According to TDOE, the letter grade ranking program for schools “provides a snapshot of how each school in the state is doing in meeting the state’s expectations for learning, including student achievement and academic growth measures.”  

“We are very proud to have earned the highest score in all three categories including achievement, growth, and growth of the students scoring in the bottom 25%,” KSES Principal Andrea Bledsoe said when the letter grade was released in December. “Our staff is committed to excellence for every student.”

CCSD also announced that TDOE designated the district as an “Advancing” district. 

“This designation is based on various performance indicators, including student achievement and growth. This is the second highest rating a district can achieve on the state’s accountability model,” the district wrote on Facebook.

“This designation validates the incredible work happening each day across our district,” it said. “We are proud to celebrate our administrators, teachers, staff members, and students on this accomplishment!”