MARTINSVILLE (WSLS 10) - It has just been announced that Martinsville High School and Albert Harris Elementary School are "partially accredited, but reconstituted."
"This is what we want to build on, that momentum, going in to the spring tests," said Martinsville Superintendent Dr. Zeb Talley.
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In September, when ratings were released for schools statewide, the two schools were listed as "to be determined."
The schools' designation means the district has to develop a plan for improving the schools and then submit that plan to the Virginia Department of Education for approval.
Part of the plan includes having a state-approved education coach work with the schools.
"She started working with us last year with Albert Harris [Elementary] because it was a priority school," Martinsville Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Angilee Downing.
Downing has been working closely with the coach.
"We do walk-throughs in the classrooms and we look at the lesson plans," Downing explained. "We look at what the students are doing, the teacher's delivery of instruction, to make sure it aligns at the content level and the cognitive level."
She said she has noticed positive changes since the coach began working with the district.
"We are seeing some changes in the classroom instruction, also in our performance data," said Downing.
Given that success, Talley is confident all four of the city's schools will be fully accredited soon.
"Very confident. That was always the end game and we said that from day one," he emphasized.
The coach will continue to work with the district until the schools are fully accredited.