County school district receives Beacon award for MCT2 performance

The Union County School District was once again recognized among the top school districts in the state of Mississippi when it was the recipient of the Lighthouse School Leader Beacon Award in late November.

Union County School District

Union County School Board President Johnny Rakestraw (left) and Union County Superintendent Ken Basil (right) received the Beacon award on the district's behalf.

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The award, which the school district has been honored with two out of the past four years, was accepted by Union County Superintendent Ken Basil, School Board President Johnny Rakestraw and board member Dr. James Bryson during the Mississippi School Board Association Fall Leadership Conference in Jackson.

Union County Schools, as well as Pontotoc City Schools, were the only school districts north of Interstate 20 to receive the award.  The honor is given to school districts whose students have met Adequate Yearly Progress goals in all areas tested, obtained a scale score of 151 or above and 50 percent or more of the students scored proficient or advanced in all 12 areas of the Mississippi Curriculum Test 2 (MCT2).

“The importance of this award is greater due to the more rigorous MCT2 that was administered last Spring,” Basil said.

Basil went on to give the district's teachers and administrators full credit for the award, as well as students and their parents.

“The students' desire to excel is evident in the many scholarships awarded each year at graduation,” Basil said.  “The parents' attention to their children's day-to-day performance is vital to a good school experience.”

MSBA Executive Director Michael Waldrop also praised the work of the Union County School District.

"The work of boards and superintendents is painstaking, critical and many times highly

unappreciated," Waldrop said.  "Despite how it sometimes appears, most school districts are doing a great job and continue to work hard at doing even better."