COVINGTON, Ga. - The Georgia Department of Education today released the 2017 School Climate Star Ratings for all schools in the Newton County School System. The ratings reflect school climate data from surveys taken by students, teachers and staff, and parents during the 2016-2017 school year. Included in the final calculations are data from the Georgia Student Health Survey 2.0, Georgia School Personnel Survey, and Georgia Parent Survey, as well as student discipline data and attendance records for students, teachers, staff and administrators.
School climate refers to the quality and character of school life – the “culture” of a school. A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth development and student learning, which are essential elements for academic success, career-skill improvement and overall quality of life. The School Climate Star Rating is one measure that helps assess whether a school is perceived to be moving forward.
School Climate Star Ratings are required by law; they also serve as a companion to the Department of Early Care and Learning’s Quality Rated program, which includes an assessment of the learning environment.
All schools received star ratings of 1 to 5, with five stars representing an excellent school climate, and one star representing a school climate most in need of improvement. School Climate Star Ratings are an informational tool for schools, administrators, and parents; they do not affect the school’s College & Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) score.
Star rankings are explained below:
- '5-star' schools ranked excellent;
- '4-star' schools ranked above average;
- '3-star' schools ranked average;
- '2-star' schools ranked below satisfactory, or
- '1-star' schools ranked unsatisfactory.
According to the report, the majority of Newton County’s school scored a three or four rating. Fairview Elementary, Heard-Mixon Elementary, and Mansfield Elementary each earned a perfect score of five stars in 2017. Each Newton County school’s final score and star rating is listed below:
- East Newton: 4
- Fairview: 5
- Flint Hill: 4
- Heard-Mixon: 5
- Live Oak: 4
- Livingston: 4
- Mansfield: 5
- Middle Ridge: 4
- Newton County Theme-Elementary: 4
- Oak Hill: 3
- Porterdale: 3
- Rocky Plains: 3
- South Salem: 3
- West Newton: 3
- Clements: 3
- Cousins: 4
- Indian Creek: 4
- Liberty: 4
- Newton County Theme-Middle: 4
- Veterans Memorial: 4
- Alcovy: 3
- Eastside: 4
- Newton: 3
“Our Newton County teachers and leaders are committed to ensuring that students are taught in environments that are supportive of and responsive to their needs,” NCSS Superintendent Samantha Fuhrey said. “We continue to study our survey results to make adjustments that will lead to all schools achieving five stars. It’s extremely important that our students, parents, and employees have a positive experience in our schools, and that they recognize our schools are safe and inviting and foster a culture and a love of learning.”
For more information, contact Ms. Sherri Davis-Viniard, Director of Public Relations for Newton County Schools, at davis-viniard.sherri@newton.k12.ga.us.
