Richmond Hill High and Richmond Hill Elementary schools are among 370 schools across the state recognized by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement for improvement and achievement during the 2010-2011 school year.

Schools are awarded on four levels — Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Richmond Hill High School received the Bronze award in the highest performance category, which recognizes high achievement on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) and the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT). In the same category, Richmond Hill Elementary School received the Silver award.

In the greatest gain category, which recognizes significant improvement on the CRCT and GHSGT, Richmond Hill High School received the Platinum award.

Richmond Hill High School principal Helen Herndon said she was very pleased the school was recognized.

“Hard work pays off — from parents, students and faculty, it’s a partnership,” Herndon said. “The parents send us the best they have, and we just keep polishing — and apparently we polished all the way to platinum.”

Richmond Hill Elementary School principal Walt Barnes said he was also pleased the school had been recognized. But the honor wasn’t by accident, he said.

“It’s definitely an accomplishment,” Barnes said. “It is a goal we set and it is very satisfying to reach those goals."

Read more in the Jan. 21 edition of the News.