Yorkville District 115 provided the following news release:

Honor Rolls are not just for students anymore, as evidenced by the inclusion of Yorkville’s Circle Center Grade School on the Illinois State Board of Education’s 2011 Honor Roll.

More specifically, the school received the State’s “Academic Excellence Award” for consistently meeting standards for three consecutive years, according to Christopher A. Koch, State Superintendent of Education.

In a letter of congratulations to Brenda Donahue, Principal of Circle Center Grade School, Koch outlined the criteria for this prestigious award as follows:

Schools must have made adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2010 and 2011 as required by No Child Left Behind,

In schools serving grades 8 and below, 90% of students must have met or exceeded state standards in both reading and mathematics for the three most recent school years

“The students, staff and families of Circle Center truly deserve this recognition,” said Donahue. “I’ve been very lucky to be the principal here for the past two and a half years, and have observed a selfless dedication and commitment to learning by all,” she said.

“Our staff goes above and beyond each day to meet the needs of every one of our learners through the use of data, research-based instructional strategies and a passion for learning,” said Donahue.  “Circle Center is truly an amazing and inspiring place to learn.”

Only 366 elementary and kindergarten through eighth grade schools throughout Illinois earned this award, according to the State Board’s Honor Roll website.

“We congratulate the administration, staff, students and parents of Circle Center Grade School on this great accomplishment,” said Dr. Scott Wakeley, Yorkville Superintendent of Schools. “This type of recognition encourages all of us to strive for excellence in all that we do for the students of Yorkville.”