Gilchrist School District ranked 2nd in the state

By Carrie A. Mizell

The Gilchrist County School District received an A on its report card last Thursday when the Florida Department of Education released the school grades for the 2008-2009 school year.
Once the scores came in, Gilchrist County’s report card showed three A’s and a B. Bell Elementary School earned a B, while Bell Middle High School earned an A. Both Trenton Elementary School and Trenton Middle High School earned A’s.
According to Ronda Parrish, director of educational services for the Gilchrist County School District, Bell Elementary School had the points, but were dropped one grade level due to less than 50 percent gains in the lowest quartile for Math.
Gilchrist County is currently the second ranked school district in the state falling just below St. Johns County. Brevard County is third, Santa Rosa County is fourth and Okaloosa County is fifth in the state ranking, according to FDOE.
Last year Trenton Elementary School, Bell Elementary School and Bell Middle-High School all received an A, while Trenton Middle-High got a B.
Locally, Dixie County is a B school district and Levy County is also a B school district.
In Dixie County, Old Town Elementary School is an A, Anderson Elementary School is a B and Ruth Rains Middle School is an A.
Levy County schools performed as follows: Bronson Middle-High School is a B, Cedar Key School is an A, Chiefland High School is a C, Chiefland Middle School is an A, Nature Coast Middle School is an A, Williston High School is an F, Williston Middle School is an A, Yankeetown School is a B, Williston Elementary School is an A, Chiefland Elementary School is an A and Bronson Elementary School is an A.