The Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) incentive program was approved in 2007 by the Board of Education to advance then Governor Tim Kaine’s “competence to excellence” agenda which encouraged advanced learning and achievement in the Commonwealth’s public schools. In July, the Board added objectives for high school graduation to the VIP awards criteria and established more rigorous benchmarks for achievement in the core subject areas of English, mathematics, science, and history/social science. In this program there are three categories or tiers of recognition for schools and school divisions.

For the second tier honor in the VIP program, schools earned the Board of Education’s Excellence Award. Schools receiving the Board of Education’s Excellence Award met all state and federal accountability benchmarks for at least two consecutive years and made significant progress toward goals for increased student achievement and expanded education opportunities. Twin Springs Elementary was recognized for their achievement of this level of distinction, the Board of Education’s Excellence Award. They achieved this level of recognition in 2009 also.

Tier Three is the Board of Education’s Competence to Excellence Award, which recognizes schools that have met all state and federal benchmarks for at least two consecutive years and are making progress toward the goals of the governor and the board.

For the third tier, the Board of Education’s Competence to Excellence Award, we are very proud that we have six schools recognized. They are:  Chatham Elementary, Gretna Elementary, John L. Hurt, Jr. Elementary, Mt. Airy Elementary, Tunstall High, and Union Hall Elementary. Mt. Airy Elementary, Tunstall High, and Union Hall Elementary received this award last year as well.






We congratulate the administration, students, and staff at these schools for their pursuit of excellence.