WCSD schools see ratings improve

WAYNE COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) - Wayne County School District schools received history-making results.

The Mississippi Department of Education announced that Wayne County High School earned its first-ever “A” rating.

“It’s been a lot of hard work,” said WCHS principal Bubba Hathorn.

Hathorn credits the success to a tight-knit community invested in its youth.

“The local teachers coming back here going to work,” Hathorn said. “They have ownership in this school. They have a lot of buy-in to this school. This community means something to them.”

While Buckatunna maintained its “A” rating, Waynesboro Riverview made a historic jump.

“This school has never been a “B” since we’ve been taking the state tests,” said WRS Principal Shronda Turner. “Even as a classroom teacher, never a “B”.”

Turner began her career as a teacher at Riverview more than 20 years ago.

In 2022, the school was rated a “D,” and Turner shared a few steps that helped scores improve.

“It takes a lot of hard work,” Turner said. “It takes effort. It takes being at school every single day.”

Since the announcement, Turner said there’s been an outpouring of support.

“I can’t go anywhere without people talking about it,” Turner said. “I’ve gotten calls, texts, and all kinds of messages to congratulate the staff and the students.”

For more information about the 2022-2023 MDE accountability grades and a list of all the schools’ ratings, CLICK HERE.

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