VIRGINIA BEACH, VA — Tucked away in the Kings Grant neighborhood in Virginia Beach, Kingston Elementary was ranked the best elementary school in Virginia by U.S. News and World Report.
We started by visiting Mrs. Kelley’s 2nd-grade classroom.
Principal Grant Baker leads the team and he was a teacher there.
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“I think it's the way our teachers know our kiddos. We leverage strengths and we continue to facilitate a growth model and help our kids become their best selves," he said.
According to the report, Kingston was chosen out of 2,759 schools in Virginia based on the fact that 98% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math and reading.
While those academic numbers are impressive, what I found when I visited Kingston is that its success is also based on something that can’t be as easily measured.
“Kingston is like this magical place that people really come back to," said Julie Kelley, a 2nd grade teacher. "I was a student in the 80s and my principal from when I was a child hired me. Parents come back who were my classmates who have started to raise their own families in this neighborhood, and there’s this sense of community and connection here.
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I found a similar story when I talked with the students and administrators from the other school at the beach to get top honors.
Old Donation Middle School in the Pembroke area: It’s a unique school in that it houses a middle school and the gifted program for the entire city for dance and visual arts.
“It definitely makes school more fun knowing that at the end of the week, I get basically a whole school day to be on the dance floor and dance," said Old Donation student Jaxxon Frierson.
It's no surprise that Old Donation earned the top spot for middle schools - according to the U.S. News and World Report, 100% of its 1,300 students scored at or above the proficient level for math and reading.
“The expectations are very high for students, and they meet [them]. And when they need support, we’re there," said Old Donation Principal Joel Guldenschuh.
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Old Donation has students from 2nd grade to 8th grade, which offers opportunities that other schools don’t have.
“What’s unique to our building is they can work across grades. They can go to the other side of the building and [see] the little people. They’re mentoring and really providing support to the new kids," said Guldenschuh.
Aside from strong academic scores, the common thread I heard from students and administrators from both schools is a sense of community and belonging.
“You always feel included like everyone cares about you and they want you to succeed," said Old Donation student Ephraim Blair.
“The teachers are always pushing you to ask and learn more things and if you need a little help, you can always ask and they're willing to help you," said 5th grade student Annabelle Lee.
Proof that there are many sides to successfully shaping the hearts and minds of our future generation, both these schools are Positively Hampton Roads.
