(Radio Iowa) – An eastern Iowa school is being singled out by the U-S Department of Education. The 225-student Grundy Center Middle School is the only middle school in the state to earn the department’s Blue Ribbon Award for the year. Principal Michael Vokes says earning the honor for exceptional academic achievement is as much a result of what’s taught outside the curriculum as what’s taught within. “What I see with my staff is their unwavering commitment to do what they believe is best for their students and for their kids,” Vokes says. “We’re just talking about character traits and how do we positively walk through a situation.”

The Department of Education uses state assessments and national tests to determine school rankings. The school’s 5th through 8th grades placed in the top 15-percent of Iowa testing. Vokes says the award shows that public education works, especially when whole communities get on board. “It does take a village,” he says. “It does take partnerships between the community and our teachers and our school, and everyone else to make this thing work. There are no shortcuts. We have to really get to know our kids, get to know what they need and where they struggle, and then we have to do our best to meet those needs and help them be successful.”

The school’s 7th and 8th grades both tested near 100-percent proficiency at the state level, which helped secure the nomination.

(by Grant Winterer, Iowa Public Radio)