Forty-six county schools make the grade

• Reprints

Updated: April 18, 2012 1:52AM

For the first time, Gurnee Grade School has earned an Academic Excellence Award from Illinois Honor Roll, according to Principal Jennifer Glickley.

“It takes three years to earn the award — it’s not something you apply for,” Glickley said.

The Academic Excellence Award is given to schools that have sustained a high academic performance for three consecutive years. Academic Excellence Award recipient schools also must achieve Adequate Yearly Progress on state testing for at least two consecutive years.

As the testing standards to achieve AYP rise every year, the number of schools receiving the Academic Excellence Award has declined over the years, according to Illinois Honor Roll.

Gurnee Grade School has focused on the Response to Intervention program, Glickley said. The federal program is designed to meet individual students’ needs who are struggling to achieve standards on testing.

The school also has high family involvement, she said.

“We really pride ourselves in having high expectations for our kids. We make sure parents are included,” Glickley said.

Gurnee Grade School was among 46 schools in Lake County and 438 schools in the state to earn the 2011 Academic Excellence Award from Illinois Honor Roll.

This is a drop from the 2010 Academic Excellence Award recipients. A total of 54 schools in Lake County and 459 schools statewide earned an Academic Excellence Award.

Lake County Regional Superintendent of Schools Roycealee Wood said she wasn’t concerned about the decrease.

“There’s no indication that there aren’t schools of excellence,” Wood said.

She said she thought all Lake County schools did a good job educating students.

“I think good learning is always taking place,” Wood said.