THOMASVILLE — After receiving silver and gold rankings in the past two years, perhaps it is only fitting that Cross Creek Elementary School would be awarded platinum status in 2017.

On Friday, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal announced that Cross Creek received the Governor’s Platinum Award for CCRPI (College and Career Ready Performance Index) progress scores, putting the school in the top 1 percent of all elementary schools statewide.

The CCRPI looks at how all students are progressing, including subgroups of pupils who have disabilities, are a minority or are economically disadvantaged.

“They look not only at how a school performs as a whole, but how the subgroups perform,” said Dr. Dusty Kornegay, Thomas County School System superintendent. “Both groups play a role in the ranking. Both groups have to perform well.”

The school has maintained a three-year average in the top 7 percent of elementary schools statewide. Cross Creek received the Governor’s Silver Award in 2015 and the Governor’s Gold Award in 2016. The Platinum Award highlights the school’s continued academic progress during the last three years.

When scores improve during a period of time, it shows a school is not just a “one-year wonder,” but is improving in reading and math on a regular basis, Kornegay said.

When a Cross Creek student is identified as experiencing problems, the pupil receives immediate assistance, the superintendent said.

To maintain Platinum status, Cross Creek, which houses third and fourth grades, must maintain performance status.

“We are very proud of the progress that has been made over the last several years,” said Associate Superintendent Melanie Chavaux. “We know that to continue making progress and gains, we will need to continue emphasizing the importance of writing instruction in a variety of formats and genres.”

Cross Creek Principal Clay Stanaland said that while the work has not always been easy, the spirit and attitude of teachers and administrators at Hand-in-Hand, Garrison-Pilcher and Cross Creek have created the vertical alignment for teaching reading and writing strategies that does not come from a purchased program, but from collaborative hard work.

“We will continue to emphasize student growth and hopefully reach higher goals,” Stanaland added.

“By implementing the best methods for teaching young minds, educators at Highest Performing and Greatest Gains schools are going above and beyond to help their students develop the skills needed for future success,” Gov. Deal said. “Young minds are Georgia’s most valuable resource, and we appreciate the schools across the state working to provide each student with an opportunity to succeed.”

Kornegay expressed pride in accomplishments of students, teachers and administrators at Cross Creek.

“We have seen a continuous pattern of student growth at Cross Creek over the last several years, and I couldn’t be happier with the progress our students are making,” he said. “In that Thomas County operates a fully-unified school district with all students progressing through each elementary school, this award recognizes the accomplishments of all of our students, not just an elite group. Hand-In-Hand Primary and Garrison-Pilcher Elementary schools are feeder schools for Cross Creek, so their teachers and administrators share in this recognition in that the work of Cross Creek teachers builds upon the foundation of the feeder schools.”