Thursday, February 26, 2026–10:20 a.m.
-News Release-
A crowded media center at Rome Middle School welcomed Georgia State Superintendent of Schools Richard Woods on Tuesday morning, and the superintendent came bearing gifts. Woods delivered three banners and several ribbons to principals and staff from Anna K. Davie Elementary, Elm Street Elementary, and Rome Middle School.
Last year, Woods delivered a Math Leader Banner to Rome Middle, and as he left the school that day, he issued a challenge to Rome City Schools for the district to have more schools get honors. Rome City accepted and delivered on that challenge with Anna K. Davie and Elm Street joining Rome Middle as Math Leader Schools. Elm Street also received a John Hancock Award banner as well.
“Every school that we add to the list means we’re moving forward in Georgia. Hopefully, we will continue to see every school within the state of Georgia have banners and ribbons. It’s very tough to do this each and every year,” Woods said. “Adding two new schools to the list, along with Rome Middle, is great. Elm Street is one of our newest John Hancock award winners, so we have a recipient that is doing some great work with cursive writing. I’m just delighted to be here, to see the excitement, but also see the intentionality that has taken place. It really does reflect leadership from the top all the way into the classrooms each and every day.”
After being greeted by student ambassadors, staff from the three schools, Superintendent Dr. Eric L. Holland, and a couple of board members, Woods made his way to the media center as members of the Rome Middle Band played.
Once in the media center, Woods took over with a big smile and seemed to relish the moment when he unfurled each banner before handing it off to a principal. He didn’t allow it a slow roll, instead unfurling each banner hard enough to make it snap.
Elm Street was up first, with the school receiving two banners. One for being a Math Leader School and another for earning the John Hancock Award for cursive writing.
“Today is a celebration of what happens when high expectations meet unwavering dedication. Seeing Mrs. Black and Mrs. Ondovic recognized for a remarkable 15 percent increase in math proficiency, alongside Ms. Diruggiero and Mrs. Bowles for their commitment to the timeless skill of penmanship, proves that our team strives for excellence every single day,” Elm Street Principal Lisa Strack said. “When you set the bar high and support one another, these are the great things that happen for our students. Excellence is the heartbeat of our building, and we are so proud of our students and teachers!”
Anna K. Davie was next and received a Math Leader School banner.
“We are thrilled to celebrate Mrs. McConnell and her students for earning the Math Leader recognition. Last year, her students showed a 20-point increase in the number of students scoring at the proficient and above level in 5th grade Math compared to the previous school year,” Anna K. Davie Principal Brant Amerman said. “This achievement highlights her focus on student growth and the hard work of her students—congratulations!”
Several students filled the media center to help cheer during the award presentation, as Woods handed over a fresh set of ribbons to go on the banner he delivered to the Rome Middle School last year.
“Algebra I is often considered a gateway course. Proficiency here is a strong predictor of future success in higher-level math and high school graduation rates. For RMS to see 98 percent of our students meeting or exceeding these standards suggests not only that we have talented students, but also a highly effective teacher, Ms. Cindy Ray,” Rome Middle Principal Christian Barnes said. “This Math Leader Award marks the second year in a row that RMS has hit this elite benchmark. Following last year’s banner and ribbons, this recognition solidifies RMS’s reputation as a leader in mathematics instruction within the state. I couldn’t be prouder of Ms. Ray’s accomplishments and those of her students.”
For Woods, getting to come to schools and see the excitement over the awards is something he loves to do.
“Giving the banners out themselves is a great thrill to me. It helps to recognize the hard work that’s going on throughout the state, and especially up here in Rome City Schools. We keep adding schools to this list, and that is amazing,” he said. “Of course, for Rome Middle School, what is a real delight is adding ribbons to the bottom. That means continuous progress, continued improvement, and continuous proficiency. It’s just a delight, especially getting to see the teacher with her kids who came over from the high school, as we recognize the work that took place last year.”
