Bibb County School honored as one of state’s top elementary schools

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – For the second year, one Bibb County elementary school continues to shine above the rest. Sonny Carter Elementary earned state recognition for its College and Career Readiness Performance Index score.

Sonny Carter Elementary scored 87.3 percent on the CCRPI.

Danielle Peek teaches first grade at Sonny Carter Elementary.

“As a whole, our school just has that momentum going,” Peek said. “We’re just reaching for the top and there is no stopping us.”

The Georgia Department of Education recognized the school for ranking in the top five percentile of the state’s Title 1 schools.

Title 1 schools are those with large concentrations of students belonging to low-income families.

Sonny Carter Elementary School Principal Latricia Reeves says economics can’t stop education.

“It’s just one challenge that we work through,” Reeves said. We’ve been able to find some success here at Carter.”

The Center on Children and Families at Brookings says that nearly half of children living in poverty are school-ready by age 5, lacking early math and reading skills.

How did this school get to the top five percent?

“Our teachers share a vision that all means all,” Reeves said. “They believe that all students can achieve.”  

Peek credits teamwork. She said, “one of the most important things you can do is develop those relationships with your team. One of the biggest things we have going for us is everybody is a team here, everybody shares, everybody works together. It’s not one man on their own, a one-man island.”

She also credits partnerships.

“Collaboration is so important. Take that time to reach out to other people, maybe even on other grade levels,” Peek said. “It’s just really important to stick together and know that you all are working for the same purpose, and that’s to grow these babies.” 

The school received national recognition in 2018 for documented student achievement gains.

Springdale Elementary, another Bibb County school, also ranked in the top five percent of Title 1 schools, scoring an 86.

To see the full report by The Center on Children and Families at Brookings discussing learning readiness and learning outcomes check out their article: