(Woodstock) – Central High School, a National Blue Ribbon School located in Woodstock, Virginia, has earned yet another academic honor. On August 8, Governor Terry McAuliffe and the Virginia Board of Education announced the 2017 Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) awards for advanced learning and achievement. Central was one of 231 schools in the state to receive the Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award.

There are three levels of VIP Awards with all levels honoring schools and divisions that exceed state and federal accountability standards and achieve excellence goals established by the governor and the state board. The 2017 VIP Awards were based on student achievement and other performance indicators during the 2015-16 school year.
The 2017 VIP Awards include three tiers:
Governor’s Award For Educational Excellence – 9 schools
Board of Education Excellence Award – 2 school divisions and 146 schools
Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award – 15 divisions and 231 schools

This latest accolade comes to a school already recognized for academic achievement. Central High School was designated a 2015 National Blue Ribbon School for Exemplary Academic Performance. This is the highest level recognition given by the United States Department of Education. The Falcons have also been recognized in past years by U.S. News and World Report and NICHE.com as one of America’s Best High Schools.

In May 2016, Melissa Hensley, who has served as Central High School’s principal since July 2012, was named Virginia’s Outstanding High School Principal of the Year and later that year was named one of only three finalists for the National Principal of the Year recognition. Under Ms. Hensley’s leadership, the school increased the number of dual enrollment course offerings, increased the amount of technology in the building, and added a multitude of programs designed to meet the needs of all students. Program additions include the Biomedical program, Falcon Final Four Transition Program, Fusion Reading Program as an intervention for struggling readers, the Summer Reading Academy and Summer Math Academy with focus on passing the SOL, and Champions Together.

All of these programs and courses and dedicated educators, students, and community members have worked together to garner Central High School their latest award for academic excellence — the VIP Award titled the Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award.