Grenada School District will earn its first-ever A rating for its performance in the 2021-22 school year when the Mississippi State Board of Education approves official grades for Mississippi schools and districts on Thursday, September 29.

Superintendent Dr. David Daigneault announced the news to the district at a special live streamed event on Tuesday morning. The gathering in the circle outside Grenada Elementary 4-5 was attended by staff and students from grades 3-5 and featured entertainment by Pizzazz Show Choir, the Grenada Band drumline, and the GHS cheerleaders. 

Daigneault arrived on a fire truck and greeted the crowd, "We are fired up this morning with some exciting news!"

He added, "Each of our schools has worked tirelessly through the past years, and your work has paid off."

Daigneault's announcement of the district's A score brought cheers from the crowd. He invited those in attendance to release helium-filled balloons, reminding them, "As you release your balloons today, remember that the sky is always the limit. We will always continue to strive for excellence."

Mississippi’s schools and districts are graded on an A-F scale. The grades are part of the state’s accountability system, which helps teachers, school leaders, parents and communities know how well local schools and districts are serving students.

When grades were last awarded for the 2018-19 school year, Grenada School District earned a B following a steady annual climb in scores. The district’s improved grade this year is largely due to the progress students made during the 2021-22 school year after achievement declined across the country in the first year of the pandemic.

“We are so excited for the students who have attained this rare distinction and for the teachers who have put in the necessary hours to study every child and teach them to the highest standard possible,” said Daigneault. “Our administrative team has worked tirelessly to produce great results, along with our specialists, and our board of trustees has been incredibly supportive in setting a standard of success. We are appreciative of the parents in this district who have helped us to achieve this dream, and a very special thanks to the community, which has shown a strong desire for our school district to achieve excellence at all levels.”

In several criteria, Grenada ranked among the top-scoring districts in Mississippi with the number of students scoring proficient and advanced. In math, the third grade ranked fifth in the state, followed by the eighth grade in eighth place, the fourth grade in 12th place, and the sixth grade in 20th place. English Language Arts (ELA) classes in third grade ranked 16th in the state, while 4th grade ranked 11th.