The Veazie Community School was named the best elementary and middle school in America by Education Insider earlier this year.
The staff at Veazie Community School didn’t expect the honor, which was told to them “out of the blue” in late January, Superintendent Timothy Tweedie said.
Teachers and administration knew they had been successful helping students achieve test scores well above the state average and are passionate about working with the students, Tweedie said, but the accolade was still unexpected.
Education Insider, an education-focused magazine, based the ranking on the school’s academic excellence and innovative programing, Tweedie said.
Veazie Community School, a prekindergarten to eighth grade school with 180 students, has consistently ranked in multiple outlets as one of the best elementary and middle schools in Maine, but this is the first national recognition the school has received. The award is also the first time a school has been named the top elementary school and middle school by Education Insider in the same year.
When the ranking was announced, Tweedie said school staff of about 35 employees were excited but almost immediately got back to the daily work of teaching students.
“It feels good to be rewarded for hard work, but at the same time, I don’t think it was talked about the next day,” Tweedie said.
That response aligns with how hard the staff works to educate kids and prepare them for high school, Tweedie said.
“One of the things that I think sets us apart is the fact that we back it up every single day,” he said.
More students at the school meet the state standards in reading and math, Tweedie said.
The school also boasts a 98% graduation rate for students coming from the school, according to Education Insider.
The majority of Veazie students attend high school at John Bapst Memorial High School in Bangor, with others attending Orono High School or Bangor High School, Tweedie said.
Not all of the school’s success can be accounted for by the work done in the building, Tweedie said.
Veazie Community School has earned the reputation of having strong ties to the town, Tweedie said. It’s one of the biggest reasons residents are drawn to Veazie.
Police officers and firefighters come and talk with students often, but the school is also used for after-school activities that brings people together and allows the community to “pull in the same direction” in support of the school, he said.
“We’re just a great community. It’s really so unique and incredible, the amount of support that the community has for the school. They’re so proud of it,” Tweedie said.