PWCS recognized by Department of Economic Development

Prince William County’s Department of Economic Development saluted Prince William County Schools at their Business Appreciation Week luncheon for receiving a “Blue Medal” rating from Expansion Management magazine.

“Receiving this sort of national recognition will go a long way toward demonstrating to businesses that they can grow and prosper in our community and we thought it fitting that we use the occasion of Business Appreciation Week to acknowledge the success of our schools,” said the Department of Economic Development in a statement. “The Blue Medal rating for Prince William County Schools is recognition that our system produces well-educated workers who can master today’s more technically demanding job skills.”

The 2005 Expansion Management ratings evaluated schools on three different factors:

Graduate Outcome, which looked at graduation rates, college-board scores, and general student learning;

Resource Index, which measured a community’s financial commitment to education while also evaluating teacher salaries, student-to-teacher ratio, and per-pupil expenditures; and

Community Index,which evaluates the affluence and education level of the adult community.

School Board Chairman Lucy S. Beauchamp and Superintendent of Schools Steven L. Walts accepted the award on behalf of the School Division at the luncheon.

Also highlighted during the Department of Economic Development’s Business Appreciation Week was Battlefield High School’s award-winning robotics team. Martin Briley, Executive Director of the Department of Economic Development and Michael Piccione, Technical Education Teacher at Battlefield High School, spoke during the week’s Technovation Forum about best practices in technology and business education partnerships. Battlefield High School has acquired numerous partners that have strengthened the school’s information technology program and guided the school’s robotics team to take the World-Championship All-Star Rookie title.

“We have a school division that can compete with other locations for the best companies and the best jobs. We are extremely pleased and proud that our local district performed so well,” said the Department of Economic Development.

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