Students at Bovina Elementary School recently got the opportunity to have a little fun celebrating their success.

Students, parents, teachers, administrators and staff of the school celebrated the news of having the highest accountability score in the district on state standardized tests with a little party.

The students threw confetti, sprayed silly string and released balloons to let loose after learning their hard work had paid off.

Bovina was given a ‘B’ accountability score with a total of 436 points — the highest in the Vicksburg Warren School District.

“We had the highest percentages in the district over all the schools, which we’re extremely proud of,” Bovina Parent Teacher Organization president Julie Ford said.

The accountability scores were calculated based on test results of the Mississippi Assessment Program tests in English language arts and mathematics given to third through eighth grade students. The tests are designed to measure student success reaching the Mississippi College-and Career-Readiness Standards.

Ford said Bovina has a history of doing well in testing and said the school usually goes back and forth with Bowmar Elementary for the top spot in the district.

“We’ve held pretty steady for the past two years,” Ford said.

The students studied hard, she said, and the teachers worked just as hard to get the children on the right track.

Ford commended the teachers for always trying to stay ahead of the curve and for all the extra time they spend working with each student to make sure they understand the material.

“Give (principal) Ms. (Miki) Ginn and the teachers all the credit. They really work with those kids,” Ford said. “They pulled out some amazing test scores.”

She said having the students, teachers, parents and administrators all working together towards the same goal really made a difference when it came to the students’ scores. The teachers have high expectations, Ford said, and the children know what is expected of them.

Ford said the entire school waited eagerly to receive their test scores. The students were thrilled to get the news, and Ford said the children were screaming and jumping when the scores were announced to them. The PTO quickly planned a celebration for the students to unwind and relish in their accomplishment.

“We went out that afternoon and took all the kids outside, which is a pretty big crowd of about 400 kids, and we released the balloons, played some music and just let everybody have a sigh of relief from all their hard work,” Ford said. 

Next year, Ford said, the school is working for an ‘A.’