GRACE — Grace Junior/Senior High School is apparently getting an ‘A’ on its report card — an achievement recently celebrated by students and staff at the school.

The school has received the Distinguished Schools Award for 2012, and it was one of only nine schools across the state to earn the honor based on achieving Adequate Yearly Progress requirements for two consecutive years, reducing the academic gap between groups on grade-level tests and placing among the top 5 percent of schools to reduce that gap.

“I am grateful that the Idaho State Board of Education recognizes schools that do great things,” said Supt. Jamie Holyoak, adding that he is excited that Grace Junior/Senior High School was among those honored for their efforts.

Principal Stephen Brady agrees.

“Only nine schools in Idaho received the award, which is based on closing the gap between high end and low end academic students,” he said. “We were already a high performing school prior to last year, so to be recognized for closing the gap in academics meant to us that we are serving the needs of all of our students, regardless of their academic prowess — literally meeting the intent of No Child Left Behind.”

Brady said they use Professional Learning Communities in which teachers collaborate on the needs of students to help them close that performance gap. And teachers also contact parents regularly to discuss students’ progress.

“Talking to parents about their student’s success really goes a long way in increasing a parent’s desire to be involved in their children’s education,” Brady said.

Holyoak said the school’s success is largely based on those partnerships.

“Our parents take the education of students seriously, and the students take their education serisouly when we get them,” he said. “The teachers and administrators do a great job of stretching (the students’) abilities to help them be successful.”

The school currently has a five-star ranking based on criteria including student growth and proficiency on the ISAT and preparation for post-secondary education through ACT/SAT scores, graduation rates and available dual-credit courses.

“It means that we’re in the top 5 percent of all Idaho schools, regardless of size,” Brady said, adding that there are less than 200 students attending the school. “We just want our students to know that they perform as well as any students in the country and that they can be proud of the education they are receiving at Grace Junior/Senior High School, even if we are a small, rural community school.”

Brady said they held the celebration — which included free ice cream — earlier this month to help students recognize that their achievements are setting them apart in the educational system. And and he heard from some who said they were excited about being recognized for academics rather than just sports, and that they wanted to continue working hard in the future because they could see it was paying off.

That student drive makes a difference at the school, which has made the U.S. News & World Report’s list of Best High Schools for the past four years, Brady said.

“As faculty and staff, we work really hard to make our high school the best school in Idaho, but really, the proof in the pudding comes when the students realize their potential and work hard for their futures. We feel like that is happening right now at Grace Junior/Senior High School,” he said.