A story on West Virginia’s Department of Education new ranking system for public schools has been on our “to do” list here at the Chronicle for a while. However, we found the new system to be rather complex, even a bit confusing. Thus, we knew further study was needed to get the story presented in the best way possible to our readers.

Seeing as how we, as adults, can find the system to be a bit confusing-so confusing that Liza Cordeiro of the WVDE Communication Office even said the some parts are too complicated for the general public to understand-we definitely feel for the students, who are being rated by this new system, and the educators who have to try to teach and mentor the students to success within it.

Regardless, as with anything new, there will be a time of transition. Perhaps in the next few years, schools will become adjusted to this new system, and hopefully we will see all of our county schools given ranks of approval. For as Hundred High School Principal Daniel J. Gottren stated at Hundred’s LSIC meeting: “One thing I’ve learned in teaching and coaching and everything I’ve tackled in life is that you don’t go from 0 to 100 immediately. You don’t go from a place of need to a place of success instantly.”

And regardless of what the numbers say, we know that from what we’ve seen at Wetzel County Schools-from athletic events, to school plays and assemblies, to presentations by students at the LSIC meetings-the students are filled with an unmistakable drive and spirit for improvement.

We deem that a success.