Articles - Spotlight on Education

Centerville Elementary School:
"Putting Children First"

Leslie Poythress

Georgia School of Excellence. National Blue Ribbon School. Georgia School Bell Award. National Distinguished Principal. These are only a few of the prestigious awards earned by Centerville Elementary School in recent years. Located in Houston County, the school seeks to meet its mission on a daily basis: The parents, staff, and entire community of Centerville Elementary School strive for excellence while educating children in a caring environment where all children will experience success now and in the future. 

Centerville School opened its doors in 1968 and was designed to accommodate 450 students. Nineteen-eighty brought about the addition of four classrooms to help meet the needs of a growing population. In 1992 an art, music, and physical education facility was constructed, and further renovations took place in 1999, when several rooms were enlarged and other additional classrooms were added to the campus. 

During the upcoming school year, a building addition funded through a Special Local Options Sales Tax (SPLOST) will provide fourteen more classrooms and thereby eliminate all the school’s portable units.

With recent re-zoning, attendance—which peaked in 1999 at 830 students —currently averages 600. 

Centerville Elementary’s faculty and staff are committed and experienced, and they work together for the good of all the children. Through teamwork and dedication, they offer challenging and meaningful instruction to help each learner succeed. 

With 38 years in educatio—27 of those years at Centerville—Principal Wally Bassett has provided stability and exemplary leadership at the school. He was awarded the National Distinguished Principal’s Award for 2003-2004.

"I am honored to be selected," Bassett said after receiving the coveted award. "There are many outstanding principals in our district, and it is a privilege to represent them."

In 1998 Centerville Elementary received two of the highest awards that can be bestowed on a school and its faculty. The school received the Georgia School Bell Award, which is a state award for innovative programs, and was also recognized as a Georgia School of Excellence. 

"Being selected as a Georgia School of Excellence is one of the highest honors our public schools can receive," former Superintendent Linda Schrenko recently said. 

A third award came in 1999 when Centerville was named a National Blue Ribbon School, a distinguished award given by the United States Department of Education. The award cited the school as exemplary in every category—an honor received by only two percent of national schools.

Centerville Elementary’s faculty and staff are proud of the tremendous community support they receive each year. Parents show up at the school on a daily basis to read to children, assist teachers, and organize special programs. A Parent Academy is offered to help support parents, and the program includes classes such as "Raising Responsible Children" and "Effective Reading Strategies."

Centerville Elementary relies on numerous local business partners for support, including LoGo Pro, Stevie B’s Pizza, McGlamary Properties, PoMo’s House of Barbecue, Chick-fil-A, Snelling Personnel Services, Boardwalk Café, Shakey’s Pizza, Montana’s, Outback, Wal-Mart, Rotary Club of Warner Robins, Parrish Construction, Office Depot, Sam’s Club, and Kroger. 

To supplement the strong academic programs at Centerville Elementary, students are given many opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities. Clubs such as chorus and the dance and jump-rope teams offer students a chance to extend the day-to-day curriculum while building leadership skills. 

School-wide programs, such as the recent patriotic program and reception for military parents, as well as a letter-writing activity – Absolutely Incredible Kid Day – created for parents to send surprise letters to their children, also extend the curriculum. 

Through the combination of the school’s rigorous academic programs and its outstanding extracurricular opportunities, the whole Centerville Elementary School community works together to meet high expectations for all students, while meeting the individual needs of each child.


Vital Stats

Centerville Elementary School
450 North Houston Lake Blvd.
Centerville, Georgia 31028
Tel 478-953-0400, Website: http://www.ces.hcbe.net/


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