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Area Schools React To Grade Release

    The State of Florida released its school accountability report on Tuesday, including school grades for public education facilities from throughout the state.  In Lake County, results were mixed but overall moving in the right direction, with many schools showing gains but others losing ground in the state's complex grading rubric that assigns levels based on a variety of scoring components.
    The state includes testing results based on overall achievement as well as gains, graduation rates, and college and career acceleration.
    In North Lake County, three schools earned A grades:  Altoona School, Round Lake Charter, and Mount Dora High School.  The three schools were among a total of 15 schools throughout the county that earned A grades.  For Mount Dora High, it was the second year in a row the school earned an A, and for Altoona, it was the third.  Round Lake has been an A school for the past seven years.
    Round Lake principal Linda Bartberger said this week her school's consistent performance is founded on teamwork and encouragement.
    “My philosophy has always been growth,” she said.  “We do a lot of data analysis.  We want to see progress.”  Bartberger said the school’s success comes from a commitment from students, parents, and the school to support children’s needs.
    Altoona School principal Dawn Cerney echoed the idea that an ‘all hands on deck’ approach to student learning creates higher results.
    "Receiving and maintaining an 'A' grade for three consecutive years is an incredible achievement that reflects the dedication of our students, staff, and community," she said.
    Spring Creek Charter School in Paisley saw its grade rise from a C to a B, as did Tavares Middle School and Umatilla High School.
    “This moment is not just about a grade,” said Umatilla High School principal Brent Frazier, who noted in an email to the school’s staff on Monday that this is the first year all three Umatilla schools have earned a B in the same year.  “It’s a powerful reminder of what’s possible when passionate educators commit to serving students with heart, grit, and high expectations.”
    In the past four years, Umatilla High has raised its aggregate point total from 378 points to 579 on the state’s 0-1,000 scale.
    At Spring Creek, principal Wes Locke was pleased with that school’s progress.
    “I am very proud of our students and our staff! I have seen an attitude shift in our students and they have been focused on doing their very best. I hear students talking about their goals in reading, math, science, and civics. Many students have said to me they are not satisfied with getting a level 3. They want a 4 or a 5! This year many of those students achieved those goals."  Locke went on to credit the school's educational team and its focus on the whole student as a big reason for the school's success.  "Our staff has been laser-focused on meeting the needs of every student. We are not focusing on a score. We are focusing on encouraging students to work hard and do their very best. Honestly, the score itself means little to me. What is important is that we are encouraging our students to strive for their best. Many times their best is much better than they ever thought possible!"
    The gains weren't universal, however.  Eustis Heights Elementary slipped from a C to a D grade, Seminole Springs Elementary fell from a B to a C, and Mount Dora Middle fell from a B to a C.
    Here’s a breakdown of local schools grades as released on Monday, July 7:

School        2025    2024
Umatilla Elem.    B    B
Umatilla Middle    B    B
Umatilla High    B    C
Spring Creek    B    C
Altoona Charter    A    A
Eustis Heights    D    C
Eustis Elem.    C    C
Eustis Middle    C    C
Eustis High        C    C
Seminole Sprgs.    C    B
Round Lake    A    A
Triangle Elem.    C    C
Mount Dora Mdl.    C    B
Mount Dora High    A    A
Tavares Elem.    C    C
Tavares Middle    B    C
Tavares High    B    B
    Locke made note of the performance of North Lake County’s rural schools.
    “I think the parents of North Lake County have some things to be proud of as well. If you look at all the Title 1 schools in Lake County our little charter schools up here in North Lake, Spring Creek and Altoona, are two of the highest-performing Title 1 schools in the district. So, I want to congratulate Altoona on their grade as well. We are both showing what North Lake County kids can do." Locke also praised the Umatilla-area school performance.
    “I would like to say congratulations to all three Umatilla schools they all three got a B so of the five schools up here in the north part of the county we got four Bs and an A that's awesome.”
    A complete listing of school testing results and grades can be found at: fldoe.org/accountability/accountability-reporting/school-grades/.