A National Recognition of Excellence
We are incredibly proud to share exciting news with our Greathouse/Shryock families: Greathouse/Shryock Traditional Elementary School has been named a Nationally Certified Demonstration Magnet School by Magnet Schools of America!
While the title is impressive, we know many families may be wondering:
What exactly does that mean, and why is it important?
Simply put, this recognition means Greathouse/Shryock was evaluated against rigorous national standards for magnet schools and has demonstrated that the work in our school exceeds those standards.
More Than an Award
This recognition wasn't based on a single test score, program, event, or application.
Over the past year, our leadership team took part in an extensive certification process that required us to closely examine nearly every part of our school. We joined monthly coaching sessions, reflected on our practices, examined data, and collected more than 400 pieces of evidence showing the work throughout Greathouse/Shryock.
That evidence was more than paperwork. It told the story of our students, teachers, staff, families, PTA, community partners, programs, traditions, instruction, and the many opportunities we provide our Lions each day.
Magnet Schools of America evaluates schools according to national Standards of Excellence built around five major areas:
Diversity
— creating access and opportunities for students from different backgrounds and communities.
Innovative Curriculum and Professional Development
— providing strong, meaningful learning experiences while continually developing our teachers and staff.
Academic Excellence
— maintaining high expectations, examining student achievement, addressing learning gaps, and helping every student grow.
Leadership and High-Quality Instructional Practices
— ensuring our school has the systems, collaboration, and leadership necessary to improve continuously.
Family and Community Partnerships
— recognizing that successful schools are built through meaningful partnerships among students, families, staff, and the greater community.
What Does "Certified Demonstration" Mean?
This is what makes our recognition especially exciting.
Magnet Schools of America awards two levels of national certification. Schools can earn Nationally Certified status by meeting the established Standards of Excellence.
Certified Demonstration schools go a step further—they exceed the criteria.
A Demonstration School is recognized as a national model of magnet-school excellence. These schools demonstrate practices and programs that other magnet schools across the country can study and learn from.
In the 2026 certification cohort, Magnet Schools of America recognized
77 schools nationwide. Of those, only 37 earned the higher Certified Demonstration designation. Greathouse/Shryock was one of them and the only Kentucky school to earn Certified Demonstration status this year.
Our certification is valid through August 2030.
What Does This Mean for Our Families?
For our families, this recognition provides something important:
outside validation of the quality of the school community you helped us build.
It means a national organization examined our programs and practices and found evidence that Greathouse/Shryock delivers on the promises of a high-quality magnet program.
It recognizes our commitment to academic excellence, our work to help students grow and succeed, our focus on character and leadership, our efforts to create opportunities for all students, and the strong partnerships we have developed with our families and community.
Most importantly, certification is not a finish line.
The process challenged us to identify what we do well and to look carefully at where we can grow. Our Demonstration status gives us another responsibility: to keep improving, innovating, and sharing successful practices with others.
This Recognition Belongs to Our Entire School Community
Although a leadership team spent countless hours gathering evidence, participating in coaching sessions, and completing the certification process, the evidence existed because of the work of our entire Greathouse/Shryock community.
Every teacher who creates meaningful learning experiences.
Every staff member who supports a child.
Every family who attends an event, completes a survey, volunteers, communicates with us, or partners with a teacher.
Every PTA member and community partner who helps create opportunities for our students.
And, most importantly, every Lion who comes through our doors ready to learn, grow, lead, and make our school better.
This achievement belongs to all of us.
We have always been proud of what happens inside Greathouse/Shryock. Now, we are incredibly honored to have that work recognized nationally.
Greathouse/Shryock Traditional Elementary School: A Nationally Certified Demonstration Magnet School.
That's something our entire school can ROAR about!