NATCHEZ — Fitch Elementary School in Centerville has recently gotten some high accolades.

For their high performance on the Mississippi Curriculum Test the state has been classified as a ranked a Level 5 school, the highest state ranking.

The state issued rankings are essentially meant to gauge how well a school’s curriculum complies with the standards set by the No Child Left Behind Act.

The school’s Principal Willie McCray says the exceptionally high ranking is no fluke.

McCray, who has a mathematics background, has been analyzing the school’s shortcomings and addressing them directly.

As a result of his studies, in 2005 Centerville was recognized by the state for “significantly closing the achievement gap,” McCray said.

Basically Centerville’s 310 students were quickly moving in on a Level 5 ranking.

For their 2005 achievement the school received a $5,000 award to spend on school improvements.

First McCray used some of the money to purchase educational materials to bolster areas students fell short on in previous tests.

Then McCray took the kids to a water park as a reward for their hard work.

And in 2007 McCray’s hard work paid off.

Students at Centerville scored well above average.

According to McCray, 100 percent of one fifth grade class scored proficient or advanced, and 99 percent of a second and third class scored above bar. Less than 10 percent of students scored below average and less than one percent of were rated at minimum.

McCray was ecstatic.

“I was as happy as a fox in a rabbit patch,” McCray said.

But while McCray is still basking in his school’s accomplishments he was quick to share the credit with his devout staff.

McCray stressed that the schools Level 5 ranking could not have been achieved with out the school’s teachers.

“You need a staff that is all moving in the same direction,” he said.

McCray said after some minor restructuring he had a finely tuned, well-trained staff.

After cultivating an ideal staff McCray began to educate them on his analytical studies showing them the areas of weakness students were facing.

From then on McCray said things fell into place.

He said he knew that the school would always achieve a Level 5 ranking, it was only a matter of when.

McCray said for a school with Centerville’s demographics such a ranking is rare.

McCray said 100 percent of his students are on free and reduced lunch, and there is little opportunity for student activity outside of school.

And the rarity of his achievement has been noticed.

Next week McCray will meet with officials from the Hattiesburg School District. McCray said they want to know how he was able to raise student’s performance so quickly.