Rock Hall Elementary School teacher Jackie Walters leads students through a lesson during the first week of the 2026-27 school year. Rock Hall Elementary School and H.H. Garnet Elementary School are being recognized by the national Bright Spots Project for beating the odds in literacy achievement.
To celebrate National Literacy Day on Sept. 8, Kent County Public Schools is pleased to announce that Rock Hall Elementary School and H.H. Garnet Elementary have both been recognized as Bright Spots Top Schools.
The 74 is a national education news organization. Its Bright Spots Project identifies and celebrates schools in which "students are thriving" and "literacy scores are outpacing expectations."
Rock Hall and Garnet elementary schools are both named in the latest Bright Spots list. This is the first year for Rock Hall, while Garnet, located in Chestertown, is being recognized for the second consecutive year.
As reported by The 74, Rock Hall and Garnet are two schools that are beating the odds nationally in teaching children to read.
"I am incredibly proud of the diligent work of our students, faculty and principals that have led to reading outcomes that are beating the national odds in literacy," said Dr. Mary Boswell-McComas, superintendent of Kent County Public Schools.
Dr. McComas called the Bright Spots recognition "the beginning of the public Renaissance of Kent County Public Schools."
"H.H. Garnet and Rock Hall elementary schools have been innovating through changing our foundational literacy approach, which is yielding higher academic achievement in both literacy and numeracy at the elementary level," she said. "Our students’ strong foundation will carry into the middle and high schools as students move across the grade bands generating a wave of renewal now and into the future of Kent County Public Schools."
Rock Hall Elementary School Principal Gillian Spero said she is proud to see the achievements of the staff and students celebrated by The 74 and its Bright Spots Project.
"This recognition highlights the impact of teachers' participation in multiple years of professional learning centered around the Science of Reading," Spero said. "The dedication of staff and families and the hard work of our students is a direct reflection of what can be accomplished when everyone believes in the potential of each and every student."
The Science of Reading is at the core of Maryland's approach to teaching literacy. It focuses on how children's brains learn to read, incorporating research from psychological and neuroscience studies.
Kent County Public Schools took the innovative approach of using a method of literacy instruction previously focused on helping those students struggling to learn and expanded it as the foundation for all early elementary classrooms.
The Orton-Gillingham approach to literacy instruction is a multi-sensory teaching method that goes beyond memorizing and combining sight and sounds.
"OG Time" has led to significant gains in literacy for Kent County's elementary school students, as reflected by Rock Hall and Garnet elementary schools being named on the Bright Spots Project's list.
Rock Hall Elementary School has made reading and literacy an integral part of each student's experience.
Spero spoke about reading benches stocked with books lining the hallways. She highlighted school-wide initiatives throughout the year, giving students an opportunity to celebrate their own achievements toward their reading goals.
"We work hard to instill a passion for reading by allowing students to see the joy, value and excitement of books while building strong foundational skills," Spero said. "Literacy is truly the fabric of Rock Hall Elementary School and we are excited for the opportunity to celebrate our work."
Look for Bright Spots medallions outside and inside Kent County Public Schools' buildings celebrating this important recognition.
