Thirteen schools in Houston County received the John Hancock Award from the Georgia Department of Education. State School Superintendent Richard Woods visited the district on Monday, September 21 to make the banner presentations. The John Hancock Award honors schools whose students demonstrate excellence in cursive writing instruction. This annual, school-level recognition celebrates students’ cursive proficiency while reinforcing Georgia’s English Language Arts standards and supporting literacy, fine motor development, and historical literacy.

Eight schools received the John Hancock Banner & Proficiency Ribbon. This is awarded to schools where at least 90% of participating students can write their name in cursive. The eight schools are:

• Eagle Springs Elementary,
• Kings Chapel Elementary,
• Lake Joy Elementary,
• Langston Road Elementary,
• Miller Elementary,
• Northside Elementary,
• Tucker Elementary, and
• Westside Elementary.

The five schools are:

• Bonaire Elementary,
• David Perdue Elementary,
• Hilltop Elementary,
• Matt Arthur Elementary, and
• Morningside Elementary.

Cursive writing is included in Georgia's English Language Arts standards as part of the state's commitment to developing strong, confident readers and writers. Cursive instruction supports students by developing fine motor skills, strengthening spelling and writing fluency, supporting memory and cognitive development, and allowing students to develop a distinctive personal signature.

The Georgia Department of Education awarded 630 schools statewide with John Hancock Awards. For more information on the John Hancock Award, visit https://gadoe.org/grants-awards-diploma-seals/john-hancock-award/.