Cullman City Primary School welcomed Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey Friday morning for a tour of the school and a celebration of the school’s recent winning of the Dr. Louisa Moats Award.

Earlier this month, Cullman City Primary School was named the winner out of 27 schools from around the country that applied for the award, which is meant to celebrate schools and school districts that demonstrate excellence in teaching the science of reading and in using the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) professional development program.

Mackey was joined by State Sen. Garlan Gudger, State Rep. Corey Harbison and members of the Cullman City School Board, and the group visited the classrooms of kindergarten teacher Maeghan Long and first grade teacher Shannon Dutton to see their teaching of the science of reading.

After the tour, Mackey presented the award to CCPS Principal Tricia Culpepper in a ceremony in front of the school, and he spoke to the small group of gathered students about the significance of their school’s achievement. 

He told the students that there are around 1,500 schools in Alabama and more than 50,000 schools across the nation, and Cullman City Primary School was chosen as the winner of the Moats Award because of the hard work that they and their teachers are putting in their reading educations. 

“You are doing amazing stuff that other schools all across the country are taking note of,” he said. 

Culpepper also pointed to the work that the school’s teachers have done over the past year to implement the teaching of the science of reading.

“We’re here to applaud them and everything that they did,” she said. 

Culpepper also made sure to recognize the school’s reading specialist Erica Rutherford and regional reading specialist Melinda Willingham for their continued efforts in making sure students are getting the reading education they need.

She also thanked Dutton for coming to her with the idea of entering the competition for the award, school resource officer Seth Sullivan for lending his production expertise to the cause by helping make the video that was entered in the contest, as well as City Schools Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff, the members of the city school board and the students’ parents for all of their help. 

“We just appreciate all of those people as well,” she said.

The teaching of the science of reading is paying off for the primary school, as 93 percent of its students in kindergarten and first grade have met their reading benchmark or are exceeding it — and they have accomplished that feat during the challenges brought on by the pandemic, Culpepper said.

“We did not let our COVID restrictions stop us in making sure that our students are prepared,” she said.

Culpepper ended her remarks by speaking to the students in attendance, and said everything that all of those people are working toward is making sure that they have the tools they need to continue learning and the desire to do so as they grow older.

“We want you to be lifelong readers and lifelong learners, and we hope that we have put that path right in front of you so you can take it and do whatever you want to do,” she said. “You all have been the best.”