We are proud of all of our educators in Watauga County. As any parent can attest, the most difficult and most important job they will ever face is the raising and education of a child.

Multiple that task by 15 -- or 20 or more -- and the enormity of a teacher's job is put in perspective.

One benchmark of how well our educators and students performed in their roles in 2011-12 is also put into perspective, through our state's standardized test results.

As we have for the past two years, we commend Blowing Rock Elementary School teachers, staff and students for earning a third consecutive Honor School of Excellence distinction.

For its second year, Two Rivers Community School also earned the Honor School of Excellence achievement.

The work and dedication it takes to reach this level seems almost insurmountable in August, but by May these schools have consistently reached the pinnacle of state recognition.

Yet it is not without the same effort that each of our schools makes annual strides in educating our children. School of Progress and School of Distinction are not labels given with no record of educational achievement. They must be earned.

This year, earning our educational stripes will be compounded by a new curriculum -- a change for the better, but a change nonetheless.

Watauga County educators are no strangers to such change. With a new schools chief in place and teachers focused on imparting a deeper understanding of subject matter, we are confident that labels of excellence, distinction and progress will continually be attached to our schools.