KINGSVILLE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — For the past month, those at Kingsville Elementary School have stood a little taller, beaming with pride after the school received a 5-star rating from the state's report card.
"We are the only five-star-rated school in the county — 29 schools," Colucci said. "Since they've gone to the new rating system, I'm pretty sure we're the only five-star-rated school ever."
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Ohio replaced its longtime A-to-F grading system in 2021 with a five-star scale that measures schools in several categories, including achievement, progress and gap closing.
The milestone comes after years of work rebuilding academic growth following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Danyel Ryan, the district's director of pupil personnel and school improvement, said the top rating exceeded expectations.
"It was very exciting," Ryan said. "I wasn't expecting a five this year."
"[Teachers and staff] not only care about their academic success, but they care about the whole child, social and emotional," Principal Kristi Feather said.
Here's how other schools fared in Ashtabula County:
| Building Name | District Name | 2025 Overall Star Rating |
| Gateway Elementary School | Conneaut Area City | 4 Stars |
| Lakeshore Primary Elementary School | Conneaut Area City | 1 Star |
| Pymatuning Valley Primary Elementary School | Pymatuning Valley Local School District | 3.5 Stars |
| Grand Valley Elementary School | Grand Valley Local | 2.5 Stars |
| Lakeside High School | Ashtabula Area City | 2.5 Stars |
| Austinburg Elementary School | Geneva Area City | 3 Stars |
| Ontario Primary School | Ashtabula Area City | 4 Stars |
| Lakeside Junior High School | Ashtabula Area City | 2.5 Stars |
| Conneaut High School | Conneaut Area City | 2.5 Stars |
| Cork Elementary School | Geneva Area City | 3.5 Stars |
| Edgewood High School | Buckeye Local | 3.5 Stars |
| Wallace H Braden Middle School | Buckeye Local | 4 Stars |
| Superior Intermediate School | Ashtabula Area City | 2.5 Stars |
| Geneva Platt R. Spencer Elementary School | Geneva Area City | 3.5 Stars |
| Geneva High School | Geneva Area City | 3.5 Stars |
| Geneva Middle School | Geneva Area City | 3 Stars |
| Grand Valley Middle School | Grand Valley Local | 2.5 Stars |
| Grand Valley High School | Grand Valley Local | 4 Stars |
| Jefferson Area Sr High School | Jefferson Area Local | 4.5 Stars |
| Jefferson Elementary | Jefferson Area Local | 3.5 Stars |
| Kingsville Elementary School | Buckeye Local | 5 Stars |
| Pymatuning Valley High School | Pymatuning Valley Local School District | 2.5 Stars |
| Ridgeview Elementary School | Buckeye Local | 4.5 Stars |
| Rock Creek Elementary School | Jefferson Area Local | 3.5 Stars |
| Conneaut Middle School | Conneaut Area City | 4 Stars |
| Erie Intermediate School | Ashtabula Area City | 3 Stars |
| Michigan Primary School | Ashtabula Area City | 1.5 Stars |
| Jefferson Area Junior High School | Jefferson Area Local | 3.5 Stars |
| Pymatuning Valley Middle School | Pymatuning Valley Local School District | 3 Stars |
For veteran teachers Katie Measel and Jana Neczeporenko, who have a combined 53 years of experience at the school, the recognition marks the latest chapter in a building with deep community roots and strong collaboration between grade levels.
"Basically, we piggyback off one another and adjust what we need to do," Neczeporenko said. "This is how they did it in fourth grade. If it's working, let's try to do it in fifth grade, and we're going to adjust it a little bit."
District leaders plan to recognize the school's achievement during the Buckeye Local Board of Education meeting on Oct. 20.
"I was elated, but I'm a little nervous because we now have to worry about maintaining that five," she said.
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Clay LePard is the Ashtabula, Geauga and Portage counties reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on X @ClayLePard, on Facebook ClayLePardTV or email him at Clay.LePard@wews.com.
