Cloverdale fifth-grade students at the school's sign of excellence.

The Cloverdale Elementary Cougars have for the second year in a row been awarded the Award for Educational Excellence by former Gov. Tim Kaine and through the Virginia Department of Education. Cloverdale is the only school in Botetourt County that received the award and is one of 153 schools earning the Governor's Award for Educational Excellence statewide.

Principal David Marcum is thrilled that the award has arrived again. He listed the positive community environment that Cloverdale Elementary has fostered. "We have done well. We have parent support in the way we do things and our teachers are terrific.

"This school is like an old timey school in a small community," Marcum added. "We have values and a way to do things and it seems to show in our school."

He said that school divisions don't get a lot of positive attention and that people tend to focus on negatives. "This is an 'attaboy' for Botetourt County public schools. We are very happy to receive this award again," he said. "What our division does for our students -- and thanks to Botetourt County for funding us -- allow us to to be a school of excellence."

He believes that students will fondly recall their days at Cloverdale in their adult years. "They'll remember we had a certain good feeling here."