WOODSTOCK, GA — Four Cherokee County School District high schools have the distinct honor of being named to U.S. News and World Report's Best High Schools list for 2018. Creekview, River Ridge, Sequoyah and Woodstock high schools all earned Silver Medal spots on the list, the school district said Wednesday.

Schools were added to the list based on factors including academic performance, college readiness, graduation rates and success of disadvantaged students. Only 5,900 of the country's 20,500 public high schools were named to the list released today.

"We're so proud of the hard work every day by our students and their families, our teachers and staff and our volunteers and partners, who together earned this national recognition for our schools and school district," Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower said. "We know we're educating our community's emerging generation with excellence, and it's exciting and encouraging to be honored for those efforts."

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Creekview was ranked No. 1,302 in the country, with Sequoyah at No. 1,640, Woodstock at No. 1,655 and River Ridge at No. 1,773 – all four within the top 10 percent of 20,500 U.S. public high schools. Data for the rankings is based upon the 2015-16 school year, according to the publication. In 2017, Etowah, River Ridge and Woodstock were all named to the list. Last year, Etowah ranked No. 1812 in the country out of 22,000 public high schools nationwide, with River Ridge at No. 1921 and Woodstock at No. 1961.