BONNERS FERRY — Two Boundary County schools have been recognized by U.S. News & World Reports. 

When the digital media company released its 2026 Best Elementary Schools and Best Middle Schools rankings, Boundary County Middle School was ranked No. 54 out of 500 middle schools and Mt. Hall Elementary School was ranked No. 125 out of 582 elementary schools. 

Boundary County School District Superintendent Jan Bayer announced the rankings at the Nov. 17 school board meeting. Both schools now display a U.S. News “Best Schools” badge on its website. 

BCMS is rated “somewhat above expectations” in both math and reading. The school is ranked No. 54 in reading and No. 61 in math. According to U.S. News, 43% of students scored at or above the proficient level in math, 2 percentage points higher than the state average and 58% met or exceeded proficiency in reading, 6 points above the state average. 

“We have an amazing team here and we work hard every day,” BCMS principal Mark Fisk said. “They work hard to care for the kids. Learning can’t really happen until the kids are feeling safe and secure in the environment that they’re in.” 

While Fisk praised the recognition, he said focusing on student improvement is his goal, not a ranking. 

“We’re focused on the prize, which is our school district’s mission,” Fisk said. “If alongside of that, we can get some outside recognition, that’s awesome for the team that works hard to make that all happen.” 

“There’s a saying that I often come back to, which I learned a long time ago, which is: we’re not where we want to be, but we’re not where we used to be.”   

In recent years, BCMS has implemented several changes, including standards-referenced grading and recovery time — a space where students can take time to regulate independently. Those changes have required adjustments from teachers, but Fisk said the shifts were necessary. 

“There are things that we do where the convenient thing would be this, but that’s not what we’re going to do because that’s not what is best for the kids,” Fisk said.  

Mt. Hall is ranked No. 119 in reading and No. 145 in math. U.S. News says the school performs “somewhat above expectations” in reading and “meets expectations” in math. The outlet reports that 47% of students scored at or above proficiency in math, 6 points above the state average and 57% met or exceeded proficiency in reading, 5 points above the state average. 

When the school was notified about its ranking in an email, Mt. Hall staff and students were very excited, principal Kylee Guthrie said. It marked the second straight year the school has been honored by U.S. News & World Report. 

“At Mt. Hall, we like to celebrate,” Guthrie said. “When we got that email, the PTO and I collaborated and got pizza for the staff, popsicles for the kids, extra recess. We did the same thing last year, just because it’s really exciting.” 

Guthrie said collaboration is central to the school’s success. 

“We have a team that works really well together, including family, kids and staff,” Guthrie said. “There’s a lot of communication between teachers and there’s a lot of communication between the school and the home.” 

Third-grade teacher Rachel Mertzweiller said the school’s approach to tailoring instruction to each child has been key. 

“Trying to fill any missing gaps from wherever in their education and get those filled has been really helpful,” Mertzweiller said. “We’ve seen a lot of growth, by pinpointing what each kid needs and then focusing on that.”   

Mertzweiller said the recognition reflects student effort. 

“I’m just excited that the kids’ hard work is paying off and their constant effort is being recognized,” she said.   

Guthrie said the long-term mission remains clear. 

“We want kids that are lifelong learners,” Guthrie said. “We want them to be confident. We want them to be successful.” 

    A view of Mt. Hall Elementary's office.