Early Monday morning, Mississippi had approximately 799 would-be Ralphie Parkers all eagerly anticipating opening their secret presents.

But on Monday the eager eyes didn’t belong to the fictional 9-year-old star of the holiday film classic, “A Christmas Story,” but to the thousands of Mississippi school parents, teachers and administrators.

Mississippi education officials released the new school accountability rankings.

Each district looks forward to unwrapping the “Star school” designation — equivalent to the “Red Ryder carbine-action, 200-shot range model BB rifle with a compass in the stock,” which young Ralphie so desperately sought in the film.

But on Monday, only 34 of the 799 schools found such a gift under their accountability trees.

Instead, most districts, including the Natchez-Adams School District, found something much less cool and much less desired — socks.

And what’s interesting is the reaction to Monday’s news.

Despite all the hype and all the new systems and new labels, what we learned Monday shouldn’t really be news to anyone.

Our public schools are not top-ranked in the state. In fact, our schools are near the bottom, but they’re improving, slightly.

Invariably in the moments after the wrapping paper has been ripped off, however, some people in the community will come out of the woodwork complaining and fussing, demanding immediate change. The second we recognize the socks we start shooting BBs at one another.

To expect change overnight is to not understand the myriad of circumstances facing the school district, its educators, administrators, parents and students.

Our schools will only truly improve when our community can manage to set aside differences and figure out a way to get more parents involved.

Don’t get us wrong, it’s extremely disappointing that our schools aren’t improving faster, but we should be careful to set our expectations to reasonable levels and leave the BB guns to the fictional characters.