October 1, 2014
JACKSON, Miss. – Caledonia Elementary in the Lowndes County School District was selected as a 2014 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. The designation makes it one of 337 schools recognized by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan for their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.
The Pre K-5 school serves over 1,000 students, and it was recognized as an exemplary high performing school. Caledonia Elementary Principal Roger Hill was surprised and pleased that the school earned this national recognition.
“I’m very proud we were chosen for this prestigious award. It’s a great honor because of all the hard work the teachers and staff have contributed over the years. We have pushed the students to excel academically and challenged them to reach their greatest potential. We are really proud of everybody,” he said.
The Department will honor 287 public and 50 private schools at a recognition ceremony on Nov. 10-11 in Washington, D.C. St. James Catholic School in Gulfport was the only other Mississippi school recognized. In its 32-year history, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed this coveted award on just under 7,900 of America's schools.
"These great schools are fulfilling the promise of American education—that all students, no matter their name or zip code, can flourish when schools provide safe, creative, and challenging learning environments," Secretary Duncan said. "National Blue Ribbon Schools are models of consistent excellence and a resource for other schools and districts. We celebrate them for their tireless effort and boundless creativity in reaching and teaching every student."
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students either achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap. The award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content.
All schools are recognized in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:
•Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state's highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates are also at the highest levels.
•Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state's highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school's subgroups and all students over the past five years. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates for each subgroup are at high levels.
Specifically, for the 2013-2014 award year, the Department strengthened the focus of both categories' performance criteria around subgroups within a school and improving graduation rates for all students.
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Jean Cook, APR
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