BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS
U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige named 264 elementary schools the Blue Ribbon Schools for 2000-2001 last month. Elementary and secondary Blue Ribbon schools are named in alternate years.
The 224 public schools and 41 private schools were recognized for their excellence in leadership, teaching, student achievement, curriculum, and community involvement. The schools recognized were reviewed by experienced principals and administrators, who then made recommendations for selection to the secretary of education. The schools also conducted a self-evaluation to determine future improvement plans.
The Blue Ribbon schools are listed below by state.
Alabama. Crestline Heights Elementary School, Mountain Brook; John S. Jones Elementary School, Rainbow City; Olive J. Dodge Elementary School, Mobile; West Blocton Elementary School, West Blocton. Arizona. Abia Judd Elementary School, Prescott; Anna Marie Jacobson Elementary School, Chandler; Apache School, Peoria; Elvira Elementary School, Tucson; Quail Run Elementary School, Tucson; Rover Elementary School, Tempe; Sanborn Elementary School, Chandler; Sequoya Elementary School, Scottsdale. Arkansas. Westwood Elementary School, Springdale.
California. Bel Aire School, Tiburon; Camino Grove Elementary School, Arcadia; Cerritos Elementary School, Cerritos; Chaparral Elementary School, Poway; Clay Elementary School, Kingsburg; Cottage Hill Elementary School, Grass Valley; Del Mar Hills School, Del Mar; El Marino Language School, Culver City; Francis Hopkinson Elementary School, Los Alamitos; George W. Simonds Elementary School, San Jose; Graystone Elementary School, San Jose; Harbor View School, Corona del Mar; Ivey Ranch Elementary School, Oceanside; James Russell Lowell Elementary School, Long Beach; Joe A. Gonsalves Elementary School, Cerritos; John S. Malcom Elementary School, Laguna Niguel; Los Alamitos Elementary School, Los Alamitos; Los Alamitos Elementary School, San Jose; Los Penasquitos School, San Diego; Manchester GATE School, Fresno; Montevideo Elementary School, Mission Viejo; Mountain View Elementary School, Fresno; Mountain View School, Santa Barbara; Natoma Station Elementary School, Folsom; Nevada City School of the Arts, Nevada City; Oak Hills Elementary School, Oak Park; Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary School, Carlsbad; Our Lady of Queen of Angels School, Newport Beach; Park Village Elementary School, San Diego; Redwood Elementary School, Boulder Creek; Richard Henry Lee Elementary School, Los Alamitos; Shaffer Elementary School, Atwater; Silver Oak Elementary School, San Jose; Solana Highlands School, San Diego; Stephen Foster Elementary School, Lakewood; Stevenson Ranch Elementary School, Stevenson Ranch; Stockdale Elementary School, Bakersfield; The Pegasus School, Huntington Beach; University Elementary School, Thousand Oaks; Valley Oak Elementary School, Fresno; Vineyard Elementary School, Templeton; Welby Way Elementary School, West Hills; Westwood Elementary School, San Diego.
Connecticut. Eli Terry Elementary School, South Windsor; The Florence E. Smith School of Science, Math and Technology, West Hartford; Hartland Elementary School, East Hartland; Somers Elementary School, Somers. Department of Defense. S.H.A.P.E. American Elementary School, Brussels, Belgium. Delaware. Corpus Christi Elementary School, Wilmington; Lord Baltimore Elementary School, Ocean View. Florida. Good Shepherd Catholic School, Orlando; Hawks Rise Elementary School, Tallahassee; Holy Name of Jesus, Indialantic; Hunter’s Green Elementary School, Tampa; Interlachen Elementary School, Interlachen; Kate Sullivan Elementary School, Tallahassee; St. Ann School, West Palm Beach; Sunrise Elementary School, Deltona; Sweetwater Elementary School, Port Orange; Tampa Palms Elementary School, Tampa. Georgia. Big Creek Elementary School, Cumming; J.A. Maxwell Elementary School, Thomson; Oak Grove Elementary School, Atlanta; Rebecca Minor Elementary School, Lilburn; Shallowford Falls Elementary School, Marietta; Warren T. Jackson Elementary School, Atlanta. Hawaii. Holy Family Catholic Academy, Honolulu; Noelani Elementary School, Honolulu. Iowa. Sacred Heart School, West Des Moines. Idaho. Grace Lutheran School, Pocatello. Illinois. Adler Park School, Libertyville; Half Day School, Lincolnshire; Henry Winkelman School, Glenview; Hilda Walker Intermediate School, Tinley Park; Immanuel Lutheran School, Palatine; Jones-Farrar Early Learning Center, Freeport; Near North Montessori School, Chicago; Pleasant Hill School, Palatine; Taylor Park Elementary School, Freeport; Thomas Jefferson School, Hoffman Estates; Union Ridge School, Harwood Heights.
Indiana. Holy Family School, New Albany; John Strange Elementary School, Indianapolis; Pleasant Grove Elementary School, Greenwood; St. Charles Borromeo School, Bloomington; Westlake Elementary School, Indianapolis. Kansas. Corinth Elementary School, Shawnee Mission; Heatherstone Elementary School, Olathe; Somerset Elementary School, Shawnee Mission; South Park Elementary School, Shawnee Mission. Kentucky. Adairville School, Adairville; Deer Park Elementary School, Owensboro; Goshen Elementary School, Goshen; Sacred Heart Model School, Louisville; St. Pius X Elementary School, Edgewood. Louisiana. Cathedral-Carmel School, Lafayette; Pontchartrain Elementary School, Mandeville; South Highlands Academic and Performing Arts Magnet School, Shreveport; St. Edward the Confessor School, Metairie; St. Francis Xavier School, Metairie; St. Louis King of France School, Metairie; St. Rosalie School, Harvey. Massachusetts. Jacob Hiatt Magnet School, Worcester. Maryland. Benfield Elementary School, Severna Park; Beth Tfiloh Community School, Baltimore; Bodkin Elementary School, Pasadena; Charlestown Elementary School, Charlestown; Darnestown Elementary School, Gaithersburg; Fort Foote Elementary School, Fort Washington; Ocean City Elementary School, Ocean City; Saint Bernadette School, Silver Spring; Spring Garden Elementary School, Hampstead. Maine. Madawaska Elementary School, Madawaska.
Michigan. Cannonsburg Elementary School, Rockford; Doherty Elementary School, West Bloomfield; Glengary Elementary School, Walled Lake; Grandville East Elementary School, Grandville; Green Acres Elementary School, Warren; Hillside Elementary School, Farmington Hills; Kerby Elementary School, Grosse Pointe Farms; Latson Road Elementary School, Howell; Lorenz C. List Elementary School, Frankenmuth; Milo A. Brown Elementary School, Byron Center; Samuel Gompers Elementary School, Detroit; Springfield Plains Elementary School, Clarkston; Stadium Drive Elementary School of the Arts, Lake Orion; William Davison Elementary School, Detroit; Winchell Elementary School, Kalamazoo. Minnesota. Gatewood Elementary School, Minnetonka; Museum Magnet School, St. Paul; Our Lady of Grace School, Edina. Mississippi. Church Street Elementary School, Tupelo; Magnolia Park Elementary School, Ocean Springs; N.E. Taconi Elementary School, Ocean Springs; Rankin Elementary School, Tupelo; Thomas L. Reeves Elementary School, Long Beach; Thomas Street Elementary School, Tupelo. Missouri. Fairview Elementary School, Columbia; Graden Elementary School, Parkville; Green Pines Elementary School, Wildwood; Pond Elementary School, Grover; The Churchill School, St. Louis. Nebraska. Bess Streeter Aldrich Elementary School, Omaha; Gilbert Hitchcock Elementary School, Omaha. New Jersey. Constable School, Kendall Park; Fredon Township School, Newton; Saint Matthias School, Somerset; Sunnymead School, Hillsborough; Warnsdorfer Elementary School, East Brunswick; Whitehall Elementary School, Williamstown.
New Mexico. Central Primary School, Bloomfield; Mesa Elementary School, Clovis. New York. Liberty Elementary School, Valley Cottage; Midland School, Rye; Orchard School/Julia Dyckman Andrus Memorial School, Yonkers; Park Early Childhood Center, Ossining; Powells Lane Elementary School, Westbury; The Astor Learning Center, Rhinebeck. North Carolina. Barringer Academic Center, Charlotte; Davis Drive Elementary School, Apex; Emma Elementary School, Asheville; Harnett Primary School, Dunn; Unionville Elementary School, Monroe; Waccamaw Elementary School, Ash; Wiley International Elementary School, Raleigh. North Dakota. Wilder Elementary School, Grand Forks. Ohio. Bluffsview Elementary School, Columbus; E.G. Shaw Elementary School, Beavercreek; Edwin H. Greene Intermediate School, Cincinnati; Highland Drive Elementary School, Brecksville; Kilgour Elementary School, Cincinnati; Ladyfield Catholic School, Toledo; Maple Dale Elementary School, Cincinnati; Miamitown Elementary School, Miamitown; New Albany Elementary School, New Albany; Parma Heights Christian Academy, Parma Heights; St. Agatha Catholic School, Columbus; St. Albert the Great School, North Royalton; St. Hilary School, Fairlawn; Saint Paul School, North Canton. Oklahoma. Nichols Hills Elementary School, Oklahoma City; Northern Hills Elementary School, Edmund; Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School, Norman; Truman Elementary School, Norman.
Pennsylvania. Blue Bell Elementary School, Blue Bell; Broad Street School, Butler; Caley Elementary School, King of Prussia; Central Elementary School, Allison Park; Cumru Elementary School, Shillington; Eisenhower Elementary School, Upper St. Clair; Hillsdale Elementary School, West Chester; Lincoln Elementary School, Pittsburgh; Orendorf Elementary School, Manchester; Overlook Elementary School, Abington; Paul V. Fly Elementary School, Norristown; Perkiomen Valley South Elementary School, Trappe; Rydal Elementary School, Huntingdon Valley; Saint Genevieve School, Flourtown; Tinicum Elementary School, Pipersville; Waldron Mercy Academy, Merion Station; Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, Pittsburgh. South Carolina. Forestbrook Elementary School, Myrtle Beach; Mitchell Road Elementary School, Greenville; Oakview Elementary School, Simpsonville; Reidville Elementary School, Reidville; Rice Creek Elementary School, Columbia; Satchel Ford Elementary School, Columbia; Woodland Heights Elementary School, Spartanburg. Tennessee. George Washignton Elementary School, Kingsport.
Texas. Alton O. Bowen Elementary School, Bryan; Annie Webb Blanton Elementary School, Austin; Barton Creek Elementary School, Austin; Baty Elementary School, Austin; Birdville Elementary School, Haltom City; Carroll Intermediate School, Southlake; Castle Hills Elementary School, San Antonio; Collier Elementary School, San Antonio; Concordia Lutheran School, San Antonio; Cunningham Elementary School, Wichita Falls; David Elementary School, The Woodlands; Edgemere Elementary School, El paso; Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary School, Fair Oaks Ranch; Fern Bluff Elementary School, Round Rock; Glen Cove Elementary School, El Paso; Glenhope Elementary School, Colleyville; Gregorio Esparza ACCELERATED Elementary School, San Antonio; Hacienda Heights Communications Magnet School, El Paso; Heritage Elementary School, Highland Village; Hidden Forest Elementary School, San Antonio; Hillside Elementary School, El Paso; Holy Spirit Catholic School, San Antonio; Holy Spirit Episcopal School, Houston; Hughes Springs Elementary School, Hughes Springs; James Bowie Elementary School, Dallas; John R. Good Elementary School, Irving; Jose De Escandon Elementary School, La Joya; Mathews Elementary School, Plano; Mayde Creek Elementary School, Houston; Meadows Elementary School, Fort Hood; Olmos Elementary School, San Antonio; Randolph Elementary School, Universal City; Shirley J. Howsman Elementary School, San Antonio; Timberline Elementary School, Grapevine; Zelma Hutsell Elementary School, Katy. Virginia. St. Timothy School, Chantilly; South Anna Elementary School, Montpelier; Trantwood Elementary School, Virginia Beach. Washington. Our Lady of Lourdes School, Vancouver. Wisconsin. Congress Extended Year Round School, Milwaukee; Park Lawn Elementary School, Oconomowoc; Prospect Hill School, New Berlin.
CAREER PLANNING AWARDS
The United States Army Recruiting Command awarded the eighth annual Planning for Life Award to two school districts at the Alexandria, Va.-based American School Counselor Association’s annual conference in Portland, Ore., last month. The districts were recognized for their career planning programs. Five other schools and districts received special recognition for their excellent career development programs. The two districts were presented with a plaque at the conference, and the winners are all eligible for small state grants to expand career development.
The Stroudsburg Area School District, Stroudsburg, Pa., received the award for its Comprehensive Career Development program. The program—which begins with seventh graders and involves administrators, teachers, businesses, and parents—helps prepare students for careers.
The Hillsboro School District, Hillsboro, Ore., was an award recipient for its K-12 Career program. It dedicates a district administrator to career development and works with families and the community to help students prepare a career portfolio as a graduation requirement.
The five schools and districts that received recognition are Bear Creek Middle School, Fairburn, Ga.; Nathan Hale High School, West Allis, Wis.; Arcadia Valley R-2 School District, Ironton, Mo.; Independent School District of Emmett, Emmett, Idaho; and Woods Cross High School, Woods Cross, Utah.
DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAMS
The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention in Rockville, Md., a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, recently honored 28 drug prevention programs as 2000 model programs or promising programs. The Exemplary Substance Abuse Prevention Program Award recognizes programs that use multiple strategies and science- based methods and research to effectively address substance abuse within their specific communities. The award recipients were honored in a ceremony in Washington in May.
The programs named Model Programs were: All Stars, Greensboro, N.C.; Brief Strategic Family Therapy, Miami; Bullying Prevention Program, Norway; Coping Power, Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Early Risers “Skills for Success”, Minneapolis, Minn.; The Fairfax Leadership and Resiliency Program, Fairfax, Va.; Family Effectiveness Training, Miami; The Incredible Years Series, Seattle; Multisystemic Therapy, Charleston, S.C.; Nurse-Family Partnership, Denver; Positive Action, Chicago; Preparing for the Drug-Free Years, South Deerfield, Mass.; Preventing High-Risk Drinking and Alcohol Trauma, Berkeley, Calif.; Project ACHIEVE/The Stop and Think Social Skills Program, Tampa, Fla.; Project SUCCESS, Tarrytown, N.Y.; Project Towards No Drug Abuse, Los Angeles; Schools and Families Educating Children, Chicago; Skills, Opportunites and Recognition, Seattle; The Social Competence Promotion Program, Chicago; STARS for Families, Jacksonville, Fla.
The programs named Promising Programs were: College Dreams, Salem, Ore.; Genesis I, Albany, N.Y.; Parents Are Teachers, Cranston, R.I.; Positive Options Program, Madison, Wis.; Prevention Dimensions, Salt Lake City; Project Blanket, Harrisburg, Pa.; San Antonio Fighting Back, Austin, Texas; SMART Moves, Austin, Texas.
OTHER HONORS AND AWARDS
The United Federation of Teachers, the union that represents New York City teachers, honored former president Bill Clinton with its highest honor, the John Dewey Award. Mr. Clinton was honored at the UFT’s annual spring conference in May for his efforts to improve education while serving as president.
The U. S. Distance Learning Association, based in Needham, Mass., presented the Eagle Award to South Dakota Gov. Bill Janklow at the 2001 e-Learning Conference and Expo in Washington in April. The award was given in recognition of the Governor’s Wiring the Schools and Connecting the Schools programs, which brough technology and distance education programs to all schools in the state this year. The award also recognized the state’s Technology for Teaching and Learning Academies that prepare teachers to teach courses through the distance learning network.
The Ron Brown Award for Corporate Leadership was presented to Merck and Co., Inc., at the White House in May, for the company’s efforts to improve science education through the Rahway, N.J.-based Merck Institute for Science Education. The award is the only presidential award for outstanding achievement in improving corporate, employee, and community relations, and is sponsored by the New York City-based Conference Board, a business information network. The MISE advocates for policies that enhance teaching, professional development, and leadership and that improve science education.
Richard Robinson, president, chairman, and chief executive officer of Scholastic, Inc., a New York City- based educational publisher, was awarded the Cleveland E. Dodge Medal for Distinguished Service to Education by the Teachers College at Columbia University in New York City. The medal recognizes an individual who does not work directly in schools, but who has made significant contributions to education. Mr. Robinson was presented with the award in May, at the University’s commencement, for his dedication to improving literacy through his work at Scholastic.
Inez Tenebaum has been presented with the 2001 Distinguished Alumni Award from the Center for Creative Leadership, a leadership development institute based in Greensboro, N.C. The award honors the lifetime accomplishments of those who have participated in leadership development programs at the center. Ms. Tenebaum is currently the State Superintendent of Education in South Carolina. She participated in the Center’s Leadership at the Peak program.
Irma Valdespino, Las Cruces, N.M., was recently named the National Education Association’s Educational Support Person of the Year. She was honored for her efforts to improve staff development and support in her district, and for serving as the bargaining agent for the Las Cruces Association of Education Assistants when it bargained for its first contract. She was honored at the NEA’s Educational Support Personnel Conference in Dallas.
