Four CT Schools Earn National Blue Ribbon Honors
/As public attention this fall in regards to schools has been focused on the impact of coronavirus and whether schools would be open, closed or somewhere in between, four Connecticut schools were among 367 schools across the country named as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2020.
The recognition, by the U.S. Department of Education, is based on a school's overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. The 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools Awards Ceremony was held virtually Nov. 12 and 13.
The four Connecticut schools honored were:
· George Hersey Robertson School in Coventry;
· South Street School in Danbury; and
Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona congratulated the schools: “Connecticut’s public school teachers are the best in the United States, and the tools they are providing our youngest residents are enabling them to achieve success throughout their careers,” Governor Lamont said.
“Every child – no matter their family’s income or the neighborhood where they live – deserves access to a quality education that prepares them for achievement. We no doubt continue to have work to do to close persistent achievement gaps that have lingered far too long, but I firmly believe that the strong work of so many of our educators is having an impact. I congratulate these schools on earning this national distinction and wish them continued success,” Lamont added.
Education Commissioner Cardona, who appeared via video as part of the national awards ceremony, said “Receiving this prestigious honor speaks to the true team effort it takes to make tangible progress on closing gaps in opportunities, access, and outcomes that exist for too many of our students. Taking these successes to scale statewide will require us to come together in the same spirit of collaboration with all of us doing our part, especially in light of this pandemic. I congratulate every member of these Blue Ribbon school communities because each one deserves to be recognized for this achievement.”
The Connecticut State Department of Education uses data from the Next Generation Accountability System to nominate schools for the National Blue Ribbon School award. Nominated schools must complete an application process and be approved by the U.S. Department of Education. All selected schools in Connecticut were Schools of Distinction for at least two of the last four years. National Blue Ribbon Schools are identified in two categories—Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing and Exemplary High Performing.
George Hersey Robertson School (Coventry): Exemplary High Performing
George Hersey Robertson School serves 367 students in Grades 3, 4 and 5. The overall performance for this school has climbed steadily to an accountability index in 2018-19 of 87.0 meaning that the school earned 87 percent of all possible points in the accountability system.
Norton School (Cheshire): Exemplary High Performing
Norton School, a K-6 school with an enrollment of 415 students, has exceeded its school performance index targets for all students in English Language Arts and mathematics consistently for the last three administrations of Smarter Balanced. Simultaneously, academic growth measures in both subjects have improved every year. Overall performance as measured by the accountability index has increased from 81.7 in 2015-16 to 87.9 in 2018-19.
South Street School (Danbury): Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing
More than half of the K-5 students at South Street School are English learners. Overall enrollment is nearly 400 students, and 87.2 percent of the students are from economically disadvantaged families. South Street educators understand the challenges their students face, and they are dedicated to meeting their needs. Teachers use “big data” (i.e. test scores) to frame a problem, but student work provides educators with the necessary detail to correctly identify the problem or misunderstanding and in turn, generate instructional solutions.
Northeast School (Vernon): Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing
Northeast School serves about 210 students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5. Half of the students are eligible for free or reduced priced meals. The overall performance for this school as measured by the Accountability Index has improved steadily over the last several years. Their success is attributed in part to the strong positive culture of the school and intentional efforts to ensure families are engaged members of the school community.
