The U.S. Department of Education today announced the 2016 National
Blue Ribbon Schools, naming 16 public Illinois elementary, middle, and
high schools among recipients of the prestigious award. The Illinois
schools have enrollments ranging from 110 to 935 students and represent
the diversity of high-achieving schools across the state, with 12 to
99 percent of their students eligible for free or reduced-priced meals.
“Congratulations to everyone at our 2016 National Blue Ribbon
Schools, who worked tirelessly all year long to plan, practice, and
drive toward excellence in teaching and learning,” said State
Superintendent of Education Tony Smith, Ph.D. “The students,
principals, teachers, families, and support staff who earned the
National Blue Ribbon title this year model innovation and dedication for
all of us working in public education, and they should be immensely
proud of their hard work. I hope practitioners and leaders statewide
look to our 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools for tools and strategies
to employ to better serve all students.”
Illinois’ 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools are:
- Alan B. Shepard Middle School (Deerfield SD 109)
- Countryside Elementary School (Barrington CUSD 220)
- Damiansville Elementary School (Damiansville SD 62)
- Daniel Wright Junior High School (Lincolnshire-Prairie View SD 103)
- Earl Pritchett School (Aptakisic-Tripp CCSD 102)
- Eisenhower Academy (Joliet PSD 86)
- Grove Avenue Elementary School (Barrington CUSD 220)
- Half Day School (Lincolnshire-Prairie View SD 103)
- Kennedy Junior High School (Naperville CUSD 203)
- Monroe Elementary School (Hinsdale CCSD 181)
- Oak Grove Elementary School (Oak Grove SD 68)
- Skinner North Elementary School (City of Chicago SD 299)
- Tri-Valley Elementary School (Tri-Valley CUSD 3)
- Tripp School (Aptakisic-Tripp CCSD 102)
- Walden Elementary School (Deerfield SD 109)
- Woodlawn Middle School (Kildeer Countryside CCSD 96)
The U.S. Department of Education initiated the National Blue
Ribbon Schools Program in 1982 to bring public attention to exemplary
schools in the United States and to facilitate communication and
sharing of best practices within and among schools.
All 16 of Illinois’ award-winning schools received the
“Exemplary High Performing Schools” designation. This indicates that
the schools achieved in the top 15 percent of all schools in the state
when ranked by student performance on the most recently administered
English language arts and math state assessments or by student
performance on state assessments in combination with other student
performance measures, such as attendance and/or graduation rates.
Schools may be nominated for the award only once within a five-year
period.
U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King will honor the 2016
National Blue Ribbon Schools at a ceremony in Arlington, Virginia, Nov.
7-8.
