[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 76 (Tuesday, May 25, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5975-S5976]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS IN MARYLAND

 Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I am pleased to announce that ten 
elementary schools throughout Maryland have been named Blue Ribbon 
School Award winners by the United States Department of Education. 
These schools are among only 266 elementary schools nationwide to be 
honored with this award, the most prestigious national school 
recognition for public and private schools.
  The designation as a Blue Ribbon School is a ringing endorsement of 
the successful techniques which enable the students of these schools to 
succeed and achieve. Over the past few years, I have made a commitment 
to visit the Blue Ribbon Schools and have always been delighted to see 
first hand the interaction between parents, teachers, and the 
community, which strongly contributed to the success of the school. I 
look forward to visiting each of these ten schools and congratulating 
the students, teachers and staff personally for this exceptional 
accomplishment.
  According to the Department of Education, Blue Ribbon Schools have 
been judged to be particularly effective in meeting local, state and 
national goals. These schools also display the qualities of excellence 
that are necessary to prepare our young people for the challenges of 
the next century. Blue Ribbon status is awarded to schools which have 
strong leadership; a clear vision and sense of mission that is shared 
by all connected with the school; high quality teaching; challenging, 
up-to-date curriculum; policies and practices that ensure a safe 
environment conducive to learning; a solid commitment to family 
involvement; evidence that the school helps all students achieve high 
standards; and a commitment to share the best practices with other 
schools.
  After a screening process by each State Department of Education, the 
Department of Defense Dependent Schools, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
and the Council for American Private Education, the Blue Ribbon School 
nominations were forwarded to the U.S. Department of Education. A panel 
of outstanding educators from around the country then reviewed the 
nominations, selected schools for site visits, and made recommendations 
to Secretary of Education Richard Riley.
  The ten winning Maryland elementary schools are as follows:
  Ashburton Elementary School, located in Bethesda, is home to 515 
students and 64 staff members which provide for a richly diverse school 
community with an exemplary record of student achievement and an 
outstanding academic program. This award also credits the SHINE 
Program--Successful, Helpful, Imaginative, Neighborly, and 
Enthusiastic--with recognizing students who participate positively in 
the school community.
  Brook Grove Elementary School, located in Olney, not only has a 
commendable academic strategy, but also is recognized as a school that 
encourages excellence in the arts and in athletics, and values 
individuality and diversity as critical to the well-being of the 
student body.
  Our Lady of Mercy School is a co-educational Catholic school in 
Potomac that combines traditions of academic excellence, intellectual 
curiosity and fundamental moral and religious values in a successful 
program that has almost half of its 283 students meeting the criteria 
of giftedness set by the Institute for the Academic Advancement of 
Youth.
  Oak Hill Elementary School, the most culturally and economically 
diverse school in the Severna Park area, prioritizes parental 
involvement in the successful pursuit of quality education for its 
students. The concept of the ``Oak Hill School Family'' aims to provide 
a safe and nurturing school environment, a strong academic program and 
a philosophy that encourages community involvement.
  Salem Avenue Elementary School, located in Hagerstown, has made great 
strides in the last decade and, as a leader in Washington County, is a 
school of many ``firsts,'' including being the first Title 1 school to 
receive a satisfactory or excellent rating in all areas of the Maryland 
School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP);

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the first elementary school to be named a Blue Ribbon School; the first 
to create and appoint the position of Curriculum Coordinator; and the 
first to be named a National Distinguished School.
  Templeton Elementary School, located in Riverdale, is an award 
winning Prince George's County school which has made dramatic gains on 
the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP). Templeton's 
mission is to provide its diverse student body with the knowledge and 
skills to be productive members of society.
  Vienna Elementary School, located in Vienna, is a small, rural school 
which draws from a large geographical area and is an integral part of 
the community. With virtually no staff turnover and a strong School 
Improvement Team, students, staff and parents form a close-knit 
community and serve as a model in the district for student achievement, 
staff commitment and participatory leadership, including development of 
character and ethical judgment.
  West Annapolis Elementary School, situated in downtown Annapolis, was 
used as an example by the Maryland State Department of Education for 
two videotapes highlighting outstanding teachers. This award also 
credits West Annapolis' belief in the importance of a united school 
community as evident in its concept of TEAM/excellence which works to 
improve the teaching and learning environment in which students can 
excel.
  The Summit School is a non-profit school that was created 10 years 
ago to promote literacy and school success among children with unique 
educational needs, namely bright students that are disabled readers. 
Summit, located in Edgewater, enables students to come to understand 
their own unique learning styles by identifying their strengths and 
weaknesses through a variety of individualized strategies.
  The Trinity School, located in Ellicott City is an independent, co-ed 
Catholic school that was designated as an Exemplary School by the U.S. 
Department of Education in 1990. Trinity offers a challenging 
curriculum while also offering a variety of community outreach programs 
to involve students and their families in extracurricular activities.
  These ten elementary schools in the State of Maryland represent a 
model for schools across the nation. Their hard work and dedication has 
resulted in a tremendous achievement for the students, teachers, 
parents and community. This committed partnership proves that a 
concerned community can produce excellent results.

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