[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 17 (Tuesday, February 26, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1201-S1202]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS IN MARYLAND

 Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I am proud to recognize the nine 
elementary schools throughout Maryland that were selected as Blue 
Ribbon School Award winners in 2001. These schools

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are among only 264 elementary schools nationwide to be honored with 
this award, the most prestigious national school recognition for public 
and private schools.
  According to the Department of Education, Blue Ribbons 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 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 the Secretary of Education.
  The designation as a Blue Ribbon School is a ringing endorsement of 
the successful practices that enable the students of these schools to 
succeed and achieve. Over the past few years, I have made a commitment 
to visit the Blue Ribbons Schools in my State and have always been 
delighted to see first hand the interaction between parents, teachers, 
and the community, which strongly contribute to the success of the 
school. As I complete my visits to each of these schools, I look 
forward to personally congratulating the students, teachers and staff 
for this exceptional accomplishment.
  The nine winning Maryland elementary schools include:
  Benfield Elementary School. Located in Anne Arundel County, Benfield 
Elementary was ranked 7th in Maryland on the Maryland School 
Performance Assessment Program, MSPAP, in 1996 and noted as one of the 
fastest improving schools in Maryland. The Baltimore Sun recently 
recognized Benfield's reading program as one of the most effective in 
the State. The Washington Post also recognized its character-building 
program, ``No Putdowns,'' as a valuable asset to the school community. 
Benfield was one of two elementary schools selected to send their 
experiments aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis and also has two award 
winning after school programs focusing on science and Spanish language.
  Beth Tfiloh Community School. Beth Tfiloh of Baltimore, MD, has 
dedicated itself to creating a vibrant educational community that 
touches the minds and hearts of Jewish children. The school's 
administration and leadership are committed to meeting the needs of 
each individual student through continued innovation, both as an 
institution of learning and as a guarantor of Jewish culture. The 
school has recently received recognition as a Good Neighbor School, 
Maryland Character Education School of the Year, and a Baltimore 
Business Journal Innovation in Technology School. Beth Tfiloh graduates 
have been accepted by the top colleges, universities, and religious 
seminaries in the United States and Israel and have assumed Jewish 
leadership roles on their college campuses and in their communities.

  Bodkin Elementary School. Bodkin Elementary, located in Anne Arundel 
County, has had some of the highest test scores in Maryland over the 
past 2 years. The school has been awarded the Chesapeake Cup for 
outstanding participation with the Anne Arundel County Public Library 
and many of its staff members have earned State and county awards for 
their teaching skills. Bodkin's theme, ``A Recipe For Success,'' 
accurately reflects that the special ingredients of a supportive school 
community, enthusiastic teachers and eager learners work to make it an 
educational star.
  Charlestown Elementary School. Charlestown Elementary strives to live 
up to its motto, ``Success for all students, whatever it takes.'' As a 
title I school, it successfully provides numerous programs for students 
of its rural community in Cecil County, including after-school 
enrichment programs, student support programs, and parent/student 
volunteers. Scores on the MSPAP have increased for the last 5 years. 
The committed staff, hard working students, and involved community all 
contribute to Charlestown's success.
  Darnestown Elementary School. Darnestown Elementary is committed to 
an educational program that recognizes the unique value, needs, and 
talents of the individual student. Located in Gaithersburg, MD, 
Darnestown is a school with steadily increasing test scores. Over the 
past 4 years, Darnestown's composite MSPAP score has increased from 60 
percent to 82 percent. The school has received Maryland's Recognition 
School monetary award for 2 consecutive years. The staff and community 
are also proud to be the first recipient of the Marriott ``Spirit to 
Serve'' award, recognizing Darnestown's involvement in numerous 
community service projects to support the homeless.
  Fort Foote Elementary School. At Fort Foote Elementary, outstanding 
MSPAP test scores validate the academic achievement of the students, 
parents, and teachers. The children of this Fort Washington, MD, school 
embrace the concept of a Community of Caring through the school's 
nationally recognized character education program. With a 97 percent 
minority population, the school coordinates a kindergarten through 
Grade 6 program with an early childhood special education program and 
Head Start. Combining innovative assessment techniques such as the 
Comer School Development Program, team instructional planning, shared 
decisionmaking, and community partnerships have proven effective for 
total school success.
  Ocean City Elementary School. Ocean City Elementary is located close 
to the resort town, for which it was named, in Ocean City, MD. the 
teachers and community strongly believe it is their responsibility to 
expand the number of life choices a child has upon graduation from high 
school. Ocean City has an excellent reputation of having high 
behavioral standards as well as reaching academic achievements that 
have been recognized statewide. The vision behind the school is to make 
all students academically successful, as well as productive members of 
society. The dedication of the students, teachers, and parents of Ocean 
City Elementary truly represents their school motto: I can be anything, 
I can learn anything if I believe in myself and work hard.
  Saint Bernadette School. Saint Bernadette School, founded in 1947 by 
the parishioners of St. Bernadette Church, is located in Silver Spring, 
MD. Saint Bernadette's aims to educate the child completely, 
recognizing and nurturing the spiritual, intellectual, personal, 
social, physical, and cultural development of its students. The 
teachers realize that parents are the primary educators of their 
children and work with them for the well being of each child. The 
parents do an exemplary job of participating by volunteering in excess 
of 10,000 hours per year. Saint Bernadette's parents and students 
continue to distinguish themselves year after year, demonstrating that 
their dedication and commitment is a true formula for success.

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