[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 81 (Tuesday, June 18, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S5691]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S5691]]
        RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS IN MARYLAND

 Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, I am proud to recognize the 
four schools throughout Maryland that were selected as Blue Ribbon 
School Award winners in 2002. These schools are among only 172 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 Ribbon Schools have 
been judged to be particularly effective in meeting local, state and 
national goals. These schools also display the qualities that are 
necessary to prepare our young people for the challenges that will face 
our nation in the years to come. Blue Ribbon status is awarded to 
schools which have strong leadership; a school community with a clear 
vision and shared sense of mission; high-quality teaching; a 
challenging and up-to-date curriculum; policies and practices that 
ensure a safe and learning conducive environment; a solid commitment to 
family involvement; evidence that the school helps students achieve 
high standards; and a commitment to share best practices with other 
schools.
  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. After a screening process by appropriate state and 
local departments, 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.
  Over the past few years, I have tried to visit Blue Ribbon Schools in 
my State and have always been delighted to witness the strong 
interaction between parents, teachers, and the community, a 
characteristic shared by all of these successful schools. As I carry 
out my visits, I look forward to personally congratulating the 
students, teachers and staff for achieving this exceptional 
accomplishment.
  The four winning Maryland schools are:
  Our Lady of Good Counsel, located in Montgomery County, is an 
outstanding example of a school willing to go to great lengths to 
prepare its students for higher education. Good Counsel prides itself 
on the quality of its academic offerings, faculty, students, and unique 
community spirit. In an effort to ensure all students are college-
ready, Good Counsel undertook an immense mission when it established 
the Ryken Program: a college preparatory program for motivated students 
with learning disabilities. Unique to Good Counsel, compared to other 
private schools in the metro area, is its progressive integration of 
technology into the classroom, including three state-of-the-art 
computer labs, seven departmental technology rooms, and a laptop in 
each classroom. The successes that Good Counsel graduates find in 
college and careers attest to the school's overall excellence.
  Phillips School, Laurel, has been a staple of special education, 
providing services to students with a variety of learning, emotional, 
and behavioral disorders for over 30 years. Phillips School greets the 
challenge of teaching children with special needs with open arms, 
addressing not only the needs of the student, but the needs of the 
family as well. The Phillips staff also includes related service 
personnel, so that working with students is a team effort and the needs 
of each and every student are addressed throughout the entire school 
day. By providing a program of education, family support services, 
community education and advocacy in a supportive environment, Phillips 
works hard to ensure its students will be able to succeed in the next 
stage of life.
  Thomas Spriggs Wootton High, located in Montgomery County, is a 
public high school dedicated to college preparedness and high student 
motivation. Established in 1970, Wootton has a long history of 
excellence in academics and student participation. Wootton strives to 
create an exceptional learning environment supporting pride and 
achievement. Student involvement has been one of the primary focuses at 
Wootton in recent years, encouraging students not only to participate 
in school activities themselves, but also to lead others. Historically, 
90 percent of Wootton graduates go on to attend college. This statistic 
is a direct reflection of the school wide dedication of Wootton staff 
to work with all students to support and ensure their success. As 
Wootton's enrollment and diversity expand, it continues its dedication 
to ensuring all students excel.
  Windsor Knolls Middle School, located in Frederick County, is a 
public middle school embodying a challenging, multifaceted learning 
community. Their strong commitment to success is easily demonstrated by 
student statistics, high scores on the CRES tests, Maryland Functional 
tests, CTBS, and MSPAP tests. However, a better understanding of the 
excellence at Windsor Knolls can be gained by observing students. They 
are consistently immersed into a world of education through programs 
involving cultural awareness, character education, community 
interaction, and many other groundbreaking programs. These techniques 
and outstanding dedication by the community are key to Windsor Knolls' 
consistent success.
  Again, I congratulate all of the students, teachers and parents from 
these outstanding schools for receiving the National Blue Ribbon School 
Award. It is a well-deserved tribute to their dedication and enthusiasm 
for learning. As the school year closes, I wish all of them an 
enriching and restful summer and continued success in the 
future.

                          ____________________