[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 141 (Tuesday, November 18, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6084-S6085]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING SIGNATURE SCHOOL

  Mr. DONNELLY. Mr. President, today, I wish to applaud Signature 
School of Evansville, IN, for being recognized as a 2014 National Blue 
Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.
  Established in 1982, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has 
recognized over 7,000 public and nonpublic schools that demonstrate a 
vision of educational excellence for all students, regardless of their 
social or economic background. Since its inception, this program has 
offered the opportunity

[[Page S6085]]

for schools in every State to gain recognition for educational 
accomplishments in closing the achievement gaps among student groups.
  Recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department 
of Education is based on a school either being measured as an 
``Exemplary High Performing School''--where schools are among the 
State's highest scorers in English and mathematics--or as an 
``Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School''--where schools, with at 
least 40 percent of their student body coming from disadvantaged 
backgrounds, have reduced the achievement gap in English and 
mathematics within the last 5 years. Signature School has set the bar 
high in the area of improved proficiency in both English and 
Mathematics.
  Consistently ranked in the top 100 high schools in the Nation since 
2006, Signature School is a unique and innovative institution where 
students are given the opportunity to play a role in setting their 
academic goals. This independence instills in the students a sense of 
motivation and self-belief, two components that have helped narrow the 
achievement gap and increased English and mathematics scores.
  I would like to acknowledge principal Jean S. Hitchcock of Signature 
School, the entire staff, and the student body. It undoubtedly took 
hard work and dedication to achieve this prestigious award.
  On behalf of the citizens of Indiana, I congratulate Signature 
School, and I wish them continued success in the future.

                          ____________________