[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18716]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS IN MARYLAND

 Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I am pleased to congratulate and 
welcome to our Nation's Capitol the two middle schools and two high 
schools from Maryland that have been named Blue Ribbon School Award 
winners by the United States Department of Education. These schools are 
among only 198 middle and high 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 four 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 four winning Maryland secondary schools are as follows:
  Baltimore City College High School: founded in 1839 is the third 
oldest public high school in the country. A college preparatory magnet 
high school emphasizing the liberal arts and serving students and 
parents in Baltimore, City College sends 95 percent of its graduates to 
post-secondary institutions and, in doing so, has played a part in the 
American dream--preparing students to succeed in college as well as 
giving them day-to-day experience in working with people of all 
backgrounds to lead in the community.
  Bel Air Middle School: located in Harford County, is a high-
performing model of teaching and learning because of its outstanding 
academic programs and the high level of commitment from teachers, 
students, local businesses, and parents. Bel Air Middle School has 
developed an integrated assessment program entitled, ``Student 
Achievement and Improvement through Lifelong Learning'', SAIL, which 
has been recognized nationally by the National Council of Teachers of 
English. Additionally, Bel Air Middle School has a literacy Team, which 
provides the faculty with ongoing professional development, 
particularly in the areas of reading and writing.
  Paint Branch High School: in Burtonsville, Montgomery County, offers 
a dynamic and innovative whole-school signature program in science and 
the media. In addition to delivering a rigorous, comprehensive high 
school program with a full complement of honors and advanced placement 
classes and additional support related, community service, and extra-
curricular experiences emphasizing research and experimentation. 
Several business partnerships support the largest internship program in 
the county, with nearly 170 students this year earning credit at such 
sites as the National Institutes of Health, Johns Hopkins University 
Applied Physics Laboratory, Discovery Communication, Inc., and Black 
Entertainment Television.
  Plum Point Middle School: in Huntingtown, Calvert County, exhibits 
enthusiasm and strength which grows from school-wide philosophy that 
considers each member valuable and every minute important. Students are 
encouraged to participate in a variety of educational and 
extracurricular activities. Over 75 percent of its students are 
involved in after-school activities. The school has been county 
athletic champion 13 times in various sports. Over 20 percent of the 
teaching staff have been award winners--including Maryland's 1999 
Teacher of the Year, Rachael Younkers.

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