[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 16222]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                    WILLIAMS-CONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

 Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am delighted to commend the 
Williams-Cone Elementary School of Topsham, ME, on being named a 2013 
National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. This year, Williams-Cone was 
one of only 236 public schools across the country to receive this 
prestigious recognition of high accomplishment by the U.S. Department 
of Education.
  Created in 1982, the Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and 
private schools that are either academically superior in their States 
or that demonstrate significant gains in student achievement. The 
schools singled out for this national recognition are models of high 
educational standards and accountability.
  This award recognizes the remarkable improvements made in student 
achievement rates at Williams-Cone Elementary over the past several 
years. During the 2007-2008 academic year, students achieved 66 percent 
proficiency in reading and math. Four years later, Williams-Cone's 
approximately 200 students scored 81 percent proficiency in reading and 
77 percent in math. These outstanding academic improvements can be 
attributed to the positive learning environment fostered at Williams-
Cone School, where students are encouraged to pursue their interests, 
teachers instruct in innovative ways, and teachers and administrators 
engage with families to create a strong school community.
  I am pleased that the U.S. Department of Education has selected 
Williams-Cone Elementary School for this well-deserved honor, and 
congratulate not only the students, but also the administrators, 
teachers, staff, and parents on this outstanding achievement. Together, 
they are making a difference in the lives of hundreds of students and 
helping them become responsible learners and engaged citizens in their 
community.

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