[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15795-15796]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING TURNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I wish to commend Turner Elementary 
School of Turner, ME, on being named a 2014 National Blue Ribbon School 
of Excellence. This year, Turner Elementary was one of only 337 schools 
across the country and the only school from Maine to receive this 
prestigious recognition of high accomplishment by the U.S. Department 
of Education.
  Created in 1982, the Blue Ribbon Schools Award honors schools that 
are either academically superior in their States or that demonstrate 
significant

[[Page 15796]]

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 progress that Turner Elementary 
has made over the past several years in closing student achievement 
gaps. These outstanding improvements can be attributed to the school's 
emphasis on professional development opportunities for its teachers and 
to its commitment to educating the whole child. Turner Elementary has 
strengthened its curriculum initiatives in math, reading, and writing 
and has also benefited greatly from its talented and dedicated 
leadership team, which helps students, parents, and educators set and 
reach their goals.
  I am pleased that the U.S. Department of Education has selected 
Turner 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 by helping them become 
energetic learners and engaged citizens.

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