Six Maryland public elementary schools, including four in the Baltimore area, were selected yesterday as 2008 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.
The schools are Cecil Elementary in Baltimore City, Piney Ridge Elementary in Carroll County, Hickory Elementary in Harford County, Broadneck Elementary in Anne Arundel County, Hickory Elementary in Washington County and Cresaptown Elementary in Allegany County. All six also won state Blue Ribbon awards last year.
"We're excited. It's nice to be rewarded for what we do every day," said Roxanne Forr, principal of Cecil Elementary. The East Baltimore school was selected for showing significant improvement in test scores.
About 90 percent of the school's students receive free or reduced-price lunch, but the school has done well on Maryland state tests, with 97 percent of students meeting requirements, Forr said.
After the school won a Maryland Blue Ribbon award in December, Forr threw a luncheon for the staff and students. She said she hopes to top that for the national award.
Broadneck Principal Alison Lee said her school is planning a formal ceremony later in the year, but today the school will present flowers to teachers and other staff in appreciation. Students will receive certificates recognizing the achievement.
Jeannette Jennings, principal of Hickory Elementary in Harford, was also excited. "We work hard to meet the needs of our students. It paid off," she said.
In Carroll County, schools Superintendent Charles I. Ecker praised the staff and students. "This is an honor that is well-deserved," he said.
Overall, the U.S. Department of Education named 320 schools as national winners.
State Schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick said that Maryland's Blue Ribbon Schools "show everyone that we can close the achievement gap and raise the level of education in the state."
Gov. Martin O'Malley also praised the winners. "As the nation's third-ranked public school system, we owe it to the students, teachers and supporters of our public schools to provide the resources they need to succeed and to grow," he said.
The Blue Ribbon award honors schools for helping students achieve at very high levels and for making significant progress in closing the achievement gap.
Over the past 26 years, the program has honored more than 5,800 schools.
"These Blue Ribbon Schools are an example of what teachers and students can achieve," U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said.
Baltimore Sun reporter Nicole Fuller contributed to this article.
