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“RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS IN MARYLAND” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S1201-S1202 on Feb. 26, 2002.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS IN MARYLAND
Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I am proud to recognize the nine elementary schools throughout Maryland that were selected as Blue Ribbon School Award winners in 2001. These schools are among only 264 elementary schools nationwide to be honored with this award, the most prestigious national school recognition for public and private schools.
According to the Department of Education, Blue Ribbons 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 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 the Secretary of Education.
The designation as a Blue Ribbon School is a ringing endorsement of the successful practices that enable the students of these schools to succeed and achieve. Over the past few years, I have made a commitment to visit the Blue Ribbons Schools in my State and have always been delighted to see first hand the interaction between parents, teachers, and the community, which strongly contribute to the success of the school. As I complete my visits to each of these schools, I look forward to personally congratulating the students, teachers and staff for this exceptional accomplishment.
The nine winning Maryland elementary schools include:
Benfield Elementary School. Located in Anne Arundel County, Benfield Elementary was ranked 7th in Maryland on the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program, MSPAP, in 1996 and noted as one of the fastest improving schools in Maryland. The Baltimore Sun recently recognized Benfield's reading program as one of the most effective in the State. The Washington Post also recognized its character-building program, ``No Putdowns,'' as a valuable asset to the school community. Benfield was one of two elementary schools selected to send their experiments aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis and also has two award winning after school programs focusing on science and Spanish language.
Beth Tfiloh Community School. Beth Tfiloh of Baltimore, MD, has dedicated itself to creating a vibrant educational community that touches the minds and hearts of Jewish children. The school's administration and leadership are committed to meeting the needs of each individual student through continued innovation, both as an institution of learning and as a guarantor of Jewish culture. The school has recently received recognition as a Good Neighbor School, Maryland Character Education School of the Year, and a Baltimore Business Journal Innovation in Technology School. Beth Tfiloh graduates have been accepted by the top colleges, universities, and religious seminaries in the United States and Israel and have assumed Jewish leadership roles on their college campuses and in their communities.
Bodkin Elementary School. Bodkin Elementary, located in Anne Arundel County, has had some of the highest test scores in Maryland over the past 2 years. The school has been awarded the Chesapeake Cup for outstanding participation with the Anne Arundel County Public Library and many of its staff members have earned State and county awards for their teaching skills. Bodkin's theme, ``A Recipe For Success,'' accurately reflects that the special ingredients of a supportive school community, enthusiastic teachers and eager learners work to make it an educational star.
Charlestown Elementary School. Charlestown Elementary strives to live up to its motto, ``Success for all students, whatever it takes.'' As a title I school, it successfully provides numerous programs for students of its rural community in Cecil County, including after-school enrichment programs, student support programs, and parent/student volunteers. Scores on the MSPAP have increased for the last 5 years. The committed staff, hard working students, and involved community all contribute to Charlestown's success.
Darnestown Elementary School. Darnestown Elementary is committed to an educational program that recognizes the unique value, needs, and talents of the individual student. Located in Gaithersburg, MD, Darnestown is a school with steadily increasing test scores. Over the past 4 years, Darnestown's composite MSPAP score has increased from 60 percent to 82 percent. The school has received Maryland's Recognition School monetary award for 2 consecutive years. The staff and community are also proud to be the first recipient of the Marriott ``Spirit to Serve'' award, recognizing Darnestown's involvement in numerous community service projects to support the homeless.
Fort Foote Elementary School. At Fort Foote Elementary, outstanding MSPAP test scores validate the academic achievement of the students, parents, and teachers. The children of this Fort Washington, MD, school embrace the concept of a Community of Caring through the school's nationally recognized character education program. With a 97 percent minority population, the school coordinates a kindergarten through Grade 6 program with an early childhood special education program and Head Start. Combining innovative assessment techniques such as the Comer School Development Program, team instructional planning, shared decisionmaking, and community partnerships have proven effective for total school success.
Ocean City Elementary School. Ocean City Elementary is located close to the resort town, for which it was named, in Ocean City, MD. the teachers and community strongly believe it is their responsibility to expand the number of life choices a child has upon graduation from high school. Ocean City has an excellent reputation of having high behavioral standards as well as reaching academic achievements that have been recognized statewide. The vision behind the school is to make all students academically successful, as well as productive members of society. The dedication of the students, teachers, and parents of Ocean City Elementary truly represents their school motto: I can be anything, I can learn anything if I believe in myself and work hard.
Saint Bernadette School. Saint Bernadette School, founded in 1947 by the parishioners of St. Bernadette Church, is located in Silver Spring, MD. Saint Bernadette's aims to educate the child completely, recognizing and nurturing the spiritual, intellectual, personal, social, physical, and cultural development of its students. The teachers realize that parents are the primary educators of their children and work with them for the well being of each child. The parents do an exemplary job of participating by volunteering in excess of 10,000 hours per year. Saint Bernadette's parents and students continue to distinguish themselves year after year, demonstrating that their dedication and commitment is a true formula for success.
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