San Ramon Elementary School Named a Blue Ribbon School

San Ramon Unified School District’s Neil Armstrong Elementary School is one of 335 schools across the nation to be recognized today by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan as a National Blue Ribbon School for 2015. Schools are selected based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. These schools demonstrate that all students can achieve to high levels.

“Neil Armstrong’s staff, students and parent community are to be applauded for this achievement. This recognition is a celebration of their work and commitment to student success,” SRVUSD Superintendent Mary C. Shelton said.

Neil Armstrong Elementary School was opened in 1969 and serves the area south of Montevideo Drive and southeast of Interstate 680 in San Ramon. The school has approximately 630 students in Transitional Kindergarten through 5th grade. Neil Armstrong Elementary was also recognized as National Blue Ribbon School in 2003.

“The Neil Armstrong staff is honored to receive the National Blue Ribbon Award. Our community, teachers, students and parents are thrilled to be recognized. We are proud that our teachers have implemented important programs that reinforce the learning of our diverse populations. I am proud to be a part of such a proactive staff that is willing to go above and beyond what is required to ensure student success. Implementation of district-supported programs greatly contributes to our accomplishments. We take great pride in representing SRVUSD.” Neil Armstrong Elementary Principal Lorna Monteith said.

The Department will honor 285 public and 50 private schools at a recognition ceremony on Nov. 9-10 in Washington, D.C. In its 33-year history, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program<http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/index.html> has bestowed this coveted award on more than 8,000 of America’s schools.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students either achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap. The award plaque affirms the hard work of students, educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. The award flag gracing a school’s building is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.

All schools are recognized in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:

· Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates are also at the highest levels.

· Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s subgroups and all students over the past five years. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates for each subgroup are at high levels.

By San Ramon Unified School District