Pine Grove Elementary Named Maryland Blue Ribbon School

The Maryland State Department of Education has named Pine Grove Elementary in Parkville a 2015 Maryland Blue Ribbon School.

The state bestowed the honor upon six Maryland schools that achieved high marks on the Maryland School Assessment (MSA) over a five-year period.

In 2013, 97 percent of Pine Grove Elementary’s students received marks of “proficient” or “advanced” in reading and 94 percent were proficient or advanced in math on the MSA, according to a statement from Baltimore County Public Schools, which reported the high marks translated across socioeconomic/racial/ethnic lines.

“Pine Grove has an extremely dedicated faculty and staff who care about each child and work diligently to meet their academic, social and emotional needs—they go above and beyond to provide rigorous and differentiated instruction so that all students will excel,” Principal Jean Wilson said. In addition to faculty and staff, Wilson credited parents and PTA for their support of academic achievement.

For attaining Maryland Blue Ribbon School status, a school receives a Maryland Blue Ribbon Flag; $1,000 in office supplies; interactive technology equipment; a monetary prize; an audio sound system; and a school pizza party, according to the state department of education, which said the schools are then invited by the U.S. Department of Education to apply to be National Blue Ribbon Schools. Those are selected in September 2015.

“Under the leadership of Principal Jean Wilson, Pine Grove has established itself for its rigorous academics, its nurturing learning atmosphere, and its strong pride and identification with its community,” Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. S. Dallas Dance said in a statement. “We are so proud of the students, staff and community at Pine Grove Elementary School for showing us what consistent, everyday excellence looks like.” See a list of past Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools in Baltimore County here.

Photo Credit: Baltimore County Public Schools.