Childs named ‘Blue Ribbon School’

A Bloomington elementary school was one of 286 schools named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday.

Childs Elementary School, which is in the Monroe County Community School Corporation, was one of 12 schools in Indiana named a National Blue Ribbon School for 2013.

National Blue Ribbon Schools include public and private schools at the elementary, middle and high school levels, according to a press release from the DOE.

Schools are selected based on academic excellence and improvement in academic achievement.

“It is an honor to be recognized at the national level, and it is certainly a testament to the great work I see on a daily basis at Childs Elementary,” Childs Principal Chris Finley said in a press release from MCCSC. “I am proud of our students, and the National Blue Ribbon Award represents their continual high achievement and tremendous effort over the last decade.”

National Blue Ribbon Schools fall into one of two categories: “Exemplary High Performing,” in which schools are recognized as a top-performing school in the state, or “Exemplary Improving,” in which schools have at least 40 percent of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and show academic improvement, according to the release.

The DOE will recognize 236 public and 50 private schools at a ceremony Nov. 18-19 in Washington, D.C.

“Excellence in education matters, and we should honor the schools that are leading the way to prepare students for success in college and careers,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in the release. “National Blue Ribbon schools represent examples of educational excellence, and their work reflects the belief that every child in America deserves a world-class education.”

— Matt Stefanski