UNION, Ky. — The U.S. Department of Education is shining a light on hundreds of National Blue Ribbon schools — three of which are right here in the Tri-State.
Shirley Mann Elementary School, Morgan Elementary School and Holy Cross District High School have all received honors for high performance. That includes test scores, teacher readiness and performance in the classroom.
What’s a National Blue Ribbon school?
The National Blue Ribbon Schools (NBRS) Program is one of the U.S. Department of Education’s longest-running recognition programs. NBRS recognizes outstanding public and non-public elementary, middle, and high schools based on their overall high academic achievement or success in closing the achievement gap among diverse groups of students.
The 2024 awardees from our community are Shirley Mann Elementary School, Morgan Elementary School and Holy Cross District High School. Each school is nominated for Exemplary High Performing, Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing or both categories. Also, the schools were required to submit a 20-page application with detailed assessment information. For example, demographic data, school overview, curriculum and instruction details, school climate and culture, strategy for excellence and more.
A look insideShirley Mann Elementary School:
Located in Union, Kentucky, the Kentucky Department of Education nominated Shirley Elementary School in the category of Exemplary High Performing Schools. The school prides itself on being a self-aware school with an atmosphere that uplifts faculty and students. Throughout the halls there’s the acronym SPARK, meaning "Self Awareness: Positivity; Attitude of Gratitude; Respect; Kindness."
School officials write in their application that their faculty utilizes an innovative approach to curriculum.
"Whether it is a new schedule, new strategy or new way to collect data for review, the faculty is more than willing to do what is best for the students," the application says.
With a total of 745 students, Shirley Elementary School has a 23 to 1 student classroom teacher ratio. Over the past five years, the school has kept a consistent daily student attendance rate ranging between 96% and 98%.
According to their application, "Our student organizations, student council, and Mann Ambassadors develop student leaders who help prioritize social-emotional learning and character development to build positive relationships with their peers and teachers."
While school officials said they know it's important to bring and incorporate culture within the school walls, they have an international festival bringing a taste of the world to the students.
Mann Elementary said they strive to be a shining example of educational excellence each and every day.
In the hallways of Morgan Elementary School:
Located just shy of 30 miles away from Cincinnati, Ohio, Morgan Elementary School was nominated by the Ohio Department of Education. Sitting in the middle of a farming community, school officials wrote in their application that family values and strong support are the foundation to keeping each child educated.
Morgan Elementary prides itself on not just a rigorous curriculum but cultivating an atmosphere that supports students' social-emotional growth and needs. With a total of 410 students, the school has a 21 to 1 student classroom teacher ratio.
School officials state professional development has been a top priority, making sure each of their teachers is confident and prepared. An example of this is their teacher development and training schedule. They recently adopted the 95 Core Phonics program, a Science of Reading that develops critical phonics skills.
With that and many other elements teachers are equipped with different tools to create the most success in their classrooms. For example, a highlight in the application is dyslexia professional development and training to better be able to identify characteristics of dyslexia.
Collaboration is a staple within their school building as their active Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) supports a variety of learning environment activities and social events like "in-school assemblies, ice cream socials, book fairs, reading incentive programs, Kona Ice and Field Day."
Attendance in and out of the classroom is only one of the high priorities for faculty and families, and the school reports participation at open houses or parent-teacher conferences is higher than 98%.
According to school officials, Morgan Elementary thrives on engaging students in many way "academically, socially, and emotionally through a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) model focusing on the whole child. Our model’s foundation is our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), which creates a caring, safe, and inclusive environment for all learners thereby giving students the opportunity to fully engage."
Morgan school officials say through data driven decision making, guided strategic instruction and acting on what students really need is how the school finds success throughout the school year.
A day at Holy Cross District High School:
Located in Covington, in the heart of Latonia, Holy Cross District High School writes in its application how rich their school's history is. With 314 students, the school states it is and has always been “mission-focused, building on the four pillars of education, diversity, family, and religion.”
Holy Cross officials say despite ability and interest, every student is capable of meeting their high academic expectations. They state in their application, "if given a personalized education, small class sizes, and a wide range of curriculum that meets needs at all academic levels," each student is bound to succeed.
Classes have a 12 to 1 student-teacher ratio and the school said they are constantly evolving by developing new programs to meet the needs of its students. For example their Heritage Speakers program for students who don't speak English at home, along with music and theater programs, 14 sports and over 20 clubs.
The school prides itself on the vast extracurricular programs that staff and students participate in. Holy Cross said, “This promotes a caring, family-like bond between teachers and students both inside and outside of the classroom.”
Character development and faith are also core focuses within the school walls. Students learn Catholic teachings in the classroom and are required to do a minimum of 100 "Christian service hours."
According to the U.S. Department of Education, this is a prestigious honor for high-performing school that are making strides to fill significant gaps for students and their families. More information on the National Blue Ribbon Schools Award can be found at this website.
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