Nine New Jersey schools just received a huge national honor. Nine schools across the Garden State have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2022, U.S. Secretary for Education Miguel Cardona announced Friday (Sept. 16).
These New Jersey schools were selected amongst 297 in the U.S. receiving what is considered one of the top education honors given by the federal government. The Department of Education recognizes all schools 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.
– Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students.
“I applaud all the honorees for the 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award for creating vibrant, welcoming, and affirming school communities where students can learn, grow, reach their potential, and achieve their dreams,” Cardona said in a statement from his office.
Cardona noted the efforts of schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “As our country continues to recover from the pandemic, we know that our future will only be as strong as the education we provide to all of our children. Blue Ribbon Schools have gone above and beyond to keep students healthy and safe while meeting their academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs,” Cardona said.
“These schools show what is possible to make an enduring, positive difference in students’ lives,” he added.
“We are always glad to celebrate the success of our New Jersey schools and acknowledge their commitment to teaching and learning. New Jersey is one of the top states for education because our schools focus on improving the outcomes for all students,” said Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan, Acting Commissioner of Education. “I applaud the nine newest Blue Ribbon Schools for their focus on students’ well-being and achievement.”
Take a look at the list of schools below:
Cliffside Park School 4, Cliffside Park School District
Cliffside Park School 4 Mission Statement: “To instill that we are all “Learners Today, Leaders Tomorrow.” We strongly feel that it is important for all stakeholders to realize that in order to be successful in an area of life it is important to always be open to learning. At School Four, we consider our greatest strength to be our rich cultural, linguistic and cognitive diversity. Our students speak many languages and hail from all over the world, but are all united in that they come from families who value education and work in partnership with the school community to create a bright future for their children.”
Glendora Elementary School, Gloucester Township Public School District
Glendora Elementary School Mission Statement: “Glendora Elementary School is a Kindergarten through Grade Five building with a long tradition of service to the community. We promote a friendly and secure environment with an emphasis on academic achievement, high expectations for student behavior and citizenship, and close family involvement. The comfortable size of the school allows our staff to get to know families very well and work with them in a special way.”
Frank Defino Central Elementary School, Marlboro Township Public School District
Frank Defino Central Elementary School Mission Statement: “To provide a safe, nurturing environment of mutual respect while inspiring children to achieve their academic potential. Students are valued for their individuality and diverse capabilities and are taught to face the future and contribute to society with compassion, courage, knowledge, and vision.”
Edgar Middle School, Metuchen School District
Edgar Middle School Mission Statement: “Edgar Middle School offers its students a challenging and enriching educational experience. We strive to support the students’ academic, emotional and social growth and development. As we focus on the whole child, we empower students to strive for excellence in all aspects of their lives.”
Stony Brook Elementary School, Hopewell Valley Regional School District
Stony Brook Elementary School’s Mission Statement: “At Stony Brook Elementary School, children are known by name, are listened to, and are recognized for their talents and accomplishments. We strive every day to uphold the Stony Brook mission: to seek the truth, to appreciate beauty, and to demonstrate goodness.”
Center Grove School, Randolph Township School District
Center Grove School Mission Statement: “Center Grove… Our home away from home, where we are free to be curious, respected individuals, inspired learners, and future leaders creating better tomorrows.”
William J. McGinn Elementary School, Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public School District
William J. McGinn Elementary School Mission Statement: “To provide students the Foundation to Grow, the Compassion to Give, the Imagination to Dream. McGinn students are given the foundational skills to be independent learners who problem-solve together. Students develop compassion for others, a sense of belonging and responsibility, and enthusiasm for human diversity. McGinn students leave McGinn School with the creative tools and imagination to express themselves and follow their dreams.”
Redwood Elementary School West, West Orange School District
Redwood Elementary School West Mission Statement: “At Redwood, our guiding light is Dr. King’s famous maxim that the true goal of education is to build students’ “intelligence and character.” We firmly believe that both intelligence and character are not fixed commodities, but rather that both can be developed. To that end, our academic programs are designed to grow our students’ abilities in each of the core subjects of English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies, along with enhancing their creativity through the Arts and Music, their health and wellness through Physical Education and Health, their language skills and cultural understandings through World Languages, and their facility with technology and research through Library & Media Arts. Redwood also places a premium on character development. Redwood is “The School That Cares,” and with this theme in mind we teach our students to care about themselves, each other, our staff, and our school itself. Through our R.O.C.K.E.T. character initiative, our students build the character traits of Respect, Open-Mindedness, Caring, Kindness, Encouragement, and Trustworthiness. We aim to give our students the tools that they need to be responsible, productive, and civic-minded citizens.”
Upper School, Englewood Cliffs School District
Upper School Mission Statement: “It is the mission of Upper School to strive for excellence in the academic, personal/social, and creative development of each individual student. This will be accomplished through the positive collaboration of our entire school learning community. The educational community will create a safe, nurturing environment that honors the cultural diversity of our students and our society. Our students will develop character and moral values that help them become productive members of our society. The educational family will develop responsible citizens that will respect and take pride in our national heritage.”