The school’s principal, Mark Minskey, received a letter Tuesday from the company announcing the achievement, according to Geraldine Tibbs, a spokeswoman for Madison County Schools. The letter indicates that the school has met or exceeded the criteria in nine categories of the self-assessment program.
“We are greatly honored to recognize such a deserving school working so diligently to fulfill the many learning needs of students,” reads the letter, which Tibbs provided to the media.
The Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence is a comprehensive program in which school officials, with guidance and support from other Blue Ribbon-recognized educators, assess the quality of their school’s academic and instructional programs, the company’s website states. Though the program helps all schools, it puts special focus on struggling schools in low-income and culturally diverse communities.
The nine categories a school is assessed on include student focus and support, school organization and culture, active teaching and learning, and technology integration.
Being named a Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School is the organization’s highest honor. The designation lasts five years, at which time a school is eligible to be revalidated.