The Clark Mills School in the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District, which educates children in first through fifth grade, has earned the Blue Ribbon designation for high student achievement from the U.S. Department of Education. The award is for 2020.
Clark Mills was one of nine New Jersey public schools – and the only school in Monmouth County – to achieve the honor. These schools are among the state’s highest performing schools as measured by student growth, statewide assessment performance, graduation rates and student group performance, according to a press release.
Commenting on the honor, Superintendent of Schools John J. Marciante Jr. said, “The Clark Mills School was one of nine New Jersey schools that was cited as an Exemplary High Performing School which is an incredible accomplishment and a testament to the hard work and professionalism of Principal Jayme Orlando and the entire staff.”
Orlando said, “We would like to thank our dedicated staff, outstanding students and parents, Dr. Marciante, Dr. Nicole Santora (assistant superintendent of curriculum and human resources), and the Board of Education for their ongoing support of our school. We are so proud of this accomplishment and will continue to strive for excellence.”
“Congratulations to these schools for earning this prestigious designation,” said Kevin Dehmer, New Jersey’s interim commissioner of education. “New Jersey public schools are widely considered among the best in the nation and these nine schools are exemplars of that level of excellence. All of the school administrators, educators, parents, students and others involved with each of these school communities ought to be proud of their accomplishments.”
National Blue Ribbon Schools are honored at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., during which each school receives a plaque and a flag to signify its status. The 2020 awards ceremony will be held virtually Nov. 12-13, according to the press release.
Nationwide, 367 schools were recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2020. Clark Mills School has been recognized as an Exemplary High Performing National Blue Ribbon School. These schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.
“Congratulations to this year’s National Blue Ribbon School awardees,” U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was quoted as saying in the press release. “It is a privilege to recognize the extraordinary work you do to meet students’ needs and prepare them for successful careers and meaningful lives.”
Now in its 38th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed almost 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools, with some schools winning multiple awards, according to the press release.