CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Three West Virginia schools will among the more than 300 public schools and 49 private schools from across the U.S. officially recognized as 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools next month in Washington, D.C.
Those schools are Allen T. Allison Elementary School in Hancock County, Mount Lookout Elementary School in Nicholas County and East Lynn Elementary School in Wayne County.
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced the recipients earlier this week.
“The kids have worked so hard. The teachers have worked so hard,” East Lynn Principal Melissa Maynard told MetroNews about her school of 145 pre-kindergarten to 5th grade students.
“It was just a wonderful recognition for all of the hard work that we’ve put into the school and the kids.”
In Chester, Allison Elementary School Principal Toni Hartung echoed those comments from her school of 441 students with grades pre-kindergarten through 4th grade.
“It’s all because of our staff and our students work so hard,” Hartung said. “Our goal is for our kids to learn to read and have the desire to read and want to do well.”
The Blue Ribbon designation is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.
Each year, up to 420 schools are nominated.
Since 1982, more than 8,800 schools nationally have been recognized through the National Blue Ribbon Schools program.
Four years ago, Maynard took over as principal at East Lynn Elementary.
“The staff and I got together. We decided some changes needed to be made. We just kind of set some goals for ourselves to help the students be successful,” Maynard said.
“The community is very proud of the work we’ve accomplished here.”
Hartung said her school also depends on the people close to its home.
“The community involvement is amazing,” she said.
School celebrations were being planned for later this week.
Secretary DeVos and other officials with the U.S. Department of Education are scheduled to be part of the Blue Ribbon Schools awards ceremony on Nov. 7 and 8 in Washington, D.C.