Release Date: Sep 15, 2011 2:30 PM  

Three Delaware schools are among about 300 schools nationwide that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recognized today as 2011 National Blue Ribbon Schools.

Long Neck Elementary School in the Indian River School District, Nellie Hughes Stokes Elementary School in the Caesar Rodney School District, and West Park Place Elementary School in the Christina School District, are among the public and private schools that will be honored at an awards ceremony Nov. 14 to 15 in Washington, D.C.

Principals David C. Hudson (Long Neck), Corey Miklus (Nellie Hughes Stokes), and Ledonnis A. Hernandez (West Park Place) will be invited to attend the national awards ceremony with a teacher representative from each of their schools.

The award honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools whose students achieve at very high levels or have made significant progress and helped close gaps in achievement especially among disadvantaged and minority students. Each year since 1982, the U.S. Department of Education has sought out schools where students attain and maintain high academic goals, including those that beat the odds. In the past 29 years, more than 6,000 of America’s schools have received this coveted award. 

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private schools based on one of two criteria:

1) Schools whose students, regardless of backgrounds, are high performing. These are schools ranked among the state’s highest performing schools as measured by their performance on state assessments or in the case of private schools, that score at the highest performance level on tests referenced by national norms in at least the most recent year tested; and

2) Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that improve student performance to high levels as measured by the school’s performance on state assessments or nationally-normed tests.

About 400 schools nationwide can be nominated, based on the number of K-12 students and the number of schools in each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The chief state school officer nominates public schools, and the Council for American Private Education (CAPE) submits private schools’ nominations.

A listing of all National Blue Ribbon Schools in Delaware:

School	Location	Year
Long Neck Elementary School	Millsboro	2011
Nellie Hughes Stokes Elementary School	Dover	2011
West Park Place Elementary School	Newark	2011
Christ the Teacher Catholic School	Newark	2010
Robert S. Gallaher Elementary School	Newark	2010
Newark Charter School	Newark	2010
Woodbridge Elementary School	Greenwood	2010
Marbrook Elementary School	Wilmington	2009
East Millsboro Elementary School	Millsboro	2008
Sussex Technical High School	Georgetown	2008
Etta J. Wilson Elementary School	Newark	2007
Joseph M. McVey Elementary School	Newark	2007
Lancashire Elementary School	Wilmington	2007
Fairview Elementary School	Dover	2006
Lake Forest East Elementary School	Frederica	2006
North Georgetown Elementary School	Georgetown	2006
Booker T. Washington Elementary School	Dover	2005
Long Neck Elementary School	Millsboro	2005
Frankford Elementary School	Frankford	2004
Lulu M. Ross Elementary School	Milford	2004
Phillip C. Showell Elementary School	Selbyville	2003
Corpus Christi Elementary School	Wilmington	2001
Lord Baltimore Elementary School	Ocean View	2001
Seaford Middle School	Seaford	1996
Sussex Technical High School	Georgetown	1996
Padua Academy	Wilmington	1996
St. Matthew’s School	Wilmington	1992
Corpus Christi School	Wilmington	1990
Dover High School	Dover	1987
Skyline Middle School	Wilmington	1985
Caesar Rodney High School	Camden-Wyoming	1984
Christiana High School	Newark	1984
Brandywine High School	Wilmington	1983
Shue Medill Middle	Newark	1983

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Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.	Contact Info. Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us
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