Northwestern Elementary School Named A 2010 National Blue Ribbon School

Northwestern Elementary School, a prek-5 school located in Mardela Springs, has been named a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School.

On Thursday, Sept. 9, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that Northwestern, already a Maryland Blue Ribbon School, was one of 304 schools nationwide to attain the honor of National Blue Ribbon School. Northwestern Elementary, one of five Maryland public schools recognized and the only Eastern Shore school to receive the honor in 2010, will join the other honored schools Nov. 15-16 at an awards ceremony in Washington.

“This truly puts us on the national map,” said Bryson, Northwestern principal. “It’s a huge honor for our school – for our kids, our staff and our community. Our staff was screaming when I told them the news.”

The National Blue Ribbon award honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools whose students have achieved at very high levels or have made significant progress and helped close gaps in achievement, especially among disadvantaged and minority students. All 2010 winners are posted at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2010/index.html.

“Blue Ribbon Schools are models of improved student achievement from which others can take inspiration,” Duncan said.

Northwestern is a small school – approximately 300 students in prek-grade 5 – that posts outstanding results. Earlier this year, the Maryland State Department of Education recognized Northwestern as a Maryland Blue Ribbon School of Sustained Improvement & High Achievement.

“I’m ecstatic to see this recognition,” said Dr. John Fredericksen, Superintendent of Wicomico County Public Schools. National Blue Ribbon recognition will shine a light on the many wonderful schools on Delmarva, and especially on Northwestern. “This is a fantastic recognition for Northwestern Elementary, which has helped a student population with a relatively typical profile of economic challenges and ethnic background achieve phenomenal results by collaborating with families. The students, teachers and staff of Northwestern Elementary have collaborated with families and the community to do great things, including earning National Blue Ribbon School recognition.”

The school has 51 percent of its students on Free and Reduced Priced Meals, and has student achievement at high standards. The school received a Maryland School Performance Recognition Award in 2008 for increasing its subgroup performance on the MSA. On the 2010 MSA, 95.6 percent of third graders and 95.7 percent of fourth graders scored at the proficient or advanced level on the Math MSA (89.7 percent of fifth graders also scored proficient/advanced). On the Reading MSA, 92.3 percent of fifth graders were proficient/advanced, along with 89.4 percent of fourth graders and 86.4 percent of third graders.

“This National Blue Ribbon recognition validates the educational program that our teachers and staff deliver on a daily basis to meet the individual needs of each of our students,” Bryson said.

Northwestern continues to be an academic leader within Wicomico County, while beginning a school-wide Title I program in 2010-2011. Technology is infused throughout the daily curriculum. Northwestern Elementary is a professional learning community school with all teachers, coaches, and administrators discussing student data on a weekly basis. Short-term and long-term planning is adjusted based upon student success.

Northwestern continues to reduce the number of students receiving Special Education services by implementing unique differentiation methods for Reading and Math, using Title I and Special Education teachers for individualized learning plans.

Northwestern is truly a community school. In 2009-10, Northwestern saw an increase in family involvement, based on a 33% increase in PTA membership for the school year. Northwestern also saw an increase in daily volunteers from the community to assist teachers in the classroom.