U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently recognized 337 schools, including Pinecrest Academy in Cumming, GA, as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2014, based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.
The Department will honor 287 public and 50 private schools, including Pinecrest, at a recognition ceremony November 10-11, 2014, in Washington, D.C. Pinecrest President, Fr. Robert Presutti, LC, , and fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Eleanor Millspaugh, will attend the ceremony to receive the Blue Ribbon award on behalf of the Lower, Middle and High Schools at Pinecrest.
In its 32-year history, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed this coveted award on 7,900 of America’s schools. This year, Pinecrest Academy is among less than one percent of the 132,183 schools in the nation to receive this honor, and one of just 50 private schools to be recognized. Additionally, Pinecrest is the only recognized PreK-12 school in the State of Georgia.
“These great schools are fulfilling the promise of American education—that all students, no matter their name or zip code, can flourish when schools provide safe, creative, and challenging learning environments,” Secretary Duncan said. “National Blue Ribbon Schools are models of consistent excellence and a resource for other schools and districts. We celebrate them for their tireless effort and boundless creativity in reaching and teaching every student.”
“We are honored and humbled to be among the less than one percent of schools across the nation to receive the distinction of 2014 School of Excellence,” said Fr. Robert Presutti, LC, Pinecrest Academy President. “I attribute this achievement to the unwavering pursuit of excellence in education among our administration and faculty, all of whom, over our twenty-one year history, have given selflessly to each and every student who has been educated here at Pinecrest.”
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students either achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap.
All schools are recognized in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:
- Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates are also at the highest levels.
- Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s subgroups and all students over the past five years. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates for each subgroup are at high levels.
Pinecrest Academy falls under the category of “Exemplary High Performing Schools.” Specifically, for the 2013-2014 award year, the Department strengthened the focus of both categories’ performance criteria around subgroups within a school and improving graduation rates for all students. Pinecrest Academy has maintained a one hundred percent graduation rate since its first graduating class in 2007.
“To be recognized as a school of academic distinction across all grades in a Prekindergarten through 12th grade school is a tremendous achievement,” commented Pinecrest Academy Head of School Paul Parker. “We are extremely proud of both our students and their teachers. At Pinecrest, we’ve always known what a special place we have the privilege of educating children within, but it is great to have this accomplishment recognized by the Department of Education as well!”
The Department invites National Blue Ribbon School nominations from the top education official in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Department of Defense Education Activity and the Bureau of Indian Education. The Council for American Private Education (CAPE) nominates private schools. A total of 420 schools nationwide may be nominated, with allocations determined by the numbers of K-12 students and schools in each jurisdiction. The U.S. Secretary of Education invites nominated schools to submit an application for possible recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School.
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