Dear K-8 Charter Parents,
We are delighted to share the news that Princeton Charter School has been recognized by the United States Department of Education as one of 353 schools as a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School (NBRS) award winner. We are a multi-year award winner: As you may know, in 2004, Princeton Charter School was recognized by the United States Department of Education as a 2004 National Blue Ribbon School as well.
We are proud of this amazing achievement as a credit to the students, teachers, staff, parents, and administration of Princeton Charter School. No single act resulted in this honor, but rather it reflects the collective efforts, dedication, and shared vision of the entire Charter community. It is such an honor and privilege to represent this school and its constituents every day, but even more so in light of this NBRS award in 2023.
I share the sentiments of Lisa Eckstrom: “Although it would be an honor to receive this award at any time, I believe that this award holds special significance given the many obstacles that all schools have faced since March 2020. I would like to recognize our faculty, staff, parents, board members, administration, and most of all our students who all found nimble and creative solutions to challenges that we could not have imagined pre-Covid. The ethos of Princeton Charter School is to challenge ourselves to improve our curriculum, to broaden opportunities for our students, and to form ever stronger partnerships with our parents. A strong sense of community is at the heart of our work. I know my feeling is shared by our alumni and their parents, volunteers, and other members of the PCS community who join me in celebrating this award.”
And from our Board Chair Stefanos Damianakis, “On behalf of the Board, I thank the teachers, administration, and staff for their steadfast dedication to the students and families at Charter. We celebrate this honor almost 20 years since we last received the NBRS recognition in 2004. It speaks to our unwaivering commitment to our mission, our north star, and the consistent execution of that mission over time, from the founders’ original vision for Charter, through the continual efforts to adapt our program to meet the needs of our students over the last 27 years.”
This award offers national recognition for the exceptional educational qualities that we at Charter have already come to know and experience first hand.
Congratulations to all members of this amazing community!
Sincerely,
Larry Patton
I’ve copied the official letter from the United States Department of Education below.
U.S. Department of Education Announces 2023 Blue Ribbon Schools
The U.S. Department of Education today recognized 353 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2023. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups on assessments.
“The honorees for our 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award have set a national example for what it means to Raise the Bar in education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The leaders, educators, and staff at our National Blue Ribbon Schools continually inspire me with their dedication to fostering academic excellence and building positive school cultures that support students of all backgrounds to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. As the Biden-Harris Administration partners with states and schools to accelerate academic success and transform educational opportunity in this country, we take tremendous pride in the achievements of these schools and their commitment to empowering educators, serving students, and engaging families.”
With its 40th cohort, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,700 schools. The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms and validates the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in striving for – and attaining – exemplary achievement. National Blue Ribbon Schools represent the full diversity of American schools and serve students of every background.
While awardee schools represent the diverse fabric of American schools, they also share some core elements. National Blue Ribbon School leaders articulate a vision of excellence and hold everyone to high standards. They demonstrate effective and innovative teaching and learning, and the schools value and support teachers and staff through meaningful professional learning.
Data from many sources are used to drive instruction and every student strives for success. Families, communities, and educators work together toward common goals.
National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as models of effective and innovative school practices for state and district educators and other schools throughout the nation. A National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing a school’s entryway or on a flagpole is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.
The Department recognizes all schools 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.
• Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students. Nominated schools also complete an extensive narrative application describing their school culture and philosophy, curriculum, assessments, instructional practices, professional development, leadership structures, and parent and community involvement.
Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The Department invites nominations for the National Blue Ribbon Schools award from the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education.
