NBRS Express Newsletter

Highlights of the 2018 Awards Ceremony

The 2018 NBRS Awards recognized 300 public and 49 private schools in November.

This year represented the fourth time that a non-public school received the award and the third time that five public and non-public schools received the award since 1985. Congratulations for sustaining excellence!

Highlights of the 2018 annual NBRS ceremony, which drew nearly 1,000 participants, are available on the NBRS website.

Bell Awards for Outstanding School Leadership

The two-day ceremony also honored ten recipients of the Terrel H. Bell Awards for Outstanding School Leadership and one recipient of a Special Lifetime Leadership Award.

“We all had a wonderful experience at the National Blue Ribbon Conference. Being able to meet principals and school staff from other states and countries was a valuable learning opportunity for our school. The round table discussions on the various topics provided new perspectives and ideas that we can incorporate into our school improvement process.”

Heather Wilhelm, Principal
Mililani Uka Elementary
Mililani, HI

Good morning Aba,

I just wanted to reach out to let you know how much I appreciated your support, enthusiasm, and excitement as 349 schools received their Blue Ribbon Awards. You never stopped dancing or smiling even when we got to beloved Wyoming. Thank you for your dedication and making this event a memorable one for all schools.

Thank you,
Kelie Fuller, Principal
Canton Charter Academy
Canton, MI

Welcome to the 2018 Cohort of NBRS Schools!

• Your school is one of approximately 8500 schools that have received the NBRS award since 1982!
• Promote your story using social media: https://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/share-your-story/
• Mention National Blue Ribbon in your social media posts: @NatlBlueRibbon on Twitter; @nationalblueribbonschools on Facebook, and #nbrs2018 for Twitter

Add a name badge for your website:

• Go to the award winners page, locate your school, and click to view your school profile.
• From your profile page, click the link at the top titled “NBRS Badge for your Web site”.
• The system will generate embed code your web team can place on your web site.

2018 NBRS Principals: Look for Photo Solicitation

Please be on the lookout for an invitation to submit ONE celebratory picture of your students and staff.  We will be seeking a handful of outstanding images to be posted on the NBRS website homepage.

Program Distinctions and Name ALERT

Please be aware that the U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbon Schools program is not associated with the Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Program, which is sponsored by a non-profit organization in South Carolina.

Schools may be contacted by the South Carolina organization to participate in conferences and may be confused by the similar names.

Read the Logo Use guidelines

New School Video Lookout

Check the NBRS website this spring for upcoming videos of four 2018 NBR schools:

• Evergreen Elementary School (Spanaway, WA) – A “no excuses” neighborhood school sustaining a culture of collaboration, high expectations, and strong academic achievement years after turnaround.
• Lorenzo Walker Technical High School (Naples, FL) – Dual enrollment opportunities, personalized career planning supports, and rigorous academic instruction prepare students for college and career success.
• Lusher Charter School (New Orleans, LA) – Teachers and artists-in-residence collaboratively integrate arts across the academic curriculum and build a school culture that celebrates expression.
• Paramount School of Excellence (Indianapolis, IN) – Green initiatives, a space science center, and an urban farm helps students understand their world through exploratory learning and embedded environmental education.

Looking for Effective Practices of NBRS Schools?

Check out the descriptions of schools and their strategies in Practices by Topic https://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/practices/. 

• Civic Engagement,
• College & Career Readiness,
• STEM Education,
• Student-Centered Instruction,
• Student Leadership practices.

Practices from the 2018 application excerpts will soon be added.

Nominate a STEM Teacher Today

Nominations for the 2018-19 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are now open.  Anyone may nominate exceptional STEM teachers teaching grades 7-12.  (Awards alternate between elementary and secondary teachers.)  Teachers may also self-nominate. The President bestows up to 108 awards each year.  Since the program’s inception, over 4,800 teachers have been recognized for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession.  (Note: The deadline for nominations is March 1, 2019.)