At Chicago’s Queen of Angels Catholic Elementary School Friday, Gov. Pat Quinn congratulated all 21 of Illinois’ schools recognized nationally for being Blue Ribbon Schools.
“This award is a top honor for our high performing schools and is a direct reflection of our hard-working teachers and principals,” he said from the Ravenswood Catholic school Friday morning. “We are proud of every Blue Ribbon School across Illinois.”
Queen of Angels was one of only three Catholic schools in Chicago named as a Blue Ribbon winner, and one of only seven in the Chicago Archdiocese to meet the award’s stringent 15 percent requirement. Only two Chicago Public Schools were among the winners.
Angels Principal Julia Kelly applauded the school’s efforts, “The Blue Ribbon Award is a wonderful tribute honoring our entire school community. The tireless efforts of staff, students and parents are reflected in this prestigious award that illustrates Queen of Angels’ commitment to providing an excellent education.”
Blue Ribbon schools are named by the U.S. Department of Education for their high performance levels or significant academic improvements. Illinois had 12 public and nine private schools among the 286 national honorees. To earn the award, students had to place in the top 15% in the nation in both math and reading standardized tests in 2013. Schools were notified on Sept. 24; they will be honored in Washington, D.C., at a ceremony in November.
Chicago’s 2013 Blue Ribbon schools are:
• Queen of Angels School, Chicago
• Frazier International Magnet School, Chicago
• Mark T. Skinner West Elementary School, Chicago
• Northside Catholic Academy, Chicago
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy, Chicago
• Saint Andrew School, Chicago
Elsewhere in the region:
• Saint Joan of Arc School, Evanston
• Saint Francis Xavier School, La Grange
• Saint Michael School, Orland Park
• Saint Norbert School, Northbrook
• Greenbriar Elementary School, Northbrook
• Lincoln Elementary School, Morton
• Prairie Crossing Charter School, Grayslake
• Roslyn Road Elementary School, Barrington
• Saint Peter Lutheran School, Arlington Heights
• Sandburg Middle School, Elmhurst
• The Skokie School, Winnetka
• Twin Groves Middle School, Kildeer Countryside
• Wescott Elementary School, Northbrook
Rest of the state:
• Scott Elementary School, Scott Air Force Base
• United North Elementary School, Alexis
“Hard work and dedication by staff, students, and families with the unwavering goal of preparing students for college preparatory programs in top notch high schools is what makes Frazier International Magnet School one of the most successful elementary schools in Chicago,” Frazier Principal Faren D’Abell said on the school’s web site.
