CONNECTICUT — Four public schools in the state have been named 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.
The award is given to select schools across the nation annually for demonstrating overall high achievement or success in closing achievement gaps.
The four schools are:
“Connecticut’s public school teachers are the best in the United States, and the tools they are providing our youngest residents are enabling them to achieve success throughout their careers,” Gov. Ned Lamont said. “Every child – no matter their family’s income or the neighborhood where they live – deserves access to a quality education that prepares them for achievement. We no doubt continue to have work to do to close persistent achievement gaps that have lingered far too long, but I firmly believe that the strong work of so many of our educators is having an impact. I congratulate these schools on earning this national distinction and wish them continued success.”
The Connecticut State Department of Education uses data from the Next Generation Accountability System to nominate schools for the National Blue Ribbon School award. Nominated schools must complete an application process and be approved by the U.S. Department of Education. All selected schools in Connecticut were Schools of Distinction for at least two of the last four years. National Blue Ribbon Schools are identified in two categories: Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing and Exemplary High Performing.
Here’s how the Governor’s Office described the four honored schools:
George Hersey Robertson School (Coventry): Exemplary High Performing. George Hersey Robertson School serves 367 students in Grades 3, 4 and 5. The overall performance for this school has climbed steadily to an accountability index in 2018-19 of 87.0 meaning that the school earned 87 percent of all possible points in the accountability system. There are a variety of strategies educators at this school use to ensure student success, but one notable practice is the way they tailor instruction to individual students’ needs. Personalization is evident in their approach to intervention. Everyone including students and their families view intervention as a “tune up,” a chance to build facility in a few skills rather than a holistic judgment. The intervention referral team meets bi-weekly to discuss student progress, allowing students to move in and out of interventions as needed rather than getting stuck in (or out of) an intervention group for six to eight weeks when the next “cycle” restarts. This model motivates students to focus on mastering the necessary concepts or skills as quickly as possible so that they can move beyond the intervention group. At GHRS in 2018-19, on average, students achieved 90.6 percent of their mathematics growth targets. The school has been recognized by CSDE as a School of Distinction for demonstrating strong growth for all students and students with high needs for three consecutive years. Educators’ fluid, responsive approach to supporting students accelerates academic growth for all students and leads to improved overall achievement.
Norton School (Cheshire): Exemplary High Performing. Norton School, a K-6 school with an enrollment of 415 students, has exceeded its school performance index targets for all students in English Language Arts and mathematics consistently for the last three administrations of Smarter Balanced. Simultaneously, academic growth measures in both subjects have improved every year. Overall performance as measured by the accountability index has increased from 81.7 in 2015-16 to 87.9 in 2018-19. Norton School educators use the gradual release of responsibility framework to design their instruction. The instructional routine that teachers use has three steps: (1) begin a lesson by modeling, (2) transition to students practicing together, and (3) students work individually. This approach requires students to be active participants in…
Read More: 4 CT Public Schools Honored By U.S. Dept. Of Education