MARLBORO, NJ —Frank Defino Central Elementary School in Marlboro has been recognized as one of the 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.
And the news has added a new level of excitement – and anticipation of some special events – at the K to 5 school.
The school was recognized in the Exemplary High Performing School category of the Blue Ribbon School program.
It is one of only 297 in the country recognized in this and a second category this year and is one of nine recognized in the state. It is the only school named for the honor in Monmouth County.
This honor was based on the school’s overall academic performance measured by state assessments.
“My warmest congratulations to the Defino community and all those who made this achievement possible,” said Dr. Eric Hibbs, superintendent of Marlboro Township Public Schools.
The National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of Defino’s educators, families and community in creating a safe and welcoming school where students master challenging and engaging content, the school said in a news release.
“This honor would not be possible without a staff of passionate and dedicated educators, incredible hard-working students, and wonderful families. In addition, we have phenomenal support from our district leadership, the greater Marlboro community, and our Board of Education,” said Dr. David Stratuik, principal of Defino Elementary School.
He explained some of the initiatives that are encouraged in the school.
“There are many things that make Defino a special and unique place, including the shared dedication to continuous learning and growth,” he said.
He said an example of this growth mindset is the Teacher Passion Projects where teams of teachers select a project of their own design that will improve the school and/or the community.
A few past examples of these projects include teacher-led book clubs focused on relevant education topics, school beautification efforts, and the addition of sensory hallways to provide brain and movement breaks.
“The entire staff benefits from the collective knowledge gained from working together on these passion projects,” Stratuik said.
In the upcoming weeks, various events are planned for the students and staff from Defino to celebrate the district.
The students know about the honor, but Stratuik said the will really celebrate the achievement during Blue Ribbon Day festivities on Oct. 4.
For example, students and staff were asked to record a video response to the prompt: “What makes Defino Special?” using a FlipGrid platform. And some of these may be shared at the October Board of Education meeting.
Also on Oct. 4 there is a planned school-wide pep rally with some fun cheers, guest speakers, and special video messages.
Stratuik explained:
“We plan to have a couple of fun visual representations to commemorate the Blue Ribbon. For example, each student and staff member will add a blue ribbon to the fence in front of our school; we are also looking to take a drone picture of all of our students and staff together in blue T-shirts,” he said.
He added that the PTO has been “extremely supportive, partnering with us to organize our Blue Ribbon celebrations and activities, they are also planning to honor our teachers and staff with a Blue Plate Luncheon on Oct. 4.”
The Blue Ribbon award celebrates school excellence, turnaround stories, and closing achievement gaps, the U.S. Department of Education explains.
The National Blue Ribbon School Program was the brainchild of the second Secretary of Education, Terrel H. Bell, named by President Reagan, the department website says.
Best known for commissioning the study of American education that resulted in “A Nation at Risk,” Bell created the National Blue Ribbon Schools Award in 1982 to bring public attention to the best schools in the United States and to facilitate communication and sharing of best practices within and among schools.
There are two categories…
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