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Two Utah schools have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2014, the U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday.
Orem's Lakeridge Jr. High School and Hyrum's Lincoln Elementary School were among the 337 schools across the nation chosen for the award, which recognizes academic excellence and successful efforts to close student achievement gaps.
"These great schools are fulfilling the promise of American education — that all students, no matter their name or ZIP code, can flourish when schools provide safe, creative, and challenging learning environments," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a prepared statement. "National Blue Ribbon Schools are models of consistent excellence and a resource for other schools and districts. We celebrate them for their tireless effort and boundless creativity in reaching and teaching every student."
Lincoln Elementary School Principal Lynette Riggs said her staff is focused on helping students succeed and it's an honor to be recognized for their efforts.
"It's really lovely," she said. "You work very hard and we're kind of shocked by it, actually. We're just doing our best every day and it's a very pleasant surprise."
Lincoln Elementary is among the most diverse in Cache County School District. Economically disadvantaged students make up 56 percent of the student body and 15 percent are English language learners, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Riggs, who has served as principal for 9 years, said her teachers work hard and work smart to make student learning the center of all classroom decisions.
"We're determined that every minute is going to count, that every second is going to count," she said.
Minority students make up 24 percent of the enrollment at Lakeridge Jr. High School, and 48 percent of students come from economically disadvantaged households.
Principal Kathy Knudsen said the school was one of the first in the state to implement FLEX time, a 30-minute period during the day when students can receive supplemental help in subjects they are struggling in.
The school also implemented a program of professional learning communities, allowing teachers time to collaborate and review data to individualize learning.
"It's probably been a 10-year process, but we've been able to do amazing things," Knudsen said.
For this year's award, the U.S. Department of Education placed a greater emphasis on the performance of demographic subgroups within a school population, according to press materials.
This year's Blue Ribbon schools — 287 public and 50 private schools — will be recognized at a ceremony Nov. 10-11 in Washington, D.C.