Steve Burns
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON – (WMAL) The U.S. Department of Education has awarded four Northern Virginia schools with the most prestigious honor a school can receive – the National Blue Ribbon.
Three private schools and one public were among the honorees – Immanuel Christian School in Springfield, Our Lady of Hope Catholic School in Potomac Falls, St. Mark Catholic School in Vienna, and Patrick Henry Elementary in Arlington.
“I think it validates the work of our faculty, students and families for the past 12 years,” said St. Marks principal Darcie Girmus. “The Blue Ribbon is the highest achievement any school can achieve. It provides a standard of excellence for continuing our work now and into the future.”
Blue Ribbon Schools are based on test scores, either state assessments or standardized tests, along with graduation rates and closing the achievement gap between subgroups.
“We’re just so proud and excited for the students, teachers, and families here at Patrick Henry to be recognized for their hard work, dedication, and excellence,” said principal Andrea Frye. “The students got their blue ribbons and their blue lollipops to celebrate.”
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