FAYETTEVILLE — The cafeteria at Vandergriff Elementary School was transformed into a sea of bright blue as students clapped, cheered and danced to celebrate the school's naming as a 2009 Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.
The students -- all wearing bright blue T-shirts imprinted with "Vandergriff Elementary -- A National School of Excellence" sang "Celebration" and watched as Principal Bert Starke unfurled a flag proclaiming the school's new status.
"We were beaming with big-time pride," Starke told the students as he recounted the announcement ceremony he attended earlier this week at Highland Elementary School in Silver Spring, Md.
Other Arkansas schools to receive the prestigious designation are Mount Pleasant Elementary School in the Melbourne School District and Park International Magnet School in Hot Springs.
A total of 264 public schools and 50 private schools were honored at the awards ceremony in Maryland, Starke said.
Teachers said the award represents recognition of the hard work students and teachers do on a daily basis.
Second-grade teacher Christye Hudson said, "It shows the hard work of students and dedication of the staff. We care about academics, development (of students) and community."
Kathy Butler, a third-grade teacher, said, "I've known all along we were an outstanding school. This is national recognition of that."
The award honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either academically superior, or have made dramatic gains in student achievement and helped close gaps in achievement among minority and disadvantaged students.
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private schools based on one of two criteria -- schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests or, in the case of private schools, in the top 10 percent of the nation on nationally normed tests; or schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that demonstrate dramatic improvement of student performance to high levels on state tests or nationally normed tests.
In addition, public schools must meet adequate yearly progress in reading and mathematics. Each state sets its own academic standards and benchmark goals to measure adequate yearly progress.
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