Stony Brook Elementary School in Pennington has earned the distinction of being a 2022 National Blue Ribbon School.
Stony Brook in the Hopewell Valley Regional School District was one of 297 schools nationwide selected by the U.S. Department of Education. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced program recipients in September.
“I applaud all the honorees for the 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award for creating vibrant, welcoming, and affirming school communities where students can learn, grow, reach their potential, and achieve their dreams,” Cardona said.
The National Blue Ribbon Schools program has been recognizing public and private schools nationwide since 1982.
Whether they are public or private high school, middle schools or elementary schools, those recognized have displayed overall academic achievement or progress in closing educational achievement gaps between various student groups.
“As our country continues to recover from the pandemic, we know that our future will only be as strong as the education we provide to all of our children,” Cardona said. “Blue Ribbon Schools have gone above and beyond to keep students healthy and safe while meeting their academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs.”
Stony Brook was one of nine New Jersey schools selected to be 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools. Others in the state included Frank Defino Central Elementary School in the Marlboro Township Public School District and Edgar Middle School in the Metuchen School District.
The other 258 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools spanned across the country featuring 31 Blue Ribbon schools in Texas, 29 Blue Ribbon Schools in California, and 20 Blue Ribbon Schools in New York.
“These schools show what is possible to make an enduring, positive difference in students’ lives,” Cardona said.
Each year, the U.S. Department of Education accepts a maximum of 420 nominations to National Blue Ribbon Schools.
The department selects the schools through two performance categories: exemplary high-performing schools and exemplary achievement gap-closing schools.
The federal agency examines school graduation rates, student scores and subgroup student scores as part of the selection process.
