Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Middle School Achievement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Northfield Middle School named National Blue Ribbon selectee; state will recognize winners after federal program cancellation
Summary
Northfield Middle School was selected as a National Blue Ribbon school in two award categories (exemplary high performing and exemplary closing the achievement gap). The federal program’s recognition process was canceled this year; Minnesota Department of Education plans state-level recognition.
Northfield Middle School staff announced Oct. 14 that the school was selected as a National Blue Ribbon School, recognized in both the "exemplary high performing" and "exemplary closing the achievement gap" categories.
Principal Greg Gielena described the selection as unexpected and significant: the school was designated in both award areas, an unusual combination. "We were selected as National Blue Ribbon School... we are considered an exemplary high performing school as well as an exemplary closing the gap achievement school," Gielena said. He said he found no other Minnesota middle school in recent records that had achieved both distinctions.
Gielena noted a caveat: the federal Department of Education canceled the Blue Ribbon recognition program for the year the award would have been made public. Minnesota’s Department of Education has agreed to recognize schools that the federal process selected; the district was permitted to inform the community of the selection and expects state-level recognition to follow.
Board members and Superintendent Hillman praised the middle school’s staff and students. Hillman and board members emphasized the achievement as an affirmation of work to improve academic outcomes and reduce achievement gaps. The board discussed next steps for community recognition given the federal program change.
Gielena also reviewed middle school highlights and goals, including student connection metrics (76% of students report feeling connected to at least one adult; 84% reported being excited to attend a class) and site goals around adult support (raise staff agreement that they receive needed administrative support), social-emotional learning (uniform vocabulary and delivery) and student safety. The plan ties adult behaviors and supports to student outcomes and will use SSIS for SEL measurement and staff surveys for baseline metrics.
Ending: The district will share more details about state-level recognition when Minnesota Department of Education finalizes its plan to honor the selected schools.
