Fairview named Blue Ribbon School
Fairview Elementary School in Hoffman Estates was one of 22 schools in Illinois to be named a 2014 National Blue Ribbon School based on its overall academic excellence.
The U.S. Department of Education will present Fairview and 336 other schools from throughout the nation with their National Blue Ribbon School awards at a conference and awards ceremony Nov. 10-11 in Washington, D.C.
"The entire Fairview community is invested in the success of our students," Principal Judy Gurga said. "From our dedicated staff to our involved families and the students themselves, we are all focused on ensuring the success of our children. We are incredibly proud that we earned the National Blue Ribbon Schools 2014 honor, and are motivated to continue be the best that we can be."
The National Blue Ribbon School award honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools where students achieve at high levels or where the achievement gap is narrowing. In its 32-year history, just under 7,900 schools have received this coveted award.
Fairview was chosen as a school whose students are high performing as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Based on the 2014 Illinois Standards Achievement Test, 94.6 percent of Fairview students met or exceeded state standards in math and 86.4 percent met or exceeded state standards in reading. In addition, Fairview School is in the top 10% of schools nationally in student academic growth in math and reading as measured by Measures of Academic Progress (MAP).
Fairview Elementary School's mission is to provide instruction that meets the needs of all students. Staff members are dedicated to reflecting on assessment data to drive instruction and ensure student growth. They intentionally incorporate higher-level questions and student-engagement strategies to accelerate the growth of all learners.
"The Fairview community earned this award with their hard work and dedication to the success of every student," DuRoss said. "We are proud to add Fairview School to the list of District 54 Blue Ribbon honorees."
Seven other District 54 schools have previously received the Blue Ribbon Award. They are Mead Junior High School (1996), Collins Elementary School (1997), Armstrong Elementary School (1998),
Stevenson Elementary School (1999), Dooley Elementary School (2005), Link Elementary School (2007) and Frost Junior High School (2011).
Before selecting National Blue Ribbon Schools, the Department of Education asks for nominations from the top education official in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, the Department of Defense Education Activity and the Bureau of Indian Education. The schools are then invited by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to submit an application for possible recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School.
"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," Secretary Duncan said. "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."
Fairview is making plans for a whole school celebration of this achievement. For more information, contact Gurga at (847) 357-5700. A list of the 2014 National Blue Ribbon Schools is available at http://www.ed.gov/nationalblueribbonschools.