St. Anne in Barrington earns Blue Ribbon award

U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King, Jr. announced that St. Anne Parish School has been named a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School. St. Anne is one among 279 public and only 50 private schools receiving this honor.

Schools are nominated for the award by the state department of education, and then complete a comprehensive application about school practices. Schools may apply for status as Exemplary High Performing - among the top schools in a state - or Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing - schools making the fastest progress in their state in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

St. Anne will be represented at a two-day awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., celebrating its hard-won achievements. School celebrations will take place with students and faculty and a formal awards ceremony will be held at St. Anne Parish School at a later date.

Dawn Kapka, principal, said, "Like any great accomplishment, many people are responsible for the glory. We are blessed at St. Anne to have fabulous, hardworking students and extremely skilled teachers who are incredibly dedicated to our students. We are blessed to have supportive parents invested in their child's education. We are blessed to have a devoted pastor, Father Bernie Pietrzak, who is committed to every facet of our school life as he allows me to make instructional decisions that are in the best interest of all … optimizing our success.

"There are so many people to thank for helping us get to this place. Today is just the start of our celebrations."

St. Anne Parish School is a vibrant, Catholic educational community nestled in the village of Barrington, which serves a wide range of students who live in 25 different postal ZIP codes. St. Anne's mission is to grow servant leaders from the inside out while maximizing the potential in every child.

Students learn to have a growth mindset by setting goals, tracking their progress and celebrating their achievements both in the classroom and in the larger community.

While the school celebrates its excellent test scores that continue to trend in the positive direction, the commitment to its St. Anne Cardinals extends well beyond tested subject areas. Service is the fabric of St. Anne's culture.

Children develop a sense of sharing and caring for all of God's people, both inside and outside of school. Teachers work in collaborative partnership with parents to nurture each child's unique gifts, strengthen their academic growth and faith formation, and prepare students to become conscious of, and responsive to, the diversity of God's creation.

The faculty devotes itself to increasing professional development in a variety of areas, including technology integration, best practices in differentiated instruction, data-driven decisions, and school safety. The school's familial spirit creates a welcoming environment where everyone is valued.

For information about St. Anne Parish School, contact the school office at (847) 381-0311 or visit www.stanneschoolbarrington.org. For information about the National Blue Ribbon Schools program, visit http://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov.