Libertyville, Naperville North high schools among suburban Blue Ribbon winners
Schools in Naperville, Libertyville, Buffalo Grove and several other suburbs were among 349 announced Monday as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2018 by the U.S. Department of Education.
The designation recognizes schools for academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.
The Department of Education will formally recognize the 300 public and 49 private schools during an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 7 and 8.
Among the suburban award winners is Libertyville High School, which last year was ranked 12th among Illinois high schools by U.S. News & World Report and in the top 2 percent of all public high schools nationally. The school previously earned a Blue Ribbon designation in 1990.
"This recognition further validates Libertyville High School's place among the best high schools in the nation, and this is a very special moment for LHS, the Libertyville community, and District 128," District 128 Superintendent Prentiss Lea said in an announcement of the recognition.
Buffalo Grove-based Aptakisic-Tripp Elementary District 102 earned its third Blue Ribbon in three years, with Meridian School in Buffalo Grove receiving the designation this year. The district's Pritchett and Tripp elementary schools received Blue Ribbons in 2016.
Naperville North High School also received the Blue Ribbon honor.
"This recognition affirms the hard work of our educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content," Naperville Unit District 203 Superintendent Dan Bridges said in a news release.
Other suburban Blue Ribbon Schools include:
• Butterfield Elementary School, Lombard.
• Evergreen Elementary School, Carol Stream.
• St. Bede Elementary School, Ingleside.
• St. Francis de Sales School, Lake Zurich.
• Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School, Orland Hills.
• Hynes Elementary School, Morton Grove.
• George Washington Elementary School, Park Ridge.
• St. Francis Xavier School, Wilmette.
• Proviso Math And Science Academy, Forest Park.
• South Park Elementary School, Deerfield.
• Sacred Heart School, Winnetka.