School of St. Mary, Lake Forest is One of Only 38 Schools in the Country to be named a U. S. Secretary of Education National Blue Ribbon School for a Third Time

For 38 years, the U.S. Department of Education has affirmed the hard work of educators, families, and communities for creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content by conferring National Blue Ribbon awards. Only schools that demonstrate average standardized test performance in the top 15th percentile nationally may apply for this prestigious honor.

On Thursday, September 24, 2020, the U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, recognized 367 schools, 317 public and 50 private, as the National Blue Ribbon recipients for 2020. Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The School of St. Mary is honored to be one of the 50 private schools in the nation to receive this prestigious award. Even more remarkable, this is the 3rd time the School of St. Mary has earned this coveted designation; only 38 private schools in the country share this distinction. The Department of Education will officially confer the National Blue Ribbon at a virtual recognition ceremony on November 12th and 13th.

The School of St. Mary greatly appreciates the many dedicated stakeholders in the community who support and enable excellence in Catholic education. Generations of families, educators, clergy, and leaders contribute to this historic achievement.