Carmel Catholic earns its fifth Blue Ribbon award

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recently recognized 325 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2021.

Included in that honor - for the fifth time - is Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, making it just one of six high schools in the nation to have received five National Blue Ribbons. Carmel's previous awards came in 2007, 2002, 1996 and 1985.

"The coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of educators, families and the entire Carmel Catholic community in creating a safe and welcoming school where students master challenging and engaging content," Carmel Catholic President Brad Bonham said.

The recognition is based on a school's overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. For Carmel Catholic, awarded in the "Exemplary High-Performing Schools" category, this fifth award also recognized the school's success with following COVID protocols and its ability to safely manage the 2020-21 semester year with a near 100 percent full in-school student body.

"This year's cohort of honorees demonstrates what is possible when committed educators and school leaders create vibrant, welcoming, and affirming school cultures where rich teaching and learning can flourish," Cardona said.

"I commend Carmel and all our Blue Ribbon honorees for working to keep students healthy and safe while meeting their academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs. In the face of unprecedented circumstances, you found creative ways to engage, care for, protect, and teach our children."

Now in its 39th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools.

The department recognizes all schools in one of two performance categories based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:

• Exemplary High-Performing Schools are among their state's highest performing schools, as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.

• Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools are among their state's highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school's student groups and all students.

"The word family is often used to describe the Carmel community," said Carmel Catholic Principal Jason Huther.

"With a number of alumni who are currently parents and remain involved in school operations through various roles, the school's sense of community goes a bit deeper as generations of families have called Carmel their home away from home."

"Additionally, our students come from over 100 different elementary schools and four different counties, thus, community strength serves as a leaven for all of Carmel's efforts - be they academic, spiritual, or extracurricular," Huther said.

Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The Department invites National Blue Ribbon Schools nominations from the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education.