PELLSTON — Pellston Elementary School was named a National Blue Ribbon School, the district announced on Monday, Sept. 23.
Pellston Elementary School was one of 12 schools in Michigan awarded the prestigious honor. A total of 356 schools were recognized throughout the United States.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, National Blue Ribbon School recognition is based on the “overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups on assessments.” Pellston Elementary School was one of 57 schools nationwide to be recognized in the “Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools” category.
A part of the category is based on closing performance gaps between different subgroups of the student population.
This could include gaps between economically disadvantaged students versus not economically disadvantaged students, which make up 65.2% and 34.8% of the Pellston student body, respectively, according to MI School Data.
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Superintendent Stephen Seelye said the award was granted to Pellston Elementary School based on test scores from the 2022-23 academic year. The school was nominated by the state, and then the application process included essay writing and document submissions to win the award.
“Our tenants that drive our school are three simple rules: To love kids, work hard and be positive, and that rubs off on students,” Seelye told the News-Review.
He added that these tenants make students want to be at school, and he has heard from parents that their kids don’t want snow days or summer vacations because they’d rather be in class.
“When you have kids that want to be at school and want to learn, you’ve already conquered 80% of the battle,” Seelye said. “Kids are kids, and getting them to be engaged and be intentional learners can be difficult, but building a loving, trusting relationship brings the best out in them.”
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The school was selected based on their M-STEP scores in English/Language Arts and math for grades 3-5.
In a letter sent to the Pellston Public Schools community, Seelye said the award “is a testament to the exemplary teaching and learning that takes place at our school and is the highest honor a school can achieve.”
“We are incredibly proud of our students and educators and deeply appreciative of the support and partnership from our parents, families and the community,” he wrote. “Pellston Elementary School is one of only (12) schools in Michigan to receive this distinguished honor, and we are truly honored to be among them.”
In November, a team from the school will visit Washington, D.C. to receive the award from U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
“The National Blue Ribbon Schools Award is a testament to the exceptional achievements of students and educators at each of these schools,” Cardona said in a press release. “The 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools are raising the bar for our nation’s students, serving as models for effective teaching and intentional collaboration in their schools and communities. As we celebrate their achievements, let us look to these schools for inspiration as we champion education as the foundation of a brighter future for every child.”
Seelye said the award feels special because of the high level of academic success schools need in order to be considered for the award.
“They don’t just give out the awards to give out the awards,” he said. “There’s a very high level of criteria of academic success that a school has to achieve to be able to win the award. There’s lots of awards that are left on the table every year, so this is definitely a hard and earned award.”
— Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Pellston Elementary School named 2024 National Blue Ribbon School
