BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) — Two local schools have been named as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2023.

Western Reserve Elementary School in Berlin Center and Robinwood Lane Elementary School in Boardman made the list this year.

On Tuesday, staff and administration at Robinwood cheered on the students heading out to the buses. Excited students spent the day stamping blue handprints on posters.

This is the fourth time that the Blue Ribbon Award has been given to a Boardman school, though it’s the first time for Robinwood.

“We put a lot of focus on interventions with our students to show tremendous growth over the last couple of years,” said Robinwood Lane Elementary School Principal Billie Jo Johnson.

“Our kids have been working so hard the last couple of years since COVID. We have really tried as a staff,” said Candice Wright, a reading center teacher.

On November 16 and 17, 2023, the Education Secretary and the Department of Education will celebrate with school honorees at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. 

A school earns Blue Ribbon status through “exemplary achievement,” according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Blue Ribbon schools are recognized in one of two performance standards: (Source: U.S. Department of Education)

• 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. Nominated schools also complete an extensive narrative application describing their school culture and philosophy, curriculum, assessments, instructional practices, professional development, leadership structures, and parent and community involvement.  

Up to 420 schools are nominated by top education officials in each state. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education.  

Seventeen other schools in Ohio were also designated as Blue Ribbon schools and include:

• Akron – Saint Sebastian Parish School, Diocese of Cleveland. 
• Ashville – Walnut Elementary School, Teays Valley Local Schools.  
• Canal Fulton – Northwest Middle School, Northwest Local School District. 
• Chesterland – Robert C Lindsey Elementary School, West Geauga Local Schools. 
• Cincinnati – Saint Mary School, Archdiocese of Cincinnati. 
• Cincinnati – Walnut Hills High School, Cincinnati Public Schools. 
• Fort Recovery – Fort Recovery Middle School, Fort Recovery Local Schools. 
• Granville – Granville Middle School, Granville Exempted Village Schools. 
• Lakewood – Lakewood Catholic Academy, Diocese of Cleveland. 
• Loveland – Saint Margaret of York Elementary School, Archdiocese of Cincinnati. 
• Mount Vernon – East Elementary School, Mount Vernon City. 
• Parma Heights – Incarnate Word Academy, Diocese of Cleveland. 
• Rocky River – Kensington Intermediate School, Rocky River City School District. 
• Solon – Orchard Middle School, Solon City Schools. 
• Sugarcreek – Ragersville Elementary School, Garaway Local Schools. 
• Uniontown – Lake Middle/High School, Lake Local School District. 
• Westlake – Saint Bernadette Elementary School, Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.