Two Archdiocesan Schools Receive National Honor

By ERIKA ANDERSON, Staff Writer

Published: September 25, 2003

ATLANTA—Two archdiocesan Catholic schools have been named No Child Left Behind—Blue Ribbon Schools.

On Sept. 16, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige announced the names of the schools, which included St. Joseph’s School in Marietta and St. Jude the Apostle School in Atlanta.

The archdiocesan schools are two of 47 private schools in the nation to receive the award. Nine schools in Georgia received the award.

Secretary Paige established the No Child Left Behind—Blue Ribbon Schools program to honor those elementary and secondary schools in the United States that meet either of two required assessment criteria. The program recognizes schools that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap for students or schools whose students achieve at very high levels.

The program recognizes schools that, regardless of the background of the students in the school, are in the top 10 percent of schools in the nation as measured by standardized national assessments in both reading and math.

Both St. Joseph’s and St. Jude’s were recognized for having student bodies that consistently score in the top 10 percent in both reading and math.

Both school communities are thrilled with the honor.

At St. Joseph’s, breakfast was served to the faculty and staff in the teachers’ lounge, which was decorated with balloons and student drawings. All students received blue ribbon stickers, and all faculty. members received blue ribbons to wear. At the conclusion of the weekly Mass, the faculty was recognized, and each person was presented a blue carnation by the Home and School Association.

To further congratulate the school community, the St. Joseph Church pastor, Father Paul Berny, gave the students a day off from school, to be taken at a later date.

Principal Charles A. Kraft said that the award is a confirmation.

“Here at St. Joseph’s, we combine high academic standards within a Catholic environment that fosters the current and future development of the whole child. It is our mission,” he said. “Building a strong foundation in academics is important and character building critical. Receiving this award confirms that we at St. Joseph Catholic School have created that strong academic environment.”

At St. Jude School, a sign outside the school congratulated the community on its achievement, and blue balloons provided a further festive environment.

Patty Childs, principal, sent a letter home to parents announcing the award and thanking them for their support.

“I am very proud of our students, faculty and staff, and our parents,” she wrote. “No one individual could have achieved this honor alone. The combined efforts of every volunteer hour, every homework assignment, every parent/teacher conference made this a possibility for our school. Job well done!”

Both principals will travel to Washington, D.C., to accept the award in a ceremony to be held Oct. 30.