Out of 23 elementary campuses in Texas, Sundown Elementary was recently recognized as a Blue Ribbon Campus for 2023.
Sundown representatives, Superintendent Brent Evans, Sundown Elementary Principal Alan Berry, Sundown Elementary Teacher LaNita Avery and former Sundown Elementary Principal Jason Powell were recently treated to a trip to Washington D.C. They had the opportunity to be recognized for this prestigious award, along with all other Blue-Ribbon Schools, and had the opportunity to partake in some educational professional development as well as some sightseeing at the nation’s capital.
The U.S. Department of Education recognized 353 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2023. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups on assessments. These schools demonstrate what is possible to make an enduring, positive difference in students’ lives, according to a press release from Sundown ISD. The department will formally recognize the 313 public and 40 private schools at an awards ceremony on November 16 and 17, 2023 in Washington, DC. The 2023 cohort represent public and non-public elementary, middle, and high schools, including traditional, charter, magnet schools, parochial and independent schools in 46 States, the District of Colombia, and a Department of Defense Education Activity school in Italy.
The National Blue-Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. A National Blue-Ribbon School flag gracing a school’s entryway or on a flagpole is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning. National Blue Ribbon Schools are an inspiration and a model for schools still striving for excellence. With its 40th cohort of awardees, the National Blue-Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed more than 10,000 awards to over 9,700 schools, with some schools winning multiple awards.