Menlo Park School Wins National Honor

The U.S. Department of Education Tuesday recognized 10 Bay Area schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2014, including La Entrada Middle School in Menlo Park,

The honor is bestowed annually on schools that are either “exemplary high performing schools” based on students test scores and high school graduation rates or on schools that have made significant progress closing achievement gaps between demographic groups over the past five years.

“These great schools are fulfilling the promise of American education - that all students, no matter their name or zip code, can flourish when schools provide safe, creative and challenging learning environments,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in a statement.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools in the Bay Area are Ardis G. Egan Junior High School in Los Altos, Bullis Purissima Charter School in Los Altos, Calistoga Elementary School in Calistoga, Clarendon Alternative Elementary School in San Francisco, Georgina P. Blach Junior High School in Los Altos, La Entrada Middle School in Menlo Park, Mission San Jose Elementary School in Fremont, Nelson S. Dilworth Elementary School in San Jose, Kipp Summit Academy in San Lorenzo and Windemere Ranch Middle School in San Ramon.

Overall, 24 schools in California and 337 schools nationwide were designated as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2014, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Each state is invited annually to nominate schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools, according to the U.S. Department of Education. In 32 years, nearly 7,900 U.S. schools have been recognized.

--Bay City News