Norwalk School Among National Blue Ribbon Honorees, Governor Says

NORWALK, CT — Tracey Magnet School in Norwalk has been recognized as one of four Connecticut public schools to receive National Blue Ribbon designation for 2019 from the United States Department of Education, according to Gov. Ned Lamont.

The annual award is given to select schools across the nation that demonstrate overall high achievement or success in closing achievement gaps. The other Connecticut public schools to receive the award are North Mianus Elementary School in Greenwich; Guilford High School in Guilford; and John Barry Elementary School in Meriden.

"The success we are seeing at these schools must be credited to the exemplary teachers who are preparing our students for achievements throughout their careers," said Lamont in a statement. "The ability to attract businesses and encourage them to expand and grow in our state is directly connected to the strength of our workforce and the quality training they receive, which is why it is critical that we provide the youngest in our communities with the tools needed to compete in today’s 21st century economy. Our administration remains committed to strengthening all of the schools in our state so that every child – no matter their neighborhood or family income level – has an opportunity to receive an education that prepares them for achievement."

Added state Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, "Congratulations to our Blue Ribbon Schools. Everyone who played a role in this accomplishment deserves to be celebrated – students, parents, educators, and community partners. This is a prestigious honor and serves as further evidence that collectively focusing on student achievement, a strong core curriculum, and a high-quality learning environment creates opportunities for all children to thrive and succeed regardless of zip code."

From Lamont's announcement:

Tracey Magnet School serves 415 students in Grades K-5. Approximately 70 percent of the students are from economically-disadvantaged families and 28.9 percent of the students are English learners. The Tracey community has established a set of core values that places a priority on "ethical and performance" values. They refer to these with a memorable acronym—PRINT, which represents problem solving, respect, integrity, neighborly, and take responsibility. The PRINT pledge is a set of high expectations for all students and teachers. These high expectations exist within a caring and supportive environment that acknowledges everyone occasionally makes a bad choice, but there is always the opportunity to make better choices in the future. Tracey Magnet School is an Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School based on their strong 2017-18 growth in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics for all students and students with high needs (English learners, students with disabilities, and students with economically-disadvantaged families).

The Connecticut State Department of Education uses data from the Next Generation Accountability System to nominate schools for the award. Nominated schools must complete an application process and be approved by the U.S. Department of Education. All selected schools in Connecticut were Schools of Distinction in 2017-18. National Blue Ribbon Schools are identified in two categories, Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing and Exemplary High Performing.

For more information about the program, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbon Schools Program website.

Below is the text of the press release from Norwalk Public Schools about the achievement:

Norwalk, Conn. (September 26, 2019) – Tracey Magnet School was named a National Blue Ribbon School in the Exemplary Achievement Gap category by the United States Department of Education today. The Blue Ribbon designation distinguishes Tracey as one of the state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students. Tracey is one of only 362 schools across the nation named as a National Blue Ribbon School for 2019.

“At Tracey Magnet School, our team of dedicated educators and staff have made it a priority to ensure that our students are engaged and passionate about learning and building good character,” said Tracey Magnet School Principal Theresa Rangel. “It is an honor to have our achievements recognized on a national level, and we are further inspired to continue to prepare our students for a successful future.”

The coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content.

Now in its 37th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed recognition on more than 9,000 schools. In November, the Department of Education will celebrate with 312 public and 50 non-public school honorees at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Tracey was one of only 14 in Connecticut to earn the “Distinction” moniker last year for both high performance and high growth in ELA and Math, for all students and for high needs students as a separate category. The school’s character education program has significantly enhanced the climate of the school, and supported academic growth and achievement.

Each day, more than 400 K-5 students at Tracey are challenged to leave their “PRINT” on the world by living the core values embedded in the Tracey pledge: Problem solving, Respect, Integrity, Being Neighborly and Taking Responsibility.

Character.org, a national advocate and leader for character in communities including schools, families, workplaces, and sports, recently designated Tracey Elementary School as a National School of Character. Tracey is the only school in the state of Connecticut to earn this title, joining 87 schools and 3 districts in 24 states across the country.