Braeside Elementary School Wins 2021 National Blue Ribbon Award

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — For the first time in its history, on Tuesday, Braeside Elementary School was honored by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School.

Braeside is the second school in two years in North Shore School District 112 to be recognized with the prestigious designation, which is now in its 39th year.

The 269-student school in southeast Highland Park was one of 18 winners in Illinois and 325 nationwide this year.

The Education Department recognizes winners in two categories — exemplary high performing schools and exemplary achievement gap closing schools.

Last year, Indian Trial Elementary School was named an exemplary achievement gap closing school, becoming the first District 112 school to receive the designation since the district was formed in 1993. This year, Braeside was honored as an exemplary high performing school.

Superintendent Mike Lubelfeld told Patch he was humbled to see the hard work of teachers, staff, parents and students recognized by federal education officials for the second year in a row.

"Earning back-to-back Blue Ribbon Awards helps to affirm the diligence and resolute focus on educational excellence in District 112," Lubelfeld said in an email. "With Indian Trail last year, and Braeside this year, Highland Park and Highwood have so much to celebrate. Especially under the cloud of COVID and all of the challenges, to be honored and affirmed is humbling and proud."

Jamie Kahn, who succeeded Joseph Hailpern as principal of Braeside this summer, said the award belongs to the entire school community.

"Braeside is more than just a school, it is truly a community gathering place and we are so proud that Braeside is such a strong part of our community," Kahn said Tuesday in a video message. "It is those partnerships that help make Braeside such a safe, nurturing and welcoming place for our students to learn and grow, for our teachers to come to work and it is an award for us to all to be proud to celebrate together this great accomplishment that Braeside has received today."

Hailpern told Patch it brought him great pride to see his former school recognized by the Education Department.

"Blue Ribbon status is something earned over time by an entire community. The staff I was privileged to work with and lead for nearly a decade are a remarkable group of talented, hard working, and resilient educators," Hailpern said in an email. "They deserve this alongside the parents and students who call the Braeside community home. We achieved this recognition by centering the student experience, rather than testing. By working toward areas that bind us rather than those that drive us apart. Congratulations to the entire school community. It is recognition well deserved."

This year’s nominees “illustrate what is possible” during tough times, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a release.

"I commend this school and all our Blue Ribbon honorees for working to keep students healthy and safe while meeting their academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs,” Cardona said in the release. “In the face of unprecedented circumstances, you found creative ways to engage, care for, protect, and teach our children.”

Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year, according to the Department of Education. Nominees are selected by top education officials in states and territories, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Schools are also selected based on student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates.

In their application for the award, school officials recounted how the district opened the 2020-21 school year with nearly eight weeks of in-person instruction before shifting to 100 percent remote learning in mid-October last year. In February, the district moved back to hybrid learning, and on April 6 held the first full day of in-person school.

"Our teachers are thriving in spite of the pandemic and the professional challenges they have faced. Our students are proving to be as resilient as ever showing their adaptability that we always knew was there," the application said. "More than anything, this year and these instructional models highlighted the importance of a strong home school partnership and we are forever grateful to our parents who were amazing partners for much of the school year."

Related: Indian Trail Named National Blue Ribbon School

Braeside was the only District 112 school invited to apply this year based upon the criteria used by state and federal governments. Schools that win the recognition cannot apply again for the next five years.

Local Blue Ribbon winners prior to the merger of Districts 107, 108 and 11 include Elm Place in 1983, Ravinia in 1986, Lincoln, Oak Terrace and Indian Trail in 1988 and Edgewood in 1989.

Braeside, 150 Pierce Road, was built in 1929 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Lubelfeld said he was grateful for the recognition that Braeside and Indian Trial have received and proud of the work underway at all 10 of the district's schools.

"We are proud of the recent efforts towards a guaranteed and viable curriculum and program of studies across our 10 campuses. We are proud to transform what success looks like in each and every classroom each and every day," Lubelfeld said.

"Our 'Big 3' since 2019 have been closing academic opportunity/achievement gaps, facilities upgrades and modernization and the Portrait of a Graduate," he told Patch. "Winning high performing for Braeside is exceptional. Winning for Indian Trail in gap closing is exceptional. We aim to have high and sustaining impact with a legacy of excellence for each child in each school."

A celebration is planned for Nov. 8 at Braeside.