D-181 School Gets Blue Ribbon Honors

Press release from COMMUNITY CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT 181:

Sept. 26, 2020

District 181 is pleased to announce that Elm School was recognized today by the U.S. Department of Education as a 2020 National Blue Ribbon School. This is the highest award given by the U.S. Department of Education.

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. Elm was nominated as an Exemplary High Performing School, meaning it is among the state's highest performing schools and also has very high performance in smaller subgroups of students.

"Elm is a family — there is a genuine warmth, sincerity, and love amongst students, parents, staff, and community members,” Principal Sara Olson said. “When you enter the school, there is always someone there to greet you with a smile or helping hand. I am so proud of the dedication of our staff and students who led us to receive this great honor and feel privileged to serve as Elm’s principal.”

Superintendent Dr. Hector Garcia said he was thrilled by Elm’s well-deserved recognition.

“The learning environment at Elm provides students with a premier educational experience,” he said. “The entire Elm community is deeply engaged and committed to the success of our students. This award is a testament to that dedication.”

In a newer process, the state selects Blue Ribbon Schools and does not seek applications for the honor. Instead, the U.S. Department of Education requests nominations from the top education official in every state. Elm joins other National Blue Ribbon Schools in District 181 – Clarendon Hills Middle School, Hinsdale Middle School, Monroe, Madison, Oak, and The Lane schools.

The announcement was made on the U.S. Department of Education website today. Typically, a recognition ceremony would be held in Washington, D.C. but due to COVID-19 restrictions the ceremony will be held virtually Nov. 12 and 13.

Elm will host a Blue Ribbon celebration week in mid-October with theme days, a garden dedication and more. The school will be honored by the D181 Board of Education at its November meeting. Congratulations Elm students, staff and families!

Elm serves 288 students in grades K-5 and has a rich history spanning more than 50 years in the community. In collaboration with parents, its PTO, and community involvement, Elm develops strong character in students with a focus on integrity, compassion, and respect. Diversity is celebrated. Elm is a place where families come together to support educational programs, extracurriculars, and the community.

Technology is used to enhance, not replace, the curriculum, and Elm has managed this balance artfully. Students engage with technology through 1:1 deployment (grades 3-5) and access to iPads (grades K-2). The Elm Innovation Lab contains programs and tools that allow students to explore areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) with engaging projects and open makerspace times. Mobile components allow students access to these concepts directly in the classroom and engage in cross-curricular instruction to build their expertise, tinker, and create across settings.

With a teacher retention rate of 89%, Elm has the unique ability to continually evaluate and hone high-quality instructional practices. Teachers use embedded collaboration to continually monitor student performance. Teachers do not stop at teaching their students; they are committed to learning and growing themselves. Professional development is integral to grade-level co-planning and staff meetings. It is a sense of pride to be able to share instructional practices, knowledge, and successes among colleagues. With that, a sense of trust is built to allow teachers and students to find strength in vulnerability and truly understand that Elm is a progressive space to grow and learn.

This press release was produced by COMMUNITY CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT 181. The views expressed here are the author's own.