2 Nashua Schools Earn National Blue Ribbon Status

NASHUA, NH — Two Nashua schools were among the latest National Blue Ribbon award winners announced by U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos last week. The Academy for Science and Design and Nashua Catholic Regional Junior High School earned the prestigious designation, which annually recognizes schools for academic excellence and closing achievement gaps. This year, 342 schools were honored, including four from New Hampshire. The other Granite State recipients were Riddle Brook School in Bedford and Belmont Middle School in Belmont.

"National Blue Ribbon Schools are active demonstrations of preparing every child for a bright future," said in a statement. "You are visionaries, innovators and leaders. You have much to teach us: some of you personalize student learning, others engage parents and communities in the work and life of your local schools and still others develop strong and forward-thinking leaders from among your teaching staff." (Sign up for free daily newsletters and breaking news alerts from Nashua Patch.)

The Academy for Science and Design is a charter high school with 525 students. Nashua Catholic Regional Junior High School is a middle school with 159 students.

The schools will be formally honored during a ceremony in Washington, DC, November 6-7. The 342 Blue Ribbon honorees "represent public and non-public elementary, middle and high schools, including traditional, charter, magnet schools, parochial and independent schools in 44 States, the District of Colombia and Department of Defense Education Activity schools in Okinawa, Japan, Stuttgart, Germany, and West Point, New York," according to education officials. The National Blue Ribbon program is in its 35th year.

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