Wayne Elementary School Named National Blue Ribbon School

WAYNE, NJ — A township elementary school was named a 2018 National Blue Ribbon School, the district announced Monday.

James Fallon Elementary School Principal Ethan Maayan thanked the school's staff and greater community and district administrators upon learning that the school received the prestigious honor.

"We are all a team and we work together; our commitment and efforts really paid off," Maayan said. "This recognition is the result of the collective efforts of our dedicated staff, students, and parent community."

Maayan said it it the school's goal is to "maximize individual student outcomes" and "achieve the most positive school environment.

"We are very excited to receive this award because it means that our students are thriving in our school with the support of our Fallon families," Maayan said. "We have so much to be proud of."

Now in its 36th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed recognition on more than 8,800 schools. The U.S. Department of Education will celebrate with 300 public and 49 private school honorees at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. in November.

All schools are honored in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:

• Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state's highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.
• Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state's highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school's student groups and all students over the past five years.

Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The Department invites National Blue Ribbon School nominations from the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Department of Defense Education Activity and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by The Council for American Private Education (CAPE).

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Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com