Elementary News

Southern Elementary Named Blue Ribbon School

by Carol Braun

September 09, 2008

At noon today, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings named Southern Elementary School as one of 320 national No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools. The No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools award distinguishes and honors schools for helping students achieve at very high levels and for making significant progress in closing the achievement gap. This year four public schools and two private schools from Nebraska were nominated by the State Commissioner of Education for this national recognition.

"These Blue Ribbon Schools are an example of what teachers and students can achieve," Spellings said. "Now our challenge is to help other schools follow their lead by continuing to measure progress through No Child Left Behind, and by using the knowledge we've gained to replicate effective strategies and help every student improve."

The No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either academically superior or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement to high levels. The schools are selected based on dramatically improve student performance on state tests and nationally-normed tests.

A total of 413 schools nationwide were nominated this year. This number is determined based on the number of K-12 students and the number of schools in each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Mr. Jerry Rempe, Southern’s Elementary Principal, and Mrs. Deneille Trauernicht have been requested by the U.S. Department of Education to attend the national awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on October 20-21. Besides Southern Elementary, Lincoln Elementary (Hastings), Lincoln Heights Elementary (Scottsbluff) and Franklin Elementary (Franklin), St. Stephen the Martyr Elementary and St. Margaret Mary Elementary (Omaha) are also being honored along with over 300 other honorees from across the United States.

Southern superintendent Dr. Michael Shimeall stated that “Being honored as a national ‘Blue Ribbon School of Excellence’ places Southern Elementary School and its students, staff and parents,as among the elite is achievement for all schools in the United States and territories.” “Only less than one percent of our nation’s schools have been considered for this honor. This truely is a remarkable achievement for our districts,” added Shimeall.