Superintendent, Daphne Ross and elementary principal, Karen Snyder receive a Blue Ribbon award from Senator Eugene Yaw on Friday, October 16 through the Department of Education.

A special assembly made several elementary children feel quite proud as their superintendent, Daphne Ross, and principal, Karen Snyder, gave them a round of applause for receiving the Blue Ribbon School Award.

This is quite an honor boys and girls, said Ross. Montgomery Elementary School is one of 13 public and private schools in Pennsylvania to receive this award for excellence in education. The award is designated by the United States Department of Education recognizing Montgomery School for its improvements in student achievement.

The Blue Ribbon Schools program honors public and private schools that are academically superior or have shown dramatic improvement in student achievement to high levels, especially among disadvantaged students according to education secretary, Arne Duncan.

All students were wearing blue ribbons as they proceeded into the auditorium Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. The stage was decorated with colorful balloons and the teachers and administrators and all staff and school board members were wearing red shirts with the Blue Ribbon logo to commemorate the special award.

Representative Garth Everett and Senator Eugene Yaw were also present donned in the red shirts to hand out awards and congratulate the elementary classes in a round of well deserved applause.

Ross told the students that their school is a special place where every one of them is valued at all times. “We truly have a special community,” she said. “And Montgomery Elementary teachers…you have done a remarkable job,” she added.

“Be proud to be a student at Montgomery Elementary,” said Karen Snyder, principal as she acknowledged her staff for their outstanding instruction.

“We will keep doing whatever it takes,” said the administrators.

The Blue Ribbon Schools will be honored on November 3 in Washington DC at a special awards ceremony at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private schools based on one of two criteria: 1) Schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests; and 2) Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that demonstrate dramatic improvement of student performance to high levels on state tests or nationally-normed tests.