Harford County’s North Harford Elementary School was today announced as a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King, Jr. North Harford Elementary is one of 329 public and private schools in the nation to receive this prestigious distinction based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.
“Achieving the coveted National Blue Ribbon Award affirms what we already know to be true about the North Harford Elementary community,” said Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) Superintendent Barbara P. Canavan. “Students, staff and families are committed to ensuring that all students reach their highest academic potential. They represent excellence in public education. I am confident that they will continue to serve as an outstanding model not only to schools in our state, but across the nation.”
Rigorous curriculum, staff collaboration, and a supportive community are the building blocks that help provide opportunities for all North Harford Elementary students to achieve at high levels. The vision of the North Harford community is “SOARing on the wings of success with Safety, Ownership, Achievement, and Respect for all.”
Through their hard work and dedication to becoming contributing citizens, students have earned the Green School designation for North Harford Elementary. Utilizing STEM skills taught in the classroom, students regularly harvest a variety of crops from school-based gardens to be served in our cafeteria. Additionally, students and staff have established a Monarch Way Station and annually tag butterflies and monitor their habitat and progress. The North Harford Elementary Parent Teacher Association (PTA) supports student learning outside of the classrooms and covers all costs for field trips and cultural events, thus extending student learning and broadening their perspective of the world.
“We are thrilled at having been named a National Blue Ribbon School,” said North Harford Elementary School Principal Lisa B. Sundquist. “It is a credit to the hard work that the students, families, teachers and staff, and community put in so that each child can achieve. This award is an amazing acknowledgement of everyone’s dedication and tireless efforts. We could not be more proud of our students and the entire community and are thankful for their support.”
North Harford Elementary will be honored at a ceremony Nov. 7-8 in Washington, D.C. In addition to the ceremony in Washington, D.C., where each school receives a plaque and flag signifying their “National Blue Ribbon” status, these schools will serve as models for other schools throughout the nation. The award plaque affirms the hard work of students, educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. The award flag gracing a school’s building is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.
Other HCPS Blue Ribbon Schools include Fountain Green Elementary – Maryland and National –
2015; Ring Factory Elementary – Maryland and National – 2012; Hickory Elementary – Maryland
and National – 2008; Bel Air Middle – Maryland and National – 2000; Joppatowne High – Maryland
– 2000; North Harford Middle – Maryland and National – 1996; Jarrettsville Elementary – Maryland
– 1992; and Havre de Grace High – Maryland and National – 1990.
Photographs and brief descriptions of the 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools are available at
http://www.ed.gov/nationalblueribbonschools.
