Superintendent Denise Juneau Applauds 3 Montana Schools Recognized As National Blue Ribbon Schools

The U.S. Department of Education is honoring three Montana schools for their exemplary academic achievement and for work being done to close the achievement gap among groups of students.

Margaret Leary Elementary School in Butte, Eureka Middle School, and Hellgate Elementary Intermediate School (grades 3-5) in Missoula are Montana’s 2015 National Blue Ribbon Schools award winners.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau nominated the three schools back in February. The schools then participated in a rigorous application process with the U.S. Department of Education.

"I’m so proud of the work these teachers, school leaders and students put in each and every day to raise the bar for public schools in Montana," Superintendent Juneau said. "Montana’s Blue Ribbon Schools are models on how to provide a quality education for all children."

Since 1982, the National Blue Ribbon Schools program has been recognizing schools with high academic achievement and schools that are making significant progress in closing the achievement gap among subgroups of students. Since 2010, 15 Montana schools have been named Blue Ribbon Schools.

"This honor recognizes your students’ accomplishments and the hard work and dedication that went into their success," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a video to the awardees. "Your journey has taught you collaboration, intentional instruction, and strong relationships in school and with your community. You represent excellence–in vision, in implementation, and in results–and we want to learn as much as we can from you."

Montana’s 2015 Blue Ribbon Schools will be among 285 public schools honored Nov. 9-10 in Washington, D.C.

More information about Montana’s 2015 Blue Ribbon Schools:

Margaret Leary Elementary, Butte
School Contact: Brett Huntsman, 406.533.2550

Margaret Leary School was nominated in the Exemplary High Performing Schools category. "High performing" means: (a) that the school is in the top 15 percent in the 2012-2013 tested year based on student performance in both reading (English language arts) and mathematics; (b) performance of each subgroup in the school is in the top 40 percent of all schools in the state for that student group in the 2012-2013 tested year in both reading (English language arts) and mathematics; and (c) the school meets Montana’s regular accreditation status for two consecutive years (2012-2013 and 2013-2014).

Eureka Middle School, Eureka
School Contact: Trevor Utter, 406.297.5600

Eureka Middle School was nominated in the Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School category. "Closing the Achievement Gap" means: (a) that the school is in the top 15 percent of all Montana schools that demonstrate progress toward closing the achievement gap in reading and math; (b) the performance of each student group in these schools in the 2012-2013 tested year in both reading and mathematics is in the top 40 percent of all schools in the state for that student group; and (c) the school meets Montana’s regular accreditation status for two consecutive years (2012-2013 and 2013-2014).

Hellgate Elementary Intermediate School, Missoula
School Contact: Nancy Singleton, 406.549.6109

Hellgate was nominated in the Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School category. "Closing the Achievement Gap" means: (a) that the school is in the top 15 percent of all Montana schools that demonstrate progress toward closing the achievement gap in reading and math; (b) the performance of each student group in these schools in the 2012-2013 tested year in both reading and mathematics is in the top 40 percent of all schools in the state for that student group; and (c) the school meets Montana’s regular accreditation status for two consecutive years (2012-2013 and 2013-2014).