Blue Ribbon Award

In a process that began last year, two Acadia Parish schools have earned an amazing honor.
Tuesday, that honor culminated as six Louisiana schools earned National Blue Ribbon recognition from the United States Department of Education, including those two Acadia Parish public schools – South Crowley Elementary and Martin Petitjean Elementary (Rayne).
All schools recognized will be honored Nov. 9 and 10 during an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., where each will receive an engraved plaque and flag signifying its status as a 2015 Blue Ribbon School.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Acadia Parish Superintendent John Bourque. “It’s attributed to the community, the students, the staff and the leadership of these schools.”
The schools were made aware of their nominations last year, but Bourque said when the recognitions were made “official” Tuesday, the news was met excitedly within the parish and the schools.
“It’s a blessing,” he said.
For South Crowley Elementary Principal Irma Trosclair, the email Tuesday was a proud moment — one she vowed she would share with the students, especially after she returns from Washington, D.C., in November.
“We’re going to have the biggest Blue Ribbon celebration,” she told the students at an announcement assembly Tuesday afternoon, an announcement that was also met with thunderous applause and cheers.
Trosclair was also reflective following the assembly.
“It’s just so great for our community,” she said. “It just goes to show that regardless of where children come, what background, they can learn at high levels.”
At Martin Petitjean Elementary in Rayne, Principal Kim Cummins attributed the school’s success largely to its staff.
“They believe in these kids, they believe that they can achieve,” she said. “As a result of that incredible belief and pushing these children to be the bes that they can be, they have achieved.
“What (this award) recognizes is that our teachers have managed to work with our kids to get them to the highest level possible despite any circumstances they might face outside of the school setting.” Cummins added.
The Blue Ribbon Schools program honors schools that are either high-performing or have closed achievement gaps, especially among minority or disadvantaged students.
Nominated schools submit applications to the USDOE for the award.
“We want to congratulate these schools and districts for earning this distinguished honor, proving again our students are as smart and capable as any in America,” said State Superintendent John White. “The outstanding efforts of the students, faculty, and administration at these schools demonstrate the high level of academic achievement that can be accomplished with hard work, determination, and a shared desire to succeed.”
Schools are recognized in one of two performance categories:
• Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among the state’s highest-performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s subgroups and all students over the past five years.
• Exemplary High Performing Schools are among the state’s highest-performing schools as measured by state assessments. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates are also at the highest levels.
For 2015, the USDOE selected the six schools from Louisiana that fit into one of those two categories. Martin Petitjean and South Crowley were both selected under the Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools category.
Martin Petitjean Elementary was recognized as a school that is empowering its students to success. Coming from predominately low-income homes, students in first, second and third grades at Martin Petitjean Elementary School are empowered through the Leader in Me program, and as a result, excel. The students maintain Leadership Notebooks for personal data tracking and goal setting.
For South Crowley Elementary, students are achieving despite coming from “at-risk” situations.
South Crowley Elementary School faces a poverty level 113.2 percent greater than the national average. Despite this challenge, students continue to flourish academically and socially through a learning environment centered on mutual respect for students, staff and parents.
Trosclair was also a part of another Blue Ribbon school in years past in Eunice, but this one she said, felt different as the one for South Crowley Elementary earned the recognition for closing the gap in education.