Welcome to Update:Hawaii

Frito-Lay of Hawaii and Hawaii State Department of Education Name Three Hawaii Blue Ribbon Schools For 2013

Nuuanu Elementary School, Blanche Pope Elementary School in Waimanalo and Waikiki Elementary School were named Hawaii’s Blue Ribbon Schools today by Frito-Lay of Hawaii and the Hawaii State Department of Education at the Hawaii Distinguished Schools awards event held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom. The three schools were chosen based on their outstanding student achievements and are Hawaii’s nominees to the 2013 national No Child Left Behind – Blue Ribbon Schools Program. These selected schools will be considered for the coveted National Blue Ribbon designation along with other schools from across the country.

Frito-Lay of Hawaii, sponsor of the Hawaii Distinguished Schools Program, awarded $3,000 to each of these three elementary schools for their outstanding achievements this past school year.

The event featured three parts:

  1. Honoring last year’s three Hawaii Blue Ribbon Award recipients and earners of the 2012 National Blue Ribbon School designation in the National No Child Left Behind – Blue Ribbon Schools program;
  2. Honoring the 10 schools chosen as 2013 Hawaii Distinguished Schools; and,
  3. Announcing the three schools selected to receive the Hawaii Blue Ribbon Award and nominated to represent the state in the 2013 National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

The Hawaii Distinguished Schools Program honors elementary and secondary schools that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap, or whose students achieve at the highest levels. This year, 10 elementary schools were selected as Hawaii Distinguished Schools, they are:

  • Blanche Pope Elementary, Waimanalo, Oahu
  • E.B. de Silva Elementary, Hilo, Hawaii County
  • Keolu Elementary, Kailua, Oahu
  • Koloa Elementary, Koloa, Kauai
  • Manoa Elementary, Manoa, Oahu
  • Mililani Mauka Elementary, Mililani, Oahu
  • Noelani Elementary, Manoa, Oahu
  • Nuuanu Elementary, Nuuanu, Oahu
  • Voyager Public Charter School, Honolulu, Oahu
  • Waikiki Elementary, Waikiki, Oahu

Nuuanu Elementary School, Blanche Pope Elementary School in Waimanalo and Waikiki Elementary School schools were selected from this group to be Hawaii’s nominees to the No Child Left Behind – 2013 National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. These schools have shown dramatic improvement in test scores or are achieving in the top 10 percent of schools in the state in both reading and mathematics. At least one-third of the schools must have 40 percent or more of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Last year’s 2012 recipients, Enchanted Lake Elementary, Heeia Elementary and Hokulani Elementary schools, were also recognized and presented with $1,000 in addition to the $3,000 each received upon selection as Hawaii’s representatives to the No Child Left Behind – Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

Since 1988, 62 Hawaii public schools have been nominated to the national level of the Blue Ribbon Schools Program, with 46 receiving National Blue Ribbon School honors.

Frito-Lay of Hawaii established the Hawaii’s Outstanding Public Schools Program in 1985, which evolved into the Hawaii Blue Ribbon Schools Program in 1988. It was renamed the Hawaii Distinguished Schools Program in 2003. The Hawaii Distinguished Schools Program is evaluated by a panel of judges on criteria based on academic accountability targets and acceptable growth in reading and mathematics as required by the No Child Left Behind Act.

For more on the National Blue Ribbon Schools program, visit www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/index.html.

 

Share

Leave a Response