School gets ‘Blue Ribbon’ designation

Staff report

Berlin center

Western Reserve High School has been selected as a National Blue Ribbon School.

Thirteen public schools along with four private schools in Ohio were added to the U.S. Department of Education’s list of schools.

“We want to congratulate Western Reserve High School for achieving an outstanding accomplishment and praise them for helping students reach their potential,” said Michael Sawyers, acting superintendent of public instruction. “These schools are committed to preparing students for success in college and careers and should serve as models for other schools in the state.”

Western Reserve High School was recognized as an Exemplary High Performing school, for being among the state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or national tests.

The USDOE recognized more than 270 schools as 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools based on their overall academic excellence, or for making progress in improving student academic achievement levels. The National Blue Ribbon Schools award honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools.

The department will honor the schools at a recognition ceremony Nov. 12-13 in Washington, D.C. In its 30-year history, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed this award on nearly 7,000 of America’s schools.

To select National Blue Ribbon Schools, the department requests nominations from the top education official in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Department of Defense Education Activity and the Bureau of Indian Education. The Council for American Private Education nominates private schools.

A total of 417 schools nationwide may be nominated, with allocations determined by the numbers of K-12 students and schools in each jurisdiction. The Secretary of Education invites nominated schools to submit an application for possible recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School.