A National Blue Ribbon Awardee!

On November 12 and 13, 1998, Dr. Hoffman, Dr. Baumeister, and Mrs. Summerson, visited Washington D.C. to receive Dumbarton Middle School's 1998 National Blue Ribbon Award for Excellence in Education which was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. Congratulations to our students for their high achievement, to their parents for valuing education and excellence, and to the staff for their expertise, energy, and excellent instruction.

More than 160 secondary schools were selected from middle schools and high schools across the country. In addition to Dumbarton, four Maryland public and parochial schools were awarded. The Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington; Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt; Hancock Middle and Senior High School in Hancock; and Middletown Middle School in Middletown.

Although President Clinton was unable to attend, he and Secretary Riley published letters commending the teachers, staff, administrators, and parents for working together with vision and creativity to spark student's interest in their education. Dumbarton and other winning schools were recognized as contributors to a better future for America, and commended for exemplifying the best in our nation's educational system-high academic standards, a distinguished record of achievement, dedicated educators, and involved parents and communities.

Dumbarton and similarly achieving schools will lead the way in providing innovative, exciting academic experiences for students. These experiences will prepare our young people for the demands of the next century by empowering them with knowledge, skills, training, and love of learning that they will need to succeed. Each Blue Ribbon School of Excellence was challenged to make the commitment to collaborate with other schools to share what we have learned. Education is indeed the key to a bright future in the 21st century.

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program, established in 1982, has three purposes: (1) to identify and give public recognition to outstanding schools across the U.S.; (2) to make available a comprehensive framework of key criteria for school effectiveness that can serve as the basis for self-assessment and planning in schools; (3) to facilitate communication and sharing of best practices within and among schools based upon a common understanding of the criteria related to success.

In order to be nominated as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, Dumbarton first had to be nominated by Maryland's Chief State School Officer and then pass both a rigorous screening and two-day site visit. The criteria by which we were evaluated included: student support and a caring environment; an effective school organization; challenging standards and curriculum; active teaching and learning; a professional staff, effective leadership, and supportive families and community; as well as indicators of success. To be selected as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, Dumbarton had to demonstrate a commitment to excellence as its singular purpose.

In the words of Secretary Riley, our next challenge will be "to continue to challenge Dumbarton to be the best."