On Thursday, September 24, 2020, Saint Paul of the Cross School was named by the U.S. Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School for 2020. Saint Paul of the Cross School is 1 of 7 non-public elementary schools in Illinois (all 7 are part of the Chicago Archdiocese) to receive this honor. This award was given to Saint Paul of the Cross School for being an exemplary high performing school.
“This is an exciting day for the St. Paul of the Cross community. I am so proud of the faculty, staff, and students for all they have done to make this award a reality,” said SPC Principal, Dr. Erika Mickelburgh. This is the second time Saint Paul of the Cross School has been named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. The first National Blue Ribbon of Excellence Award was in 2011. “This prestigious recognition is a validation of the commitment, dedication, and collaborative efforts of the faculty and staff, parents, and parish community, both past and present, to ensure our mission of academic excellence in Catholic education.”
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Honor
The coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content. Now in its 38th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed almost 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools, with some schools winning multiple awards. Schools are eligible for nomination after five years.
Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The U.S. Education Department invites National Blue Ribbon School nominations from the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education (CAPE).
