Parkside Elementary School in the Penn-Delco School District is one of three local schools named a Pennsylvania Blue Ribbon School this year, writes Kristen Graham for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The other two schools are Lionville Elementary in the Downingtown Area School District and St. Elizabeth Parish School in Chester Springs.
The schools were among 13 chosen in the state for their academics and efforts to close achievement gaps.
The state designation is new, begun last month by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, after the Trump Administration ended the popular National Blue-Ribbon Schools program, which for 40 years has awarded high-performing schools.
A U.S. Department of Education spokesman said the national program was cut to focus on education in the states and locally.
Parkside Elementary School, in Parkside, has about 250 students in grades K-5.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education said the school’s teachers there “are dedicated to continuous improvement and actively refine their practices through professional development.
“This commitment, combined with strong partnerships between students, teachers, and families, creates a nurturing environment where high expectations are balanced with a focus on both academic and social-emotional well-being. Parkside meets students at their instructional level, providing differentiated instruction for intervention and enrichment.”
Read more about the Blue Ribbon winners in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
