Our Mother of Consolation in Chestnut Hill, Saint Agnes (Chester County) and Saint Norbert (Chester County) Parish Elementary Schools selected as 2015 National Blue Ribbon Schools

Our Mother of Consolation Parish School (OMC) in the Chestnut Hill section of Northwest Philadelphia, Saint Agnes School in West Chester (Chester County) and Saint Norbert Catholic School in Paoli (Chester County) were selected as part of the 2015 cohort of National Blue Ribbon Schools in an announcement made by United States Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, on Tuesday, September 29, 2015. OMC, St. Agnes and St. Norbert were three of only 335 total schools and 50 private schools chosen nationally and three out of four Catholic schools in Pennsylvania selected this year. Each of the schools was chosen for “overall academic excellence.”

The three Archdiocesan elementary schools will be honored by the United State Department of Education (USDOE) at a recognition ceremony for Blue Ribbon Schools on November 9 and 10 in Washington, D.C.

In reaction to the announcement Mrs. Debra Brillante, Superintendent for Elementary Schools said, “We are extremely proud of our Archdiocesan Elementary Schools that have been recognized this week by the National Blue Ribbon Program for their academic excellence. In the Office of Catholic Education we have said time and time again that our Archdiocese of Philadelphia students, teachers and staff are some of the best and brightest in the country and achievements like this only help to demonstrate that further. We are proud of Our Mother of Consolation, St. Agnes and St. Norbert schools for continuing to add to an already proud and rich legacy of Catholic Education in the Philadelphia region. In addition, these schools serve as an example of what the Holy Father recently spoke about on Saturday, when he referenced enthusiasm of young people and how our schools can capture that enthusiasm for the good of society.”

Founded in 1982, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students perform at very high levels or where significant improvements are being made in students’ academic achievement. Since the program’s founding, the U.S. Department of Education has bestowed this coveted award on more than 8,000 of America’s schools.

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Editor’s Note: For information about schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia please visit www.aopcatholicschools.org. For a complete list of 2015 National Blue Ribbon Schools visit http://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/.

Contact
Bonnie Olinger
Communications Specialist
215-587-3747

Bonnie Olinger
Communications Specialist
215-587-3747 (office)