On Nov. 12 and 13, schools across the country that the U.S. Department of Education recently named National Blue Ribbon Schools, including Fayetteville-Manlius School District’s Mott Road Elementary School, will be virtually celebrated on a national stage.
On Sept. 24, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos designated 367 schools, including Mott Road, as 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools. This is the third time a school in the F-M school district has received the recognition. Enders Road Elementary School earned the prestigious honor in 2014, and Eagle Hill Middle School received it in 2011.
The National Blue Ribbon designation is an honor reserved for public and private K-12 schools that have achieved high levels of academic success or have made significant improvement in closing achievement gaps. The New York State Education Department nominated Mott Road as a 2020 Exemplary High Performing National Blue Ribbon School based on the school’s record of academic success.
Mott Road is one of 18 New York schools—and the only Onondaga County school—to receive the 2020 national award. Each National Blue Ribbon school receives a flag and plaque to display.
The National Blue Ribbon designation is an honor that never expires, and National Blue Ribbon Schools are held up as models for other schools. The U.S. Department of Education features the winners on its website, leaders of winning schools give presentations at state and regional meetings about their school’s practices and teachers from other school districts often visit Blue Ribbon Schools to learn about effective leadership and instructional strategies, according to the Blue Ribbon program website.
The public may watch online at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, the portion of the award presentation that includes Mott Road.