Aquinas Academy Awarded National Honor For Excellence

The Aquinas Academy in Livingston was recently named a 2013 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. 

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan named the local private academy among 286 schools in the nation as National Blue Ribbon school. The award recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students perform at very high levels or where there are significant improvements in academic achievement. 

Principal of Aquinas Academy Sister Lena Picillo said, “It gives me great pleasure to share this news with the community that Aquinas Academy has been awarded the 2013 National Blue Ribbon!  

"I am so proud of the accomplishments of our faculty and students! What an honor to be recognized on the national level for all that we do at Aquinas Academy.”

Aquinas Academy was acknowledged in the category “Exemplary High Performing” category, where schools are recognized among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or national tests. 

Aquinas Academy, located at 388 S. Livingston Ave., is a Middle States-accredited Catholic school serving students in preschool through grade 8. 

The Department of Education will honor the 236 public and 50 private schools who received the award at a recognition ceremony on Nov. 18-19 in Washington, D.C.

In its 31-year history, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed this award on nearly 7,500 schools.

“Excellence in education matters and we should honor the schools that are leading the way to prepare students for success in college and careers,” said Duncan. 

“National Blue Ribbon schools represent examples of educational excellence, and their work reflects the belief that every child in America deserves a world-class education.”

To select National Blue Ribbon Schools, the Department requested nominations from the top education official in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. The Council for American Private Education nominates private schools. 

A full list of the 2013 National Blue Ribbon Schools can be seen at http://www.ed.gov/nationalblueribbonschools.