Winston Elementary School is proud to be named a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School (NBRS) by the U.S. Department of Education, marking an exceptional milestone within the Douglas County School System.
To celebrate this prestigious honor, Principal Heather George was recognized during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., where she was presented with a National Blue Ribbon School flag symbolizing exemplary teaching and learning.
The Blue Ribbon program recognizes elementary, middle and high schools serving students from all backgrounds for their academic performance and progress in closing achievement gaps.
Principal George expressed gratitude for her dedicated team and reaffirmed her commitment to building a strong academic foundation for student success.
“Being named an Exemplary High Performing National Blue Ribbon School is a testament to the hard work of everyone within our Winston Wildcat Family. This award shows the dedication and relentless pursuit of our teachers and the lengths they’ll go to ensure students are succeeding. I say it all the time because it’s true, I work alongside the best teachers around, and it’s an honor to celebrate this accomplishment with them.”
When the National Blue Ribbon announcement was made last month, students and staff celebrated with Winston pride, acknowledging the hard work and dedication from both teachers and students in their pursuit of academic excellence.
According to the Georgia Department of Education website, the goals of the Blue Ribbon program include shining a spotlight on the best schools in the United States and sharing best practices of outstanding schools across the country.
Ultimately, the schools recognized are among the highest performing in their state, as measured by state assessments or standardized national assessments. The two performance categories that garner recognition include high achievement measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests, or greatest advancements in closing achievement gaps among student groups on tests.
Each year up to 420 schools from across the country may be nominated for the award. Winston was one of 356 school winners nationwide and one of 10 in Georgia.
Schools can only be nominated for the award once every five years.
Keep Up with DCSS! Sign up for the DCSS Digest for weekly school news delivered to your inbox every Friday.