MBE named a 2018 National Blue Ribbon School

Mountain Brook Elementary students, teachers and staff were greeted with blue bows on the schoolhouse doors the first week in October in celebration of MBE’s recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School for 2018.  MBE is one of only five schools in Alabama to receive the coveted award this year. In a video message to the award-winning schools, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos stated, “We recognize and honor your important work in preparing students for successful careers and meaningful lives. Congratulations on your students’ accomplishments and for your extraordinary commitment to meeting their unique needs.”

For the last 36 years, the National Blue Ribbon Schools program has recognized schools based on their overall academic performance or progress made in closing achievement gaps among various student population subgroups.

MBE was identified as an Exemplary High Performing School, recognizing that MBE is among Alabama’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. MBE administrators will travel to Washington, D.C. in early November for an awards ceremony and celebration with Department of Education officials and other honorees. The MBE PTO is working together with administration and school employees to plan an intentional celebration that will occur after the November ceremony and include the entire school community. 

MBE’s National Blue Ribbon award is the latest in a line of recent recognitions for the Lancers.

Last spring, MBE was one of only two Alabama schools recognized as a National School of Character, and this fall MBE was recertified as one of fifteen Lighthouse Schools in Alabama.  In September, MBE was listed as one of fifty schools in Alabama with the most growth in third grade reading. “Mountain Brook Elementary is honored to stand beside the other nationally-recognized schools as a Blue Ribbon School,” said Principal Ashley McCombs. “We believe strongly that students are influencers of all aspects of the school and we are strategic in amplifying this notion by leveraging student voice. Learners are the face of our brand; a brand that elicits an emotional response of self-worth and efficacy; a brand that is thoughtful about its innovations and intentional about its practice; a brand that develops capacity in others realizing that together we are better. We feel the National Blue Ribbon School recognition will further distinguish the MBE brand as one that is exemplary and continuously improving. Thank you to all the supporters and partners who make these efforts and accomplishments possible.”

Submitted by Kitty Rogers Brown