Wrightsville Beach Elementary earned a national honor when it was named a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School on Wednesday, Sept. 28 from the U.S. Department of Education. The school is one of 279 public and 50 private schools in the nation to receive the honor. The school was recognized in the category of “Exemplary High Performing Schools.”
Wrightsville Beach Elementary Principal Jackson Norvell said the school was one of only eight in the state to earn the honor, which they received after first being recognized at the state level.
“It’s a great, positive recognition for our schools,” Norvell said. “The challenge will be figuring out how to continue to grow our already high-performing students.”
The award had criteria that mainly focused on student performance indicators, which Norvell said was boosted by the school’s proficiency scores on the end-of-grade tests given to third, fourth and fifth graders.
The school has had 90 percent of students score a 3,4 or 5 on the end-of-grade tests.
Norvell said the school’s marine science program was one reason for the success, as well as support from the community.
“We get a ton of support for the school from the WBS Foundation and the PTA,” Norvell said. “For all that they do, it’s nice to get this recognition.”
Norvell and another member of the WBS staff will travel to Washington, D.C. in November for an awards ceremony.
