Fountain Green Elementary School students were jubilant Thursday as they celebrated being a Maryland Blue Ribbon School for 2015, but their principal reminded them they share the achievement with those who came before them.
"If you have brothers or sisters in middle school, their hard work while they were in elementary school helped us to get to this point," Principal Alison Donnelly said during an assembly in the school gym. "So remember that, as you work in class each day you never know how things may [affect] the future."
Harford County and state leaders spoke to students about the school's Blue Ribbon designation, bestowed on just six of the more than 1,450 schools in Maryland, for their top academic achievements, quality teachers, parent involvement and community outreach efforts.
"You are one of six schools, out of over 1,450 schools, to be recognized as a Blue Ribbon School in one the top states in the country," State Superintendent of Schools Lillian Lowery said. "So, if you are one of the six best schools in one of the top states in the country, that means that you are all just rock stars, give yourselves a hand!"
Lowery noted the many individual awards and accomplishments of faculty and staff members, and she praised the school's character education program.
"It's really great to be smart, but it's even better if you're smart and good people of character," she told the children.
Fountain Green, which is east of Bel Air and has 484 students in kindergarten through fifth grade, is the only public school in Harford County to earn the state Blue Ribbon designation this year. It is the first Harford public school to earn it since Ring Factory Elementary School in 2012, according to Harford County Public Schools.
Ring Factory was also named a National Blue Ribbon School that year. The private St. Margaret School in Bel Air was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2013.
Donnelly said after the ceremony that Fountain Green has applied to the federal Department of Education to be named a National Blue Ribbon School, and she hopes to learn the results in September.
"We certainly think you should earn the national award, because you've done such amazing, distinguished work," Lowery told the students.
Nancy Reynolds, president of the Harford County Board of Education, said earning a Blue Ribbon award "takes everyone involved in the school community, and we appreciate all your efforts."
"Congratulations," Reynolds said. "Enjoy your moment; it is a fantastic honor."
Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Barbara Canavan praised the teachers, administrators and staff at Fountain Green.
"They all work really, really hard to make sure that every day you have a happy place to learn," she told the children.
Harford County Executive Barry Glassman said he will "share the good news about Fountain Green to everyone in Harford County."
Donnelly taught at Fountain Green from when the school opened in 1993 until 2004, and she returned as principal for the 2014-2015 school year.
Her children also attended Fountain Green.
"I knew this was a wonderful school, but when I found out that Fountain Green Elementary School was a Maryland Blue Ribbon School I was ecstatic," she said during the ceremony. "I was incredibly proud of the hard work that had been done for the previous five years to get us to this point."
Stacey Gerringer, a former principal of Fountain Green and the current principal of Abingdon Elementary School, also spoke during the ceremony.
"Thank you for making Fountain Green a fabulous place to learn," she said.
The Blue Ribbon designation comes with prizes such as $2,000 from the Maryland State Department of Education, $1,000 from Rudolph's Office & Computer Supply to purchase office and classroom supplies, a Redcat audio system, a chocolate chip cookie party and even a falcon mascot suit.
Darla Strouse, executive director of the MSDE's Office of Partnership Development & Recognition, said after the ceremony that the state considers multiple factors when selecting Blue Ribbon Schools.
She said education officials only consider schools in the top 15 percent of achievers, and many schools that are selected are among the top 10 percent, based on student scores on the former Maryland School Assessment tests.
The state implemented PARCC standardized tests this year.
"We're still working on how we're going to collect [achievement] data for this next year of Blue Ribbon Schools," Strouse said.
Strouse said officials also review whether or not all students, including those from low-income families or who have special needs, are achieving at a high rate, the success of parent involvement programs, the sustainability and qualifications of the faculty and the school's community outreach efforts.
Strouse, Lowery and other Maryland education leaders are traveling to each of the six 2015 Blue Ribbon Schools to celebrate their achievements.
"There is something special when you walk in the door of a Blue Ribbon School," Strouse said.