Rockwood Area named Blue Ribbon School

Rockwood Area Elementary School is one of 10 in Pennsylvania named 2022 Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. According to an article in the Daily American, the recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

The school was cited for high-performance on state assessments and in closing achievement gaps between the school’s student groups and all students. The honor is especially laudable, considering the challenges faced by schools in the preceding years because of the pandemic.

In the article, Principal Jonathan Hale said that much of the school’s success is due to the extraordinary efforts of staff: “It’s the outstanding staff and faculty that focuses on the needs of the students every day. The schedule allows for the teachers to interact with the students. The kids come first in the decision-making. It is made on what the kids need in that day. They daily practice what is best for the kids that day to move them forward.”