Tribune editorial staff

Winning a blue ribbon is almost always signifies a major accomplishment. When that blue ribbon comes from the federal government, however, the feat is even sweeter.

Dawson-Bryant Elementary is one of only a handful of schools across the United States in the running for

the U.S. Department of Education's 2004 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools program. The school was one of only 14 public schools in Ohio to be nominated by Dr. Susan Tave Zelman, superintendent of public instruction, for the Ohio Department of Education.

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private K-12 schools across the United States that are either academically superior in their states or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.

The school will fill out an official application that must be submitted to the ODOE by Jan. 12, 2004. It will be returned with comments and suggestions and must be submitted to the U.S. Department of Education by February. If Dawson-Bryant Elementary wins the award, it will be notified by September 2004.

There are only two ways to be nominated for the Blue Ribbon award: A school must be in the top 10 percent of schools in state achievement testing or it can show significant improvements in academics.

Dawson-Bryant was nominated,because of excellent scores on the 2002-2003 Ohio proficiency test.

While many schools in the nation remain at status quo or below when it comes to standardized testing, Dawson-Bryant is obviously going the extra mile - a score of at least 75 percent was required in math and reading, and Dawson-Bryant scored 89 percent in reading and 97 percent in math.

Other schools in the county are showing significant progress in proficiency testing as well, and it is our hope to report other districts will be nominated for the award.

In the meantime, congratulations to the students, staff and administration at Dawson-Bryant. We are cheering you on to bring home the blue ribbon.