2 local schools honored with National Blue Ribbon Award
![Image](https://WFMJ.images.worldnow.com/images/25178810_G.jpeg?auto=webp&disable=upscale&height=560&fit=bounds&lastEditedDate=1695135050000)
Robinwood Lane Elementary School in Boardman and Western Reserve Elementary School in Berlin Center were two of just 353 schools nationwide to earn recognition as National Blue Ribbon Schools.
"This is a rare and distinct honor we have earned together through teamwork, talent and dedication," said Robinwood Elementary School principal Billie Jo Johnson. "We are very proud of our staff, our students and their families for all we've accomplished. It's incredible to me that now all three of our Boardman Elementary Schools have been recognized and honored for this distinguished award and it really shows how well we collaborate as a district and as a Spartan team."
Schools are awarded in one of two performance categories: as an Exemplary High Performing School or as an Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School.
High Performing Schools are among their state's highest performing on state assessments or nationally standardized tests, whereas Achievement Gap Closing Schools are chosen based on how well a school closes achievement gaps between select student groups and all students over the last five years.
In Robinwood's case, they were awarded as an Exemplary High Performing School, and celebrated the occasion with a surprise "clap-out," as students headed to the bus.
Western Reserve Elementary School was also awarded as an Exemplary High Performing School with National Blue Ribbons Schools highlighting its "3R's" - Respect, Responsibility and Readiness - as the cornerstone to the school community.