4Elementary School News

F-F Elementary named a 2009 National Blue Ribbon School

Fonda-Fultonville Elementary School was named a 2009 National Blue Ribbon School by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Tuesday, September 15.

Elementary School Principal Alicia Henry and a teacher representative will join the 314 recognized schools – only 19 of New York's 6000 schools were among those named – at an awards ceremony on November 3 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC. Later in the year, a representative of the U.S. Department of Education will make a formal presentation to the staff and students in Fonda.

"I cannot begin to express the pride I have for Mrs. Henry, our teachers, staff, students, and parents in earning this award," said F-F Superintendent Dr. James Hoffman. "Everyone worked extremely hard to move us from being one of the better area schools to becoming one of the finest in our entire nation. Congratulations to everyone!"

Fonda-Fultonville Elementary School received this honor for having made dramatic gains in student achievement and helping close performance gaps in achievement among minority and disadvantaged students. The New York State Education Department nominated Fonda-Fultonville based on improvements in English Language Arts and math achievement tests administered yearly to students in grades 3-4. The U.S. Department of Education reviewed the nominations and selected F-F for the prestigious honor.

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors Fonda-Fultonville as a school with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that demonstrates dramatic improvement of student performance to high levels on state tests. In addition, public schools must meet Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, in reading (English Language Arts) and mathematics as established by the New York State Education Department.

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