The Blue Ribbon School award is given to schools that do an outstanding job of meeting local, state, and national goals, and display the qualities of excellence that are necessary to prepare our young people for the challenges of the next century. More specifically, to receive the award, schools must have strong leaders; a clear vision, and sense of mission that is shared by all connected with the school; high-quality teaching; challenging, up-to-date curriculum; policies and practices that ensure a safe environment conducive to learning; a solid commitment to parental involvement; and evidence that the school helps all students to achieve high standards.

I commend the staff, students, and parents of Terminal Park Elementary School for their hard work in building an effective community for learning. The focus on literacy and assuring students obtain the essential skills needed for life is absolutely necessary and I am glad we have Terminal Park Elementary School as an example for how we need to work toward educating our children.