Logan named Blue Ribbon school

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos on Thursday named Logan Elementary School a recipient of the National Blue Ribbon Award, one of only three schools in New Mexico to receive the honor this year.

The other New Mexico schools to receive the honor were Career Enrichment Center and Early College Academy Magnet High School in Albuquerque and Ladera Del Norte Elementary School in Farmington.

A total of 362 schools in the U.S. earned the National Blue Ribbon Award this year. DeVos and the agency will celebrate with the honorees at an awards ceremony Nov. 14-15 in Washington.

The recognition is based on a school's overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups, the agency stated in a news release. The program is in its 37th year.

Logan Elementary maintains communication with families about student progress and holds monthly family learning nights, provides physical education, fine arts education and computer science “coding” instruction to every elementary student, and has students set and track their own progress on reading, writing and mathematics goals, according to a news release Thursday from the district.

“I am so very proud of our elementary students and staff,” Logan school district superintendent Dennis Roch stated in the release. “I’m especially gratified that this award recognizes the strong history of achievement our school is known for.”

“Just last year, Logan Elementary School earned its fourth ‘A’ in a row under the state’s previous A-F School Grading Act,” Logan Principal Crystal Burns stated in the release. “This national award simply reinforces that the dedicated efforts of our elementary faculty translates into a top-notch education for every child in Logan Schools.”