U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recognized 287 public and 50 private schools as 2014 National Blue Ribbon recipients on September 30. Among the list are nine schools from Florida, four of which are charter schools – Mater Gardens Academy, Crossroad Academy, Terrace Community Middle School, and Doral Performing Arts & Entertainment Academy, the only high school in Florida to receive the prestigious designation.
The Blue Ribbon Award goes to public and private elementary, middle and high schools whose students achieve at very high levels, or have made significant academic progress and helped close gaps in achievement especially among disadvantaged and minority students. For the 2013-2014 award year, the Department of Education also looked at a school’s ability to improve graduation rates for all students.
Opened in August 2006, Mater Gardens Academy is a K-8 located at 9010 N.W. 178 Lane just north of Miami Lakes. The school has earned local and state recognition for its academic accomplishments. It was one of the top ten schools in Miami-Dade County in 2012 and 2013, and earned the 2008 Florida School Recognition award.
The school earned a Gold Award from Miami-Dade County Public Schools in 2006 and 2007 acknowledging excellent performance. Mater Gardens has been accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement since 2009, and as part of the Mater Academy, Inc. district by AdvancED accreditation since 2011.
The Blue Ribbon Awards recognition ceremony is scheduled for November 10-11 in Washington, D.C.