Orion Oaks Elementary School on Jan. 18 was named a Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School for the 2004-05 school year. Orion Oaks is one of 32 elementary schools in the state to be recognized.
‘Orion Oaks Elementary is thrilled to be granted this award,? principal Brian Kaplan said. It’s truly a reflection of our community and its commitment to educational excellence.?
Other Lake Orion schools that have received Blue Ribbon status include Pine Tree Elementary, Carpenter Elementary, Lake Orion High School, Stadium Elementary and Scripps Middle School.
Since its beginning in 1982, the Michigan Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon program has recognized more than 350 of Michigan’s most successful schools.
The purpose of the program is threefold:
? To identify and give public recognition to outstanding public and private schools that achieve to high academic standards or have shown significant academic improvement over five years;
? To make available a comprehensive framework of key criteria for school effectiveness that can continue to improve school quality and;
? To communicate best practices for educational success within and among Michigan schools.
While the US Department of Education eliminated the Blue Ribbon Schools program in 2002 and replaced it with a new program focused entirely on test scores, the state’s board of education elected to maintain the previous program.
As a result, Michigan’s program is more rigorous and incorporated facets from both Education YES!, the state’s accreditation system, and the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
The program also is aligned with the states board of education’s goal to optimize the level of academic achievement in all schools, especially those that are chronically under performing.