Welch, Cedar Lane named 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools

The principal of an elementary school located on a military base said the tremendous culture and success of the school can sometimes go unnoticed by the public.

“If you don’t have a military ID, you could not drive to our school,” said Jason Payne, principal of Major George S. Welch Elementary School, located on the Dover Air Force Base and part of the Caesar Rodney School District.

Welch Elementary joins Appoquinimink School District’s Cedar Lane Elementary School in Middletown as the two Delaware schools named as 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools.

“We are very excited about the announcement,” Payne said. “The public doesn’t really see a lot of what happens at Welch Elementary, so this is a nice acknowledgement of all of the hard work and effort that our teachers and our students and our school community put in.”

Shelby Gordon, principal at Cedar Lane Elementary, said she and the school community are incredibly honored to be named a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School. 

“One of the things I’m most proud of is our sense of community at Cedar Lane Elementary,” she said. 

The U.S. Department of Education recognized 356 schools this year, and the designation highlights schools that excel in academic performance or make significant strides in closing achievement gaps among different student groups.   

Payne cited the school’s “H.E.R.O. System” which acknowledges positive student behavior and recognizes them for their accomplishments. 

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The H stands for honor, the E is for engagement, the R is for responsibility and the O is for opportunities.

“We acknowledge that their parents are everyday heroes, being military members and being located on Dover Air Force Base,” Payne said, “so we use that acronym to let our students know and recognize them for their hero efforts here at school as well.”

The education department recognizes all schools based on student performance data including assessment results, student subgroup performance and graduation rates. 

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona stated that the 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools are raising the bar for the nation’s students, serving as models for effective teaching and intentional collaboration in their schools and communities. 

“As we celebrate their achievements, let  us look to these schools for inspiration as we champion education as the foundation of a brighter future for every child,” his statement read.

Blue Ribbon designation

Schools are recognized in both or either of two performance categories:  

• Exemplary High Performing Schools: These schools are among the top performers in their state as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.  
• Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools: These schools excel in narrowing achievement gaps between different student groups and the overall student body.  

Both Delaware schools were recognized in the Exemplary High Performing Schools category.

Welch Elementary has a math proficiency rate of 70.4% and 69.5% in English language arts, while Cedar Lane Elementary is 67.4% proficient in math and 66.2% proficient in English language arts, according to the Delaware State Report Card.

The state average is just 30.9% proficiency in math and 40.8% in English language arts.

Each nominated school submits a comprehensive application detailing its school culture, programs, assessments, instructional practices, professional development, leadership, family and community involvement.   

“We concentrate on ensuring we’re providing each child with what they need to be successful and we’re focused on the well-being of the whole child,” Gordon said. “Our students have done amazing work and they have truly excelled.”

Blue Ribbon Schools showcase effective teaching methods and offer robust professional development for their staff. 

Data-driven instruction is another feature of the schools, and there is a concerted effort to ensure every student succeeds with collaboration among families, communities and educators being a key component of their success. 

“We are a true neighborhood school,” Payne said. “We are located right in Dover Air Force Base housing and our school community and our parent involvement is really high. We take great pride in our school, as does the community, and it is a team effort to make the school the best that it can be between our staff and our families for our students.”

A National Blue Ribbon School award flag displayed in a school’s entryway or on a flagpole is a widely recognized emblem of exceptional teaching and learning. 

“We are so proud of all that we’ve accomplished together to receive this designation,” Gordon said.”