Van Buren Elementary named Blue Ribbon School

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VAN BUREN TWP. — After seven years, Brown County has another Blue Ribbon School.

It was announced today that Van Buren Elementary School has been honored as a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School. The news was announced by the United States Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. The last school to receive this honor was Sprunica Elementary School in 2014.

Van Buren Elementary School was one of only eight schools in the state nominated by the Indiana Department of Education this year.

The state nomination for education’s highest honor designated Van Buren as an “Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School.” This means VBE was in the top 15 percent of schools who closed achievement gaps for English and mathematics for students groups, including those are low income and in special education, over the past three to five years. The achievement was measured by state assessments, according to a press release from VBE.

“We have an amazing family of parents, grandparents, guardians and educators that work together to build amazing opportunities for all students at Van Buren,” Principal Gavin Steele said.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to have all of their efforts nationally recognized. Our students are the ones who have put in the hardest work, so this award is for them. They deserve every bit of this recognition.”

Van Buren Elementary announced the news to staff and students today. The gymnasium — covered in blue decorations — erupted in applause when they all found out.

“We received the Blue Ribbon because of all of the hard work that you do, that your teachers do, that your families do at home and it shows by how well we do here at school,” Steele told the crowd of students and staff.

“You should feel really proud of yourself, you should be really proud of your teacher, feel really proud of everybody at home that have helped us get to where we are today.”

Each year, the U.S. Department of Education celebrates schools of excellence from across the country as National Blue Ribbon Schools. Van Buren was one of 325 schools across the country to be recognized.

“Van Buren’s safe and welcoming environment, commitment to student and professional learning, and encouraging leadership practices all contributed to this prestigious award,” the VBE release states.

“We are so proud for this opportunity to showcase, on a national level, the extraordinary people who make this and every day possible. As always, it’s a great day to be a Wildcat.”

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