A DoDEA Americas School Selected as a 2019 Blue Ribbon School

PEACHTREE CITY, GEORGIA - A Department of

Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Americas School

was recognized recently by U.S. Secretary of Education

Betsy Devos as a 2019 National Blue Ribbon School.

Maxwell AFB Elementary/Middle School at Maxwell

Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama is one of the

362 National Blue Ribbon Schools recognized across the

nation, and one of the three DoDEA schools recognized.

The award is based on the school's overall academic

excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps

among student subgroups.

"I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication

to student achievement shown at Maxwell AFB Elementary

Middle School to earn the National Blue Ribbon

Award recognition," said Dr. Judith Minor, DoDEA

Americas Director for Student Achievement. "The efforts

of the leadership, teachers, and staff to exemplify the

DoDEA mission of excellence in education for every

student, every day, everywhere."

National Blue Ribbon Schools are recognized in one of

two performance categories, based on all student scores,

subgroup student scores, and graduation rates:

* Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state's highest performing

schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.

* Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state's highest

performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school's subgroups

and all students over the past five years.

Maxwell qualified in the high performing category.

Maxwell AFB Elementary/Middle School was established in 1963 in Montgomery,

Alabama. Since its inception, the school has provided a superior

education for pre-Kindergarten through fifth-grade children of United States

military personnel living on Maxwell Air Force Base. The middle school, sixth

through eighth grade, was added in July 2011.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary,

middle and high schools where students achieve very high learning

standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap.

This coveted award affirms the hard work of educators, families and communities

in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging

and engaging content. The National Blue Ribbon Schools flag gracing a school's

building is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.

National Blue Ribbon Schools are an inspiration and a model for schools still

striving for excellence. A total of 362 schools were recognized this year.

Now in its 37th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed

this coveted award on more than 9,000 schools. On Nov. 14 and 15, 2019, the

Secretary and the Department of Education will celebrate with these honorees

at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

DoDEA plans, directs, coordinates, and manages pre-kindergarten through 12th

grade education programs for school-age children of Department of Defense

personnel who would otherwise not have access to high-quality public

education. DoDEA schools are located in Europe, the Pacific, Western Asia, the

Middle East, Cuba, the United States, Guam, and Puerto Rico. DoDEA