Three North Shore public schools and one private school were among just 24 in the state awarded by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education with the coveted Governor’s Blue Ribbon School honor, in recognition of high academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups.
Those schools include Evanston/Skokie School District 65’s Dawes Elementary, Wilmette Public Schools District 39’s McKenzie Elementary, Northfield Township High School District 225’s Glenbrook South High School in Glenview and St. Athanasius School, a private Catholic elementary and middle school in Evanston.
McKenzie, Glenbrook South and St. Athanasius were all recognized with Blue Ribbons for being “high performing” schools, while Dawes Elementary earned the honor for “achievement gap closing,” according to a news release from Gov. JB Pritzker’s office.
“Illinois schools are reaching new heights in school performance, graduation rates, and learning proficiency,” Pritzker said in the news release, “a testament to the passion and dedication of our teachers and the power of sustained public investment in education.”
The statewide initiative was reinstated by the governor’s office last year following the discontinuation of the 43-year-old federal Blue Ribbon Schools program by the U.S. Department of Education under the Trump administration.
Despite an ongoing budget crisis for a district mired in controversy, District 65’s Dawes Elementary still managed to claim a spot on the distinction list for its progress in closing performance gaps between student groups.
District 65 actively operates 17 schools and educational centers, according to its website. The district serves approximately 6,500 students in grades Pre-K through eighth grade from Evanston and Skokie.
“This recognition belongs to our entire community,” Dawes Principal Teresa Quinn said in a statement.
“Dawes is a place where excellence and equity exist as one and we couldn’t be more proud to receive the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Award.”
Quinn attributed the elementary school’s recent approach over the last two years to prioritizing “consistent, high-quality, standards-aligned instruction… and meaningful collaboration among educators” to receiving the honor.
One of those instruction strategies is “Building Thinking Classrooms,” Quinn said in a statement, which she refers to as working to deepen students’ engagement and encouraging critical thinking so students can feel empowered to take independent ownership over their learning.
“Equally important has been fostering a safe, supportive school environment where students feel a strong sense of belonging, build confidence, and are encouraged to take academic risks,” she wrote.
“Together, these efforts have helped create a culture of academic excellence, equity, and continuous growth” in tightening gaps in performance.
Glenbrook South High School, which has repeatedly earned top marks among its high-achieving suburban counterparts, also claimed a spot on the governor’s list.
“This honor is a testament to the extraordinary effort and dedication of our students, staff, administration and community, who work together every day to make [Glenbrook South High School] GBS an exemplary school,” Barbara Georges, principal of Glenbrook South, told Pioneer Press.
“Creating a school where every student and staff member feels a sense of belonging, is supported, and has the opportunity to learn and thrive at the highest level takes tremendous care…This recognition by the governor reflects not only our academic excellence, but also our commitment to innovation and the values that define our Titan community.”
Its district peer, Glenbrook North High School, earned the national distinction in 2023, one of only four high schools in Illinois that year to receive the designation. Glenbrook South was previously named a Blue Ribbon School in 1983, per previous reporting.
McKenzie Principal Dana Nasiakos said the elementary school is “truly honored to have earned the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Award this year” and that it’s an “illustration of what we can achieve when we work together towards the common goal of helping our students learn and grow.”
McKenzie Elementary is one of six schools within Wilmette Public Schools District 39 and enrolls approximately 415 students in grades K-4, according to the district.
District 39 serves approximately 3,200 students in Pre-K through eighth grade throughout Wilmette and parts of Glenview, the district said.
St. Athanasius School, a Catholic school in Evanston, was one of eight private schools to be named a Blue Ribbon School this year.
“Receiving the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Award is a tremendous honor for our school community,” said Principal Kelly Foyle.
“It reflects the dedication of our teachers and staff, the partnership of our families, and our shared commitment to academic excellence and the formation of the whole child.”
Prior to the governor’s reinstatement of the award, Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago received more National Blue Ribbons than any other private or public school system in the nation, according to the archdiocese.
All award winners will be invited to an upcoming special recognition event at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield this spring, per the news release.
cmurphy@chicagotribune.com
