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Palm Lake Elementary Selected
as No Child Left Behind — Blue Ribbon School

U.S. Department of Education Secretary Margaret Spellings recently announced that Palm Lake Elementary School was selected as a 2005 No Child Left Behind — Blue Ribbon School. Palm Lake is one of only eight public schools to be awarded the prestigious honor in the State of Florida.

The No Child Left Behind — Blue Ribbon School Program honors public and private K-12 schools that are either academically superior in their states or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.

"This is a tremendous honor when the U.S. Department of Education recognizes one of our schools," said Superintendent Ronald Blocker. "This past summer Wayne Shear retired as principal of the school and this is a very nice retirement gift for him, the students, parents and the entire staff at Palm Lake."

"The formula for success at Palm Lake involves three key elements; a highly professional staff, a group of active caring parents and children that come to school ready to learn," said Wayne Shear retired Palm Lake principal. During the past school year Shear, Assistant Principal Sharon Ralph and a team of teachers completed the detailed application and submitted it to the U.S. Department of Education.

Under the No Child Left Behind — Blue Ribbon Schools Program the academic success of schools is determined by the results of the last five years of the SAT 10, a national norm reference test. This year 361 schools across the country were nominated by their state departments of education for the national award.

On November 10-11, 2005 representatives from Palm Lake Elementary will travel to Arlington, Virginia to participate in a ceremony honoring No Child Left Behind — Blue Ribbon Schools.