The Bear Creek School Named 2014 National Blue Ribbon School by U.S. Dept. of Education

Sept. 30, 2014 - PRLog -- The Bear Creek School is one of 50 private schools nationwide selected as a Blue Ribbon School and the only school in the State of Washington, public or private, recognized this year by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Secretary Duncan named 337 schools as the 2014 National Blue Ribbon Schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. The 2014 schools represent 47 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and DoDEA schools in Germany and Japan. They comprise 241 elementary schools, 25 middle schools, 48 high schools, and 23 K-12 schools. Of these 337 schools, 289 are honored as Exemplary High Performing schools, including The Bear Creek School which is one of the few recognized K-12 programs.

In its 32-year history, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed this coveted award on just under 7,900 of America's schools. “National Blue Ribbon Schools are models of consistent excellence and a resource for other schools and districts,” Secretary Duncan said. “We celebrate them for their tireless effort and boundless creativity in reaching and teaching every student."

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is an important part of the Department’s efforts to seek, identify, replicate, and scale up education practices that work. Secretary Duncan praised the National Blue Ribbon Schools as “a national treasure,” and challenged them to share their knowledge with peers, “to become engines of educational innovation, galvanizing others to transform their schools as well.”

President and Headmaster Patrick B. Carruth acknowledged the award, “We are honored and deeply grateful to be recognized as a 2014 National Blue Ribbon School. Congratulations to the faculty, students, administration, staff, parents, and our alumni for their extraordinary efforts to create an exceptional learning and teaching community at Bear Creek.”

Additional Resources

http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-educa...

http://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/awardwinners/14wa...

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2014/index.html

About The Bear Creek School

Founded in 1988, in Redmond, Washington, The Bear Creek School is an independent classical Christian school that believes only when faith, mind, and heart are fed together can students experience the fullness of education which produces leaders who think well and are compelled to engage the world.

The school serves students from the greater Eastside and is housed on four campuses.  Redmond Campus on Union Hill serves kindergarten to grade 12 students and Valley Campus, also in Redmond, serves preschool to grade 5 students. Bear Creek Preschool has two additional campuses in Woodinville and Sammamish serving students ages 3-5. The Bear Creek School is accredited by the Northwest Association of Independent Schools and AdvancED/Northwest Accreditation Commission.