The Southwest Voice

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U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings named Bakersfield’s St. John’s Lutheran School as a 2008 No Child Left Behind -- Blue Ribbon School.   “These Blue Ribbon Schools are an example of what teachers and students can achieve," Spellings said. "Now our challenge is to help other schools follow their lead by continuing to measure progress through No Child Left Behind, and by using the knowledge we've gained to replicate effective strategies and help every student improve." 

The No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either academically superior or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement to high levels. St. John’s was selected because its test scores placed it in the top ten percent of schools in the nation. 

“Receiving this award is an acknowledgement of how richly God has blessed our school.” said Mr. Stephen Dinger, St. John’s Superintendent.  “Those blessings come in the form of students striving to do their best;  families who realize the importance of providing a solid educational foundation on which all future learning is based;  and teachers who are dedicated to encouraging children and bringing out their gifts.  It is an award that the school receives but is more accurately given to all those who make it possible for quality education to happen:  hard working students, committed parents and dedicated, competent teachers.”
 
The USDE Blue Ribbon program -- started in 1982 and currently part of President George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind" initiative -- has honored more than 5,800 of America’s most successful schools.   This year 320 schools nationwide were named as Blue Ribbon Schools, thirty-two of which are in California. Stockdale Elementary School was the last Bakersfield school to receive the award in 2000.   St. John’s is the first private school in Bakersfield to receive this designation.

The winners will be honored at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on October 20-21 where each school will receive a plaque and a flag signifying its status.

St. John’s is located at 4500 Buena Vista Road, just south of Stockdale High School.  It was founded 47 years ago.  Its current enrollment is 500 children from infant through Eighth Grade.  www.sjlschool.org