Two National Heritage Academies Schools Named 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools
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Pembroke Academy and Chandler Woods Charter Academy were named 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools, the U.S. Department of Education announced today.
Pembroke Academy
No stranger to accolades for student achievement, Pembroke Academy is only the fourth city of Detroit elementary school to earn such an honor and the first since 2001.
“We are really building something special here in Detroit, and not just for our students but our community,” said Principal Salwa Kinsey of Pembroke, which opened in fall 2018. “We are a team, and this has been made possible because each one of us believes in our students. I am so proud of our staff, students, and parents.”
The success of Pembroke is born out of intentionality – open, transparent communication and partnerships, Kinsey said, adding, “For us, the focus has always been true grade-level proficiency. How do we close achievement gaps, and how do we keep students focused on learning?
“It first starts with building trust,” she shared, noting that one-on-one conversations with parents from the first day they step on campus helps foster those open and transparent conversations about the individual needs of students. From those early conversations, parent-staff-student relationships bloom.
This award is especially meaningful for Kinsey and her team with the school earning the added distinction of an Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School. Schools that earn this recognition are ones that excel in narrowing achievement gaps between different student groups and the overall student body.
Other recent accolades for Pembroke Academy include being named a Michigan Reward School for its high academic achievement. This recognition is earned by schools that rank in the top 5% in the state based on standardized test score data, including achievement, improvement, or “beating the odds.” Pembroke also received the 2023 Innovation and Vision Award from its authorizer, the Central Michigan University Center for Charter Schools.
Chandler Woods Charter Academy
Chandler Woods was identified as an Exemplary High Performing school, which means it is among the top performing schools in Michigan as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Principal David Hardenburgh said the honor is a testament to the partnership between parents and teachers that has been cultivated at the school for decades.
“The partnership between all of those stakeholders makes a difference and makes Chandler Woods special,” Hardenburgh said of Chandler Woods, which opened in 1999. “We pride ourselves on our academic rigor and our Moral Focus emphasis.”
Other recent accolades for Chandler Woods include being ranked second on the Best Charter Elementary Schools in Michigan list, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2024 school rankings. It also was recognized as a Michigan Reward School by the Michigan Department of Education for the 2022-23 school year, earned an A letter grade in proficiency and growth according to the 2022-23 Michigan School Grades System, and has outperformed the district for 14 years.
In a statement, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona shared, “The 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools are raising the bar for our nation’s students, serving as models for effective teaching and intentional collaboration in their schools and communities. As we celebrate their achievements, let us look to these schools for inspiration as we champion education as the foundation of a brighter future for every child.”
The National Blue Ribbon Schools program began in 1982 and is given out to public and non-public schools through a nomination process based on student performance on state assessments in reading (ELA) and math, or a composite of performance on these assessments. Other student performance measures such as student growth on state assessments, performance in other subjects on state assessments, and graduation rates are also taken into account.
This year marks the 41st year that the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has recognized schools across the country. To date, more than 9,000 schools have been honored. Schools may be nominated once within a five-year period.
Principals Kinsey and Hardenburgh will attend an awards ceremony on Nov. 7 and 8, 2024 in Washington, D.C.
Congratulations, Pembroke Academy and Chandler Woods Charter Academy!
About National Heritage Academies
National Heritage Academies (NHA) is a network of more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
Pembroke Academy
No stranger to accolades for student achievement, Pembroke Academy is only the fourth city of Detroit elementary school to earn such an honor and the first since 2001.
“We are really building something special here in Detroit, and not just for our students but our community,” said Principal Salwa Kinsey of Pembroke, which opened in fall 2018. “We are a team, and this has been made possible because each one of us believes in our students. I am so proud of our staff, students, and parents.”
The success of Pembroke is born out of intentionality – open, transparent communication and partnerships, Kinsey said, adding, “For us, the focus has always been true grade-level proficiency. How do we close achievement gaps, and how do we keep students focused on learning?
“It first starts with building trust,” she shared, noting that one-on-one conversations with parents from the first day they step on campus helps foster those open and transparent conversations about the individual needs of students. From those early conversations, parent-staff-student relationships bloom.
This award is especially meaningful for Kinsey and her team with the school earning the added distinction of an Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School. Schools that earn this recognition are ones that excel in narrowing achievement gaps between different student groups and the overall student body.
Other recent accolades for Pembroke Academy include being named a Michigan Reward School for its high academic achievement. This recognition is earned by schools that rank in the top 5% in the state based on standardized test score data, including achievement, improvement, or “beating the odds.” Pembroke also received the 2023 Innovation and Vision Award from its authorizer, the Central Michigan University Center for Charter Schools.
Chandler Woods Charter Academy
Chandler Woods was identified as an Exemplary High Performing school, which means it is among the top performing schools in Michigan as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Principal David Hardenburgh said the honor is a testament to the partnership between parents and teachers that has been cultivated at the school for decades.
“The partnership between all of those stakeholders makes a difference and makes Chandler Woods special,” Hardenburgh said of Chandler Woods, which opened in 1999. “We pride ourselves on our academic rigor and our Moral Focus emphasis.”
Other recent accolades for Chandler Woods include being ranked second on the Best Charter Elementary Schools in Michigan list, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2024 school rankings. It also was recognized as a Michigan Reward School by the Michigan Department of Education for the 2022-23 school year, earned an A letter grade in proficiency and growth according to the 2022-23 Michigan School Grades System, and has outperformed the district for 14 years.
In a statement, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona shared, “The 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools are raising the bar for our nation’s students, serving as models for effective teaching and intentional collaboration in their schools and communities. As we celebrate their achievements, let us look to these schools for inspiration as we champion education as the foundation of a brighter future for every child.”
The National Blue Ribbon Schools program began in 1982 and is given out to public and non-public schools through a nomination process based on student performance on state assessments in reading (ELA) and math, or a composite of performance on these assessments. Other student performance measures such as student growth on state assessments, performance in other subjects on state assessments, and graduation rates are also taken into account.
This year marks the 41st year that the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has recognized schools across the country. To date, more than 9,000 schools have been honored. Schools may be nominated once within a five-year period.
Principals Kinsey and Hardenburgh will attend an awards ceremony on Nov. 7 and 8, 2024 in Washington, D.C.
Congratulations, Pembroke Academy and Chandler Woods Charter Academy!
About National Heritage Academies
National Heritage Academies (NHA) is a network of more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.