“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.
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.
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.
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.
Principal Kinsey will attend an awards ceremony on Nov. 7 and 8, 2024 in Washington, D.C.
Congratulations, Pembroke Academy!
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About Pembroke Academy
Pembroke Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Detroit, Michigan, serving students in Young 5s through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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