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Subject: AWD

Academica-Serviced Schools Named 2017 National Blue Ribbon Charter Schools


MIAMI, Nov. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recognized 292 public and 50 private schools as 2017 National Blue Ribbon recipients.  The Blue Ribbon Award designation goes to public and private elementary, middle and high schools whose students perform at very high levels, or have made significant academic progress and helped close gaps in achievement especially among groups of disadvantaged and/or minority students.  Twelve of those schools are in Florida, and only three in Miami-Dade County.  Of the three, two are Academica-supported schools, Doral Academy of Technology and International Studies Charter Middle School.  In Broward County, Somerset Academy Davie earns its second National Blue Ribbon award, having received it's first coming in 2011.  Somerset Academy Davie was the only school in Broward County to receive this distinguished honor.

This past year, Doral Academy of Technology (DAT) completed its sixth year of operations.  The school earned its 5th consecutive letter grade of "A" ranking as the highest-performing public middle school in Miami-Dade County, and placing it among the top of all middle schools in Florida, based on the points it received under the State of Florida Accountability Program. DAT aims to prepare students for high academic performance, stimulate their lifelong love of math and science and create new pathways for them to pursue academic and professional careers in the fields of Math, Science, Engineering and Technology.  Students are provided with a rigorous college preparatory curriculum and a rich extra-curricular program of activities that includes team sports and clubs. The school's award-winning facilities include fully equipped classrooms, labs, art rooms, a band room, production rooms, ball fields, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, and a brand new, outstanding football field.  This past year, Doral Academy of Technology's campus was nominated for the American Institute of Architects People's Choice Awards for Best Design. As part of the Doral Academy, Inc. network of high performing charter schools, Doral Academy of Technology is fully accredited by AdvancED under the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS-CASI) division. 

In 2017, International Studies Charter Middle School completed its 8th year of operation. This past year, the School earned a letter grade of "A" for the sixth consecutive time, ranking among the highest performing public middle schools in Miami-Dade County, and among the top public middle schools in the State of Florida.  ISCMS has an articulation agreement with 2015 National Blue Ribbon School, International Studies Charter High School (ISCHS), which opened in 2004 in partnership with the Spanish, Italian, and French Embassies.  The school offers a rigorous academic program for students interested in pursuing an International Studies education in Spanish, French, or Italian. International Studies Charter Middle School was the only middle school eligible for and nominated in the "Achievement Gap Closing" category this year.

Somerset Academy in Davie (Somerset Davie) completed its 14th year of operation, serving students in grades K-5. For the 9th consecutive year, the school received a letter grade of "A" from the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE), ranking as the 2nd top performing public elementary school in Broward County and among the highest performing in the State of Florida. One of Somerset Davie's most remarkable achievements was being designated a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education for the 2nd time since its inception. This past year, Somerset Davie students were recognized for achievements and community support and participated in efforts to raise funds for various causes through events such as the Scholastic Book Fair, Fall Fundraiser, American Heart Association Fundraiser and Sweets for Soldiers. Students also participated in extracurricular activities, such as Journalism and Broadcasting Club, Dance and Cheerleading.

As a member of the Somerset Academy network of high quality charter schools, Somerset Davie is fully accredited by AdvancED under the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS-CASI) division. Somerset Davie maintains a partnership with Nova Southeastern University's America Reads and America Counts program, which offers students one-on-one free tutoring assistance for 30 minute intervals. The key to achieving successful learning for all students is the school's implementation of research-based instructional strategies by a highly qualified staff, and the use of innovative resources in a technology-rich setting.

In its 32-year history, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has only granted the award to fewer than 7,900 of America's schools. A complete list of 2017 Blue Ribbon Schools is available at https://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2017/national.pdf

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Adriana Lima at 305.878.9993 or email at [email protected].

Contact

Adriana Lima

Telephone

305.878.9993

Email

[email protected]

Website

www.academica.org

SOURCE Academica



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