St. Dominic: A Blue Ribbon School of Excellence
The United States Department of Education selected St. Dominic School as one of 50 non-public schools across the United States to receive the most prestigious Blue Ribbon of Excellence Award for 2008.
Each year, the U.S. Department of Education invites all public and non-public schools in the United States to apply for the No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Award (NCLS-BRS program). There are approximately 250,000 public and non-public elementary and secondary schools in the United States. All schools may apply if they meet the very stringent requirements of the program.
Criteria includes: reading and math scores, as measured by a national standardized test; excellent attendance rates for students and staff; low student and staff turnover; numerous indicators of academic success; evidence of using student assessment results to better the school; evidence of effective communications with a variety of stakeholders, both inside and outside the school; detailed explanations of the core curriculum and how it meets the needs of every student; strength of the reading program; effective instructional methods; professional development of the staff; evidence of two highly successful subject areas above and beyond the core curriculum; evidence of foreign language incorporated into the curriculum of the junior high students.