LYNCHBURG, Va. – There are just shy of 100,000 public schools in America, but only a select few get the honor of being named a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. This year, seven of the more than 300 schools honored are in Virginia — including three in central and southwest Virginia.
Paul Munro Elementary School in Lynchburg, Grandin Court Elementary School in Roanoke and Rural Retreat Elementary School in Wythe County, received the Blue Ribbon School designation Thursday.
The honor recognizes schools that are either great academically or have made a great improvement during the past year.
Munro Elementary students had a party to celebrate the occasion and tied blue ribbons of their own around trees at the school. Principal Donna Baer says this award is all about the students.
"The children are so excited," Baer said. "They know that they've worked hard, they know that they have always performed to their best abilities and this is just a nice way to acknowledge it."