Crosswind Elementary Achieves National Blue Ribbon Distinction
In a historic milestone for Collierville Schools, Crosswind Elementary has received the prestigious National Blue Ribbon School recognition, marking the first time one of its institutions has achieved this honor. Among the six schools in Tennessee bestowed with this distinction, Crosswind Elementary stands as the sole representative from Shelby County for the current year.
For four decades, the National Blue Ribbon program has been dedicated to celebrating and promoting innovative teaching methodologies, as well as assessing student achievement to identify outstanding educational institutions. These recognized schools serve as exemplary models for educators at the state and district levels.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona expressed his admiration for the 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools honorees, stating, “The honorees for our 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award have set a national example for what it means to raise the bar in education. The leaders, educators, and staff at our National Blue Ribbon Schools continually inspire me with their dedication to fostering academic excellence and building positive school cultures that support students of all backgrounds to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.” It’s worth noting that Collierville Middle received this recognition back in 1983 when it was part of the previous Shelby County Schools system.
While up to 420 schools are typically selected for this prestigious honor annually across the United States, the 2023 cohort consisted of only 353 schools. The number of schools chosen varies by state, depending on its size and educational landscape. Schools are selected either for their outstanding academic performance or for successfully closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Crosswind Elementary earned this recognition for its outstanding academic performance.
Crosswind Elementary, a part of the county school system since its establishment in 1993, has consistently received recognition from the state Department of Education since 2011 as a Reward School, signifying its status as a high-performing institution—a remarkable achievement for Collierville Schools.