September 19, 2023
ROCKY RIVER, Ohio – Kensington Intermediate School (KIS) was one of 353 schools nationwide to earn the prestigious National Blue Ribbon Schools award that were announced this afternoon. KIS, which is one of just 19 schools in Ohio to earn the award this year, was recognized as an Exemplary High Performing School as one of the state’s highest performing schools measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.
“This is a great day for Kensington Intermediate School and the Rocky River City School District,” Interim Principal Scott Raiff said. “I am extremely proud of our students, teachers, staff, parents/guardians and the entire Rocky River community for their hard work and commitment to excellence that helped Kensington earn this national award.”
The coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content. Now in its 40th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,700 schools.
This marks the sixth time a school from the Rocky River City School District has received a National Blue Ribbon Award, including the second time for KIS (2011, 2023). Rocky River High School was named a Blue Ribbon Award winner 1997-98, 2012 and 2020, while Rocky River Middle School received the honor in 1997-98. The 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Awards Ceremony will be held November 16-17.
Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The U.S. Education Department invites National Blue Ribbon School nominations from the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education (CAPE).
“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,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “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.”