Two Diocese of Dallas Catholic Schools designated as 2015 National Blue Ribbon Schools of Academic Excellence

Bishop Kevin Farrell iis very pleased with the news that All Saints Catholic School and Christ the King Catholic School have been designated as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2015 based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

"This honor recognizes your students' accomplishments and the hard work and dedication that went into their success," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a video message to the awardees. "Your journey has taught you collaboration, intentional instruction, and strong relationships in school and with your community. You represent excellence—in vision, in implementation, and in results—and we want to learn as much as we can from you."

The Department will honor 285 public and 50 private schools at a National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognition ceremony on Nov. 9-10 in Washington, D.C.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students either achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap. The award plaque affirms the hard work of students, educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. The award flag gracing a school's building is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.

Please click on the video below to watch the video announcement from Arne Duncan.

All Saints Catholic School
(pre-K - 8th Grade)

Founded in 1998, All Saints Catholic School exists to instill the values of faith, family, and education in a challenging academic environment with a Catholic foundation and Christ as our model.  All Saints is a pre-K through eighth grade Catholic school serving Dallas, Richardson, Plano and the surrounding communities.

This is the second time All Saints has been recognized as an “exemplary high performing school” by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, a distinction only available to schools that place in the top 15 percent in the nation in reading and mathematics on nationally normed tests. Upon receiving the news, All Saints Principal, Kelly Blake noted, “Since our first Blue Ribbon recognition in 2006, we have continuously strengthened our academic program, developed an award-winning orchestra and band, partnered with our community to provide a unique STEM experience, and integrated Pre-K into our campus.”  Assistant Principal Dr. Laura McCorkle added, “This prestigious award recognizes not only our academic achievements but also our commitment to cultivating character and integrity in our students. This recognition is a testament to the dedication and skill of our faculty, the support of our families and parish, as well as the hard work of our students.”

To learn more about All Saints Catholic School, please visit http://www.allsaintsprek8.org.

Christ the King Catholic School
(pre-K - 8th Grade)

Christ the King Catholic School builds on a tradition of Catholic identity, academic excellence, and the formation of well-rounded students, which brings the school’s mission to life. The guiding principle of Christ the King Catholic School is that all decisions are based on what is in the best interest of the students. CKS, a parochial school in the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, Texas, educates students from developmental kindergarten through eighth grade, admitting students with a range of academic ability levels and learning styles. The faculty differentiates instruction to ensure success for each student in a nurturing environment.

After learning of this honor, Principal Mr. Patrick O’Sullivan of CKS said, "This honor is truly a community recognition and we thank our students, teachers, parents, alumni, and the Diocese of Dallas Catholic Schools Office for their dedication to our CKS mission that allows us to celebrate being named a 2015 National Blue Ribbon School."

To learn more about Christ the King Catholic School, please visit http://www.cks.org/.