SHADYSIDE — Leona Middle School received a National Blue Ribbon award for excelling in academic performance and making significant strides in achievement.

The National Blue Ribbon Award is an honor bestowed by the U.S. Department of Education to schools across the country that are a “testament to the exceptional achievements of students and educators at each of these schools,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools are raising the bar for our nation’s students, serving as models for effective teaching and intentional collaboration in their schools and communities. As we celebrate their achievements, let us look to these schools for inspiration as we champion education as the foundation of a brighter future for every child.” 

The Department of Education awarded the Blue Ribbon to Leona Middle School at the beginning of September.

It first nominated the school in the spring, which led staff to complete a long application process explaining why the school is deserving of the honor. The school is one of 14 schools awarded this honor in Ohio, based on the past five years of information.

“It’s a reflection on the team that we have here, the team of teachers. As I always said, coaches don’t win without good players. And I have great players, great teachers,” said Principal Kevin Roseberry. “They come here every day, do what they’re supposed to do and meet the needs of every student here. I’m just proud of what kind of learning environment that we’ve been able to create here at Leona Middle School.”

Students have had top Ohio state test scores for the past three to five years, and Roseberry believes this is why Leona was considered for the award. Roseberry said to keep moving forward, the school will keep doing what it’s been doing – creating a space to meet the academic, physical and socio-emotional needs of every child in the building.

“They work hard,” he said. “I’m super proud of the teachers and the entire staff, from the cooks to the custodians. I mean, everybody has a great part in making the environment here a positive learning environment.”

Roseberry said the teachers create a great atmosphere within the classroom, increasing the ability for learning. A key to the school’s success is people being there for the right reasons.

He described the middle school’s motto as, “We are here to learn.” He said it takes everybody, including students, to accomplish that goal.

Parents play a huge part in students’ success as well, Roseberry said. He noted the students are only with the school for approximately five hours a day and the rest of the time they are with their parents. He said the school is blessed with strong support systems at home and parents who are phenomenal about preparing their children to do well.

“They want their students to do well. They want their students to be learning. They want their students to come to school,” he said. “So, the community and the parents are a huge part of any success that we have here.”

Roseberry appreciates the school board because he said without them, the school can’t do some things that it’s been able to do early on. Having the board support the students and staff and giving them the resources to be successful is something to be recognized.

This honor means a lot because it shows all the hard work that’s done by the staff and students to be recognized nationally and be one of only 14 school buildings in the Buckeye State to receive it, said Superintendent John Haswell.

Haswell said the Shadyside community takes great pride in the schools across the district, so this award means a lot for it, too. He noted it takes cooperation from parents, students and staff.

This is an award that’s all inclusive of programming, assessment, curriculum and professional development, said Curriculum Consultant Angela Hicks. She said receiving this honor was a team effort, from the board approving framework and supporting curriculum decisions to the community bringing in outside resources for every aspect of students’ needs.

Hicks said the staff continues to look at research and educational strategies, including a lot of new research on how students learn, so the teachers keep up on professional development and are attuned to students and their backgrounds and cultures.

“Any student or faculty or community member who’s touched the lives of these students for the last five years and beyond, they should be proud of themselves,” she said.

Jefferson Elementary School in Shadyside received the Blue Ribbon award in 2012. The principal at the time, Cynthia Caldwell, said that receiving the award 12 years ago and the middle school award now says a lot about the school district as a whole.

“Even over 12 years, our students are still working hard. Teachers are meeting the expectations of the state in order to provide excellent education, so students can be successful once they move out into the working world,” she said. “Twelve years is a long time, and for Leona to be able to follow up with this award is definitely a representation of what Shadyside says schools have as far as education.”

Caldwell said students should be proud of receiving this award because the award would not be there unless the students were able to meet the high expectations of the school. She noted how students need to know their efforts are working because of the high assessments scores.

Caldwell emphasized that preschool, elementary and other professionals who gave the building blocks for students’ success should be proud of themselves because of the foundation they gave for students to excel.

The school has teacher-based meetings every week, where teachers go over data per grade level. The school also has leadership teams that talk about strengths and weaknesses of students, both socially and academically. Caldwell said the social part is important because students have to feel good when coming to school to learn.

“I’m proud of Mr. Roseberry for his achievements in getting this award for the school. It’s a lot of hard work and staying on top of your game,” she said. “I know when I received it back in 2012, I was only a principal for seven years. It’s an honor to know that what you’re doing is working.”

Science teacher Raeanne Ponzo said science is a hard and structured subject, so she tries to have fun with her students. She noted how she does a lot of hands-on activities with her students because children seem to understand the subject better that way. She also mentioned how she takes her students outside a lot and will continue to make science fun.

Ponzo thinks it’s amazing to achieve the honor because of how many schools are in Ohio, and it adds to the pride the Shadyside community has.

“I knew we were a phenomenal school before the award. We had phenomenal teachers and staff before the award. It just now solidifies that the state and the country sees that we are one of the top schools in the state and the country,” Roseberry said. “So even though you know that deep down, you feel good when other people outside the community and outside of the school give you that pat on the back and ‘Hey, you know you are what you say you are.’ I think that’s a big thing.”