Smallwood named Blue Ribbon School

At the Oct. 2 Board of Education meeting, Amherst Superintendent Laura Chabe said Smallwood Drive Elementary has been chosen as one of the 2007 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools.

Smallwood is one of 16 schools across New York State and 287 in the United States to earn the distinction. The award honors elementary and middle schools that met either of two assessment criteria during the 2005-06 school year and made significant progress in closing the achievement gap.

"New York's Blue Ribbon Schools are standard setters," said State Education Commissioner Richard Mills. "They have met important challenges. The (State Board of) Regents commends these schools for excellent work on the part of teachers, administrators and especially their students."

Board president William Blanford, speaking on behalf of the entire board, asked Chabe to "pass along their congratulations on this outstanding achievement to Smallwood Drive Principal Lee Brenner, former principal Barbara Marotto and all of the faculty and staff members at Smallwood."

Those schools selected as No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools will be honored at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 12 and 13.