Blue Ribbon day at Rosa Parks School

Public School 254, The Rosa Parks School, recently commemorated its blue ribbon school distinction with a celebration of song, dance and poetry worthy of the award.
“This is an achievement that not only the school should be proud of, but the children, the parents and the surrounding community,” said State Senator Joseph Addabbo. “The sky’s the limit for these students.”
The blue ribbon of excellence award is given to schools that are “high performing or have improved student achievement to high levels.” Under 5 percent of the over 138,000 schools across the country have received this honor since it was first awarded in 1983.
“If you didn’t know what a blue ribbon school was, now you know,” said Santiago Taveras, interim Deputy Chancellor of the city’s Department of Education, to the visiting audience of friends, family, supporters and government officials.
“You think you are doing small things for our city, but you are doing great things,” said Councilmember James Sanders Jr., whose sister Naomi Drouillard is the school’s principal.
The stars of the December 17 assembly were the students. Each grade staged a performance that showcased their talent, creativity and ambition, demonstrating to everyone in attendance exactly why the school received the distinction and why they are “the leaders of tomorrow.”
The Richmond Hill school was one of only two public schools in the city to receive this award and the reasons every speaker gave started at the top with Drouillard.
“There is no such thing as a great school without a great principal,” said John McGrath, a representative from the U.S. Department of Education.
Drouillard also recently received the Terrel H. Bell award, which recognizes “outstanding school leaders and the vital role they play in overcoming challenging circumstances.”
The challenges that face the school include a poverty level of 92 percent, a special education level of 16 percent and an English learners’ level of 13 percent.
Drouillard spoke of how “honored” she feels to be the leader of this school. And without the help of the students, teachers, parents and everyone else involved in the children’s lives, this would not be possible, she said.
“Each person must live their lives as a model for others,” said McGrath, quoting the school’s namesake, Rosa Parks. “And the Rosa Parks School is a model for everyone.”