4 Catholic schools named National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence

Saint Mary Catholic School in Schwenksville and Saint Norbert School in Paoli, Saint Andrew Catholic School in Newtown and Saint Ignatius of Antioch Catholic School in Yardley were selected as part of the 2021 cohort of National Blue Ribbon Schools in an announcement made by Education Secretary Miguel A. Cardona.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia schools are four of only 325 schools total and among just 23 private schools selected nationally. Each school was chosen for this honor based on exemplary high performance.

One of the four received National Blue Ribbon School designation for the first time. Saint Ignatius of Antioch Catholic School was honored previously in 2007, Saint Andrew School previously received the designation in 2013, and Saint Norbert School previously received it in 2015.

Andrew McLaughlin, secretary for elementary education in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, said, “We are thrilled to learn of the well-deserved selection of these elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as part of the 2021 National Blue Ribbon Schools cohort. That four of our elementary schools in the Archdiocese were recognized nationally among only 23 private schools speaks volumes regarding the work done in all of our Catholic elementary schools each day.

McLaughlin continued, “I offer my prayerful congratulations to the schools being recognized today. They, along with the 39 others who have been chosen as Blue Ribbon schools in the past, serve as examples of excellence to all of us working in the field of Catholic education.”

With the addition of the 2021 cohort, a total of 41 different parish and regional Catholic elementary schools in the five-county Archdiocese have been recognized with Blue Ribbon Status since the program’s inception in 1982. Saint Genevieve Catholic School in Flourtown has received this honor more times than any other school in the Archdiocese (2000, 2006, and 2016).

The Education Department will hold a recognition ceremony for this year’s Blue Ribbon Schools during the week of Oct. 31 in Washington, D.C. Representatives from the four regional schools will be formally recognized at that time.