Greenacres Named a National Blue Ribbon School

Good news for the newly renovated Greenacres Elementary School. Here's an announcement from Scarsdale School Superintendent Andrew Patrick sent on September 19, 2023.

Earlier this afternoon, Greenacres Elementary School was distinguished with the honor of being named a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School! I hope you will join me in congratulating the students, faculty, staff, and parents on this gratifying accomplishment. In a message to the building earlier today, I urged them to take a few moments to reflect on the individual and collective journeys they have taken as educators, and to consider how this accomplishment helps to reinforce the importance of the care and commitment they demonstrate for their students each and every day. After learning of their nomination last winter, they brought the same level of care and commitment to bear on the voluminous NBRS application. Importantly, they embraced the opportunity to reflect on their practices as a school, identify those that best help define the Greenacres learning community, and put their best foot forward for the broader education world to see. Way to go!

It has been my observation that our school culture can sometimes downplay or discourage these types of noteworthy recognitions. Perhaps this is simply part and parcel of a high achieving, high success environment, or perhaps we are fearful of being viewed as distinct or apart. Personally, I subscribe to the belief that the accomplishments of individuals, groups, and schools within our organization are to be celebrated, as they reflect positively on all of us. Our students embrace their unique elementary experiences and hold on to those identities in important ways even after forging new relationships and more complex identities as they move on to SMS then SHS. Likewise, our collaboration as professionals runs deep, with good ideas, innovative practices, and novel learning opportunities nourishing the broader landscape in which we practice. I am delighted to express joy in this accomplishment both because it is well deserved, and because it reflects positively on the entirety of our District!

In partnership,

Drew