U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan announced in mid-September that the U.S. Department of Education selected All Saints Catholic School as a 2009 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. All Saints Catholic School will be honored at a formal ceremony in Washington D.C. on November 2 - 3, 2009. The No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon School Program honors public and private K-12 schools for their academic excellence and ability to help students achieve at very high levels. All Saints announced the news to students with a surprise student assembly attended by Senator Charles Colgan and Manassas City Council Member Jonathan Way.
All Saints met and exceeded the Blue Ribbon eligibility guidelines in part because its students have continued to score in the top 10 percent of the U.S. on national Terra Nova standardized testing. Upon learning of the award, All Saints Principal David E. Conroy, Jr. congratulated the students and staff of All Saints commenting, "I am tremendously proud of our school community for achieving this national distinction. I am particularly grateful to the faculty and staff, a remarkably talented and dedicated group of professionals. With the support of the parent and parish community, they have created a world-class environment of faith and learning."
Founded in 1957, All Saints enjoys a reputation of over 50 years of excellence in Catholic education grounded in a balanced curriculum that fosters spiritual growth, intellectual challenge, physical development, and service to the community. Emphasis is placed on character development as students are encouraged on a daily basis to develop habits of respect, kindness, reverence, self-discipline and compassion.
All Saints, a parochial school in the Diocese of Arlington, continues to grow under the generous support of the All Saints parish community, the largest Catholic parish in the state of Virginia. All Saints Pastor Rev. Robert C. Cilinski noted, "I rejoice today that the academic achievements of our students have been recognized with the Blue Ribbon Award. The most significant reason for this success is that our principal and teachers enforce high standards and challenge our students to be their best. Thank you faculty and staff, parents and All Saints parishioners for the important partnership you share in forming our children in faith and learning. I applaud and congratulate the school community on this special recognition."
All Saints Catholic School is the first school in Manassas and the third elementary school in Prince William County to receive the prestigious No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon status. All Saints is part of the Diocese of Arlington Catholic Schools which won four of the fifty blue ribbon awards given to private schools nationwide this year. Located on the corner of Stonewall Road and Route 28 in Manassas, All Saints serves 530 students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Additional information can be found on the school's website at http://www.allsaintsvaschool.org.
