Oct. 4-10, 2019 Your Neighborhood — Your News®
THE NEWSPAPER OF FLUSHING, AUBURNDALE, KEW GARDENS HILLS & FRESH MEADOWS
75 cents
GET THE LATEST NEWS EVERY DAY AT QNS.COM
������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Forest Hills’ PS 101 named Blue Ribbon school
ROCKING OUT TO FIGHT GUN VIOLENCE
Concerned citizens and elected officials flocked to Katch Astoria to support a Queens organization
in its fight to end gun violence. Photo by Dean Moses
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Forest Hills’ P.S. 101Q has
earned the coveted title of a National
Blue Ribbon School for
2019 by U.S. Secretary of Education
Betsy DeVos on Sept. 26.
The recognition is based on
a school’s overall academic performance
or progress in closing
achievement gaps among
student subgroups.
“We recognize and honor
your important work in preparing
students for successful
careers and meaningful
lives,” DeVos said in a video
message to the honorees. “As
a National Blue Ribbon School,
your school demonstrates what
is possible when committed
educators hold all students and
staff to high standards and create
vibrant, innovative cultures
of teaching and learning.”
The coveted National Blue
Ribbon Schools award affirms
the hard work of educators,
families and communities in
creating safe and welcoming
schools where students master
challenging and engaging content
. P.S. 101Q, known as The
School in the Gardens, located
at 2 Russell Pl., was recognized
among 19 honorees for the prestigious
award. The school’s mission
is to nurture its students in
a well-rounded, intellectually
stimulating atmosphere, while
fostering a love of learning.
Their most impressive ac-
complishments have been centered
on the social emotional
climate of the school. Although
the school was somewhat high
performing, it was in the bottom
third of schools within
similar demographics.
“As we have partnered
with Yale University’s Center
for Emotional Intelligence, we
have seen more of our students
engaged in their own growth
and potential. The backbone of
our work is built on the social
emotional components of our
curricula,” according to its
National Blue Ribbons Schools
profile. “We focused on childcentered,
progressive education
as we partnered with Columbia
University’s Teachers’ College.
We narrowed our achievement
gap because of the fundamental
belief that all students can
reach their potential. Another
strength of the community is
the collaboration between all
constituents.”
In her summer 2019 message
to the students, Principal
Monique Lopez-Paniagua said,
“I’m so thankful for our teachers;
they’re so dedicated and
hardworking and they really
give 100 percent to our kids and
are here for the right reasons.
Teachers, thank you. And for
the rest of our staff — our paraprofessionals,
office staff, our
kitchen staff, our custodians
— again, we are a great school
because we are a community.”
Now in its 37th year, the National
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
has bestowed recognition
on more than 9,000 schools. On
Nov. 14 and 15, the Secretary
and Department of Education
will celebrate with 312 public
and 50 non-public school honorees
at an awards ceremony in
Washington, D.C.
The Department recognizes
all schools in one of two performance
categories, based on
all student scores, student subgroup
scores and graduation
rates:
Exemplary High Performing
Schools are among
their state’s highest performing
schools as measured by
state assessments or nationally
normed tests.
Exemplary Achievement
Gap Closing Schools are
among their state’s highest
performing schools in closing
achievement gaps between a
school’s student groups and all
students.
Up to 420 schools may be
nominated each year. The Department
invites National Blue
Ribbon School nominations
from the top education official
in all states: the District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico, the Virgin
Islands, the Department
of Defense Education Activity
and the Bureau of Indian
Education. Private schools are
nominated by The Council for
American Private Education
(CAPE).
Vol. 7, No. 40 56 total pages
October 5 & 6
LOCATED AT
LIC FLEA & FOOD
5-25 46TH AVENUE
LONG ISLAND CITY
BUY TICKETS www.QueensBeerFest.com
/www.QueensBeerFest.com
/QNS.COM
/www.QueensBeerFest.com
