Sappington Elementary School has been nominated by the state of Missouri for the 2013 Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either high performing or have improved student achievement to high levels, especially among disadvantaged students.

Eight schools in Missouri have received this prestigious nomination. This year, all eight schools received the nomination for high achievement.

“I am extremely proud of our students, teachers and staff, who work together every day to make Sappington a school where every student has the opportunity to excel,” Sappington Principal Craig Hamby stated in a district news release. “This nomination is a reflection of their constant hard work and dedication”

Besides being nominated for the Blue Ribbon Schools award, Sappington is a National School of Character and ranks No. 5 in academic achievement among all of Missouri’s 1,051 elementary schools.

To earn the Blue Ribbon award, Sappington must meet Missouri School Improvement Program 5 test score standards in April.

The Blue Ribbon program is part of a larger Department of Education effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about best school leadership and teaching practices. Each year since 1982, the U.S. Department of Education has sought out schools where students attain and maintain high academic goals, including those that beat the odds.

If Sappington is named a Blue Ribbon School next year, it will be the third Lindbergh school in three years to achieve the honor. Lindbergh High School won Blue Ribbon in 2012 and Crestwood Elementary School in 2011.

“This is the highest honor our educators can achieve — winning Blue Ribbon is like winning the Nobel Prize of education,” Superintendent Jim Simpson stated in the release. “We are very proud of the students and staff at Sappington and look forward to seeing their achievement levels continue to soar this spring.”