EAST PROVIDENCE — U.S. Secretary of Education, John B. King, Jr., announced Wednesday, Sept. 28, Kent Heights Elementary School has been named a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School. Kent Heights School is one among 279 public and 50 private schools receiving this honor.

East Providence Superintendent of School Kathryn Crowley made the announcement during a special ceremony at Kent Heights Wednesday afternoon.

Schools are nominated for the award by the state department of education, and then complete a comprehensive application about school practices. Schools may apply for status as Exemplary High Performing—among the top schools in a state—or Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing—schools making the fastest progress in their state in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

Dr. Celeste Bowler, Assistant Superintendent of East Providence Schools, Stephen Prew, Principal of Kent Heights School, and Fatima Avila, Former Principal of Kent Heights School, will represent Kent Heights at a two-day awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., to celebrate their hard-won achievements.

For more information about the National Blue Ribbon Schools program, please visit http://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/.