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Skutt Catholic High School Named 2022 National Blue Ribbon School 

V.J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School has been named a 2022 National Blue Ribbon School. Part of the U.S. Department of Education, the program recognizes schools based on their overall academic excellence.  The coveted National Blue Ribbon School award is the highest honor a school can earn and it is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning. 

This is the second time the school has been honored with the prestigious award, thus making Skutt Catholic a multiple National Blue Ribbon School awardee. The first time was in 2012. Only six high schools in the state of Nebraska have earned this designation twice since the program’s inception in 1982.  Principal Rob Meyers and a member of the school staff will receive the award at a ceremony in Washington D.C. in November.

Founded in 1993, in Omaha, Nebraska, Skutt Catholic High School is an Archdiocesan, coeducational, college-preparatory school for grades 9-12. The mission of forming and educating young men and women to become Christian leaders who empower others, promote justice and initiate change, leads students to practice moral behaviors based on Catholic beliefs, strive for intellectual excellence, and demonstrate an understanding of self and society, while developing personal integrity.

Skutt Catholic has developed a comprehensive college-preparatory curriculum, including more fine and performing art courses than any private school in the state. Course offerings include 25 dual-enrollment courses and 17 Advanced Placement courses. In 2021, the average composite ACT score for the top half of graduating seniors was over 29. 

Embracing the concept of the 4 Cs of education to cultivate the skills of creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking, Skutt Catholic stresses the importance of preparing students to thrive in a modern, connected society. All staff are required to become Level I Google Certified Educators, with weekly training sessions to integrate project-based learning and technology innovation in the classroom.

At Skutt Catholic, students are encouraged to soar beyond the classroom, with 87% of students participating in at least one extracurricular activity. Skutt Catholic athletic and activity programs have received local, regional, and national recognition, including 82 Nebraska state championships since 1998.

Announcement from the U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona today recognized 297 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2022. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Secretary Cardona made the announcement during his Road to Success Back to School bus tour.

“I applaud all the honorees for the 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award for creating vibrant, welcoming, and affirming school communities where students can learn, grow, reach their potential, and achieve their dreams,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “As our country continues to recover from the pandemic, we know that our future will only be as strong as the education we provide to all of our children. Blue Ribbon Schools have gone above and beyond to keep students healthy and safe while meeting their academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs. These schools show what is possible to make an enduring, positive difference in students’ lives.”

With its 39th cohort, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools. The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms and validates the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in striving for – and attaining – exemplary achievement. 

National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as models of effective school practices for state and district educators and other schools throughout the nation. A National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing a school’s entryway or on a flagpole is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.  

The Department recognizes all schools in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student 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 nominations for the National Blue Ribbon Schools award from the top education officials in all states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education. 

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photographs and brief descriptions of the 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools are available at https://www.nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/.

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