The United States Department of Education recognized the school as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and the National Association of Elementary Schools Principals honored past principal, Sr. Mary de Lourdes, as a National Distinguished Principal. St. Edward has attained accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
 
Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and No Child Left Behind
 
On September 17, 2003, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige named 214 public and private elementary and secondary schools as the first ones to be honored under the new No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools Program. The new program recognizes schools that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap or whose students achieve at very high levels.

St. Edward the Confessor School was nominated for the No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools Program because students' test scores met the academic achievement criteria. Our student test scores were in the top 10 percent in the nation. The school was subsequently invited to submit an application for recognition by the Secretary of Education. We are thrilled and excited to be the only elementary school in the State of Louisiana selected to receive this honor. We are proud of our students, teachers, staff, parents and our founding Principal, the late Sr. Mary de Lourdes. Now the whole country will know what we have known for many years. St. Edward the Confessor is a school that has exceptional teachers, an exceptional staff, and many dedicated parents who all work together with our principal to produce exceptional young men and women.

The following is from the U. S. Department of Education press release:

"In keeping with the principles of the No Child Left Behind Act, we are rewarding schools based on student achievement results, not process," Paige said. "Starting this year, the program has a new name -No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools-and it recognizes schools that produce results for all of their students regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or zip code."

Every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Department of Defense Education Agency has an assigned number of possible schools based on the number of students and the number of schools in the state. The state's CCSO nominates public schools and the Council for American Private education (CAPE) nominates private schools. Once the secretary has the nominations from the CCSO and CAPE, the secretary invites the nominated schools to submit applications for possible recognition as a No Child Left Behind -- Blue Ribbon School.

"I am delighted to congratulate the principals, teachers, parents, and students of the 2003 No Child Left Behind -- Blue Ribbon Schools," Secretary Paige said. "These schools are national models of excellence that others can learn from and are meeting President Bush's mission to ensure that every child learns, and no child is left behind."

The 2003 No Child Left Behind -- Blue Ribbon Schools were honored at an awards ceremony with Secretary Paige in Washington, D.C.

Further information on the program and a list of current winners can be accessed at by clicking here:http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/awards.html.