During the 2007-08 academic year, three schools in three different dioceses within our Florida Catholic Conference Accreditation Program (FCCAP) received special awards from nationwide agencies or organizations.

First, in October 2007, two of our schools received prestigious "No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon" Awards.  These include:

• Cathedral Parish School, St. Augustine, FL (under the leadership of Mrs. Janet Morton, Principal); and,

• St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School, Orlando, FL (under the leadership of Mrs. Mary Agnew, Principal).

Only fifty private schools nationwide received this honor from the U.S. Department of Education in 2007.  Furthermore, these two schools were the only Catholic schools in Florida that received the honor last year.

Then, in December 2007, another one of our schools received special recognition.  Epiphany Cathedral School in Venice, FL -- under the leadership of Mrs. Irene Lynch, Principal -- received the designation of "Lighthouse School Award" from the non-profit "Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, Inc.  Only twelve out of 200 schools nationwide received this honor resulting from the “Blueprint for Excellence” process of assessment, during a special ceremony in Charleston, SC.

Undoubtedly, the awards received are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the three school communities (including administrators, faculty and staff, parents, students, etc.).  These awards also testify to the invaluable guidance and support from school Pastors, as well as Offices of Schools for the St. Augustine, Orlando and Venice Dioceses.

For more information on each award program, please see the following links:

• U.S. Department of Education "No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools;" and,
   

• Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, Inc. "Lighthouse School Award."