St. Thomas Named Blue Ribbon School by U.S. Dept. of Education

St. Thomas Aquinas School, a Catholic school on the western edge of downtown Fairfield for children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, was named a "Blue Ribbon School" by the U.S. Department of Education on Thursday - one of only 50 private schools in the country to receive the honor.

"The school has come out on top," said Brian Wallace, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, which oversees a total of 39 schools in Fairfield County that have a total of more than 11,000 students. "Certainly parents who have invested in Catholic education in Fairfield and teachers who work in it knew, and have known all along, they have something special...but this is a point of pride and achievement."

Five other elementary schools overseen by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport also achieved Blue Ribbon status - Our Lady Star of the Sea in Stamford, St. Aloysius School in New Canaan, St. Gregory School in Danbury, St. Catherine of Siena School in Trumbull and St. Mary School in Ridgefield. The six diocesan schools that achieved Blue Ribbon status in 2010 is a record for the diocese, and they join six other schools that previously won the distinction, Wallace said.

"With today's outstanding news, I hope that many more parents will consider investing in a Catholic education for their children's future," Bishop William E. Lori said in a statement.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that 254 public schools and 50 private schools had been chosen as 2010 National Blue Ribbon Schools. The Blue Ribbon schools will be honored at an awards ceremony on Nov. 15 and 16 in Washington, D.C.

"Schools honored with the Blue Ribbon Schools award are committed to achievement and to ensuring that students learn and succeed," Duncan said in a statement. "Their work reflects the conviction that every child has promise and must receive a quality education."

Blue Ribbon status was awarded to private schools based on one of two criteria: Students achieving in the top 10 percent of the nation on nationally-normed tests or schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that have demonstrated dramatic improvement on nationally-normed tests. Wallace said St. Thomas was recognized for the first criteria.

The Council for American Private Education submits private schools' nominations, and schools that qualify are then invited by Duncan to submit an application for Blue Ribbon status, according to the U.S. Department of Education's website.

Margaret Dames, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, said in a statement that the Bridgeport diocese was "positively thrilled by this wonderful news."

"This is about excellence," Dames said in the statement. "This is a recognition of the hard work that has been going on for years in our schools."

Tuition at St. Thomas, which has about 400 students, ranges in the 2010-11 school year for kindergarten through eighth grade from $5,517 a year for a student whose family is a member of the parish ($6,455 a year for a student whose family is not a member of the parish) to $14,123 a year for three students whose family is a member of the parish ($14,672 for a non-parish family) to $21,624 for five students whose family is a member of the parish ($22,173 for a non-parish family.)

Tuition for St. Thomas' preschool for 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds was set in the 2010-11 school year at $3,912 a year for three half-days for a parish family ($4,374 for a non-parish family) and $3,396 for two half-days for a parish family ($4,265 for a non-parish family.)

Discounts are offered for parents who have children in both preschool and kindergarten through eighth grade and financial aid also is available.

Schools overseen by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport have achieved Blue Ribbon status for three consecutive years and all of the students in the diocese's elementary schools read at or above grade level, according to Dames.

Previous diocesan schools awarded Blue Ribbon status are Greenwich Catholic School, Our Lady of Fatima School in Wilton, Saint Cecilia School in Stamford, Saint Mark School in Stratford, St. Mary's School in Bethel and Saint Rose of Lima School in Newtown.

"Eventually, Dr. Dames would like to see all schools be Blue Ribbon," Wallace said.