Crofton Meadows Elementary Celebrates Its Blue Ribbon Status

held an assembly on Monday to celebrate its achievement of .

Principal Derek Burns welcomed students, faculty, parents, community partners and several honored guests for the gathering that lasted about an hour.

Guests included Sen. Ed Reilly (R-Crofton), Delegate Cathy Vitale (R-Severna Park), Interim State Superintendent Bernard Sadusky, Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) Superintendent Kevin Maxwell, AACPS Board of Education President Patricia Nalley, Blue Ribbon Schools Director Darla Strouse and former Crofton Meadows principal Janine Robinson.

According to the Maryland State Department of Education, Blue Ribbon schools exhibit sustained high performance and/or significant improvement in student achievement in mathematics and reading.

"You are the best of the best," Sadusky told the group.

Students at Crofton Meadows scored 100 percent in mathematics and 99 percent in reading.

"The students just work hard, but our teachers—it's so much about them. They put in so much time and effort. They are consistently learning new skills [and] trying new things," Burns said.

For receiving the award, the school received a Smart Board, projector, document camera, 32-pack student response system, wireless slate, and audio system and training valued at $16,000. All of the donations were made by Smart Technologies.

The school also received donations of two additional Smart Boards, meaning they will have three interactive white boards for the students and teachers.

Crofton Meadows is now eligible to become a National Blue Ribbon School.