Nov 2, 2015 By Terry Kish 2 min read

Upper St. Clair’s Baker Elementary School was recently named one of 335 schools across the country to earn a 2015 National Blue Ribbon Award. Baker principal Dr. Patrick McClintock-Comeaux and Baker staff members were recognized for the achievement at the Oct. 26 Upper St. Clair School Board meeting.

On behalf of the school board, Dr. Patrick T. O’Toole, Superintendent of Schools, commended the Baker leadership team, teachers, support staff, parents and students for the achievement.

This is the second National Blue Ribbon Award earned by Baker Elementary School, which also received the award in 1998-99. Upper St. Clair High School earned three and Fort Couch Middle School earned four National Blue Ribbon Awards. Boyce Middle School and Eisenhower and Streams Elementary Schools have each earned one National Blue Ribbon Award.

Dr. McClintock-Comeaux said the entire Baker family works together to meet each child where they are academically, socially and emotionally and then help them progress to where they need to be.

“It’s a wonderful place to be,” said Dr. McClintock-Comeaux.

Dr. McClintock-Comeaux and Pam Dillie, Baker teacher and elementary science curriculum leader, will travel to Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Department of Education will honor the National Blue Ribbon Schools with a plaque and flag as symbols of their recognized status.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools where students either achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap.

Also recognized at the meeting were Upper St. Clair’s 2016 National Merit Semifinalists Christopher Adamo, Gaurav Bhushan, Zian Chen, Jacob Heilman, Emily Hobart, Hunter Lantzman, Sarina Mak, Yein Park, Joseph Paul, Akshay Prasadan, Mohammad Rahman, Hannah Tyger, Steven Wagner and Ryan Whyte, and 2016 National Merit Commended Students Hannah Cafaro, Zachary Christiansen, Charles Hendrix, Abdul Khan, Meghan Matheny, Liam McClelland, John Miller, Amanda Mittelman, Thomas Mologne, Michael Nastac, Geet Punjabi, Pedro Quiroga, Ajinkya Rai, Cara Ravasio, Mariya Savinov, Vidhi Shah, John Shea, Bennett Sneath, Rachel VanRyzin, Hannah Wilding and Braedon Wong.

In other business, the board approved a request for bid proposals for three capital projects: repaving Panther Pass at the high school, repaving the parking lot at Streams Elementary and turf replacement at the high school athletic field.