U.S. Blue Ribbon School

McCluer North High School is the recipient of a Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education. The Blue Ribbon completes a triple crown of awards for McCluer North that began with the Missouri Gold Star Award and continued with the Missouri A+ designation.

The U.S. Blue Ribbon Schools Program supports the improvement of education in America by recognizing schools that are models of excellence. Blue Ribbon Schools excel in all areas of academic leadership, teaching, teacher development, and school curriculum. In addition, they exhibit exceptional levels of community involvement, parental involvement, student achievement, discipline and safety.

In the final analysis, the U.S. Department of Education review panel justified its selection of McCluer North as a Blue Ribbon School with the following commendation:

"McCluer North High School, a previously recognized Blue Ribbon School, is continuing to help every child become a successful learner and a responsible, productive citizen. The school meets the curricular, co-curricular, and physical needs of its diverse student body. The culture of the school supports learning and fosters a caring community. The faculty does everything it can and more to help the students meet the high expectations of a challenging curriculum. It has an Advisory Program that serves as an excellent model for how such programs are supposed to work. A well-designed and comprehensive professional development approach serves all staff members well. The nomination application portrays a school that is working hard to provide an excellent quality education to its students."

McCluer North was the only high school in Missouri selected to compete for the national award when it was named a Missouri Gold Star School. To enter the competition, McCluer North completed a rigorous self-study that encompassed student achievement, student support services, curriculum, teaching practices, professional development, leadership and partnerships within the school community.

Then, a Blue Ribbon Committee Representative visited for two days to scrutinize the selection criteria that define McCluer North's success. "I was most impressed with the high level of thinking taking place," the Blue Ribbon representative wrote in the report. "There is no question that the culture of the school targets school improvement, particularly student achievement."
Advisement Program
The nationally recognized Advisement Program is a particular source of pride for McCluer North and of specific interest to the review committee. Under the Advisement Program, students are assigned to a faculty member who serves as a mentor for their entire high school experience. All advisors meet with students individually or in small groups for two hours each week.
"Central to the commitment to the success of every child is an outstanding Advisement Program," the representative wrote. "Every educator, including the principal, accepts the responsibility for guiding the personal and academic growth for 15-20 students for the four years they are in high school. Over and over during my visit I heard from parents, students and teachers that this advisement program demonstrates that the school really cares."