HCPSSFolly Quarter Middle Named Maryland Blue Ribbon School
December 20th, 2012
State Superintendent Lillian Lowery announced this morning that Folly Quarter Middle School has been named one of six Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools for 2012.
“Folly Quarter Middle School has an extremely committed staff and a student body intent on rising to academic challenges,” said HCPSS Superintendent Renee A. Foose. “Principal Rick Wilson and the entire Folly Quarter community have a great deal to be proud of today, as they are recognized as a model school within the state.”
Students at Folly Quarter are among the top performing students in the state as measured by their scores on the Maryland School Assessments (MSAs). In 2012, the school achieved pass rates that exceeded 95 percent on the Grades 6, 7 and 8 reading and mathematics MSAs, as well as the Grade 8 science MSA.
Folly Quarter MS has received statewide recognition for a number of academic and operational achievements over the past several years. These honors include:
- Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Maryland Gold School (2010, 2011 and 2012).
- MSDE School Performance Award recipient (2004 – 2011).
- Maryland Green School (2010).
- Maryland Black Saga Competition Top 10 (2011, 2012).
In addition, several Folly Quarter MS staff members have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to education, including:
- Rick Wilson, Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals Principal of the Year, Middle School Level (2010).
- Tammy Goldeisen, Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals’ Assistant Principal of the Year, Middle School Level (2011).
- Trish Watt, nominee for Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award (2011).
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a state and national program that recognizes and honors schools that exhibit high performance and/or significant improvement in reading and mathematics achievement as measured by Maryland’s assessments. Schools must meet rigorous standards developed by the Maryland State Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education. These schools are either extremely high achievers in reading and mathematics or economically disadvantaged schools exceeding norms and dramatically closing achievement gaps of their students in reading and mathematics. Maryland can select up to six schools for recognition, based on its school-age population. The Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools go on to compete for National Blue Ribbon Awards, which will be announced by the US Department of Education next September.