Mississippi Department of Education honors inaugural Blue Ribbon Schools

Gulf Coast, Miss. (WXXV)- Beach Elementary students were recognized for being named one of the first Mississippi Blue Ribbon Schools.

A celebration took place on December 12th. Students from the school and those who contributed to the honor in past years were brought from Trent Lott Academy to take part.

City officials and board members from the Pascagoula – Gautier School District joined in on the celebration.

The Mississippi Department of Education also recognizing two other Blue Ribbon Schools.

Bayou View Elementary in Gulfport was recognized as both an exemplary high-performing school and an exemplary gap-closing school.

Meanwhile, Ocean Springs High School was recognized as an exemplary high-performing school.

The state’s Blue Ribbon Schools replaces the national program, the United States Department of Education terminating the program earlier this year.

Mississippi uses the same criteria for selection as the national program.