St. James Catholic School Receives Blue Ribbon Award

Only two schools in the state have been recognized as Blue Ribbon schools for academic excellence, and one of them is in Gulfport. St. James Catholic School in Gulfport is one of only 337 schools across the country to be named Blue Ribbon schools by the U.S. Department of Education.

In order to qualify for the award, St. James had to show that it was in the top 15% in standardized scores from Pre-K to 6th grade. For a school that relies on fundraising and tuition to operate, the national honor serves as the best advertisement to parents who may be looking for local schools for their children.

Jennifer Broadus, Principal of St. James Catholic School, says, "We are so excited because we are a Catholic school and to be recognized as one of two schools is a big deal to us. It’s exciting that our students and faculty have been recognized for doing such a wonderful job.”

To celebrate the award, October 10th will be Blue Day at the school. Children are encouraged to wear blue, blue ribbons will be tied around the school, and students can snack on blue cupcakes.