North Greene High School's faculty and staff hosted a reception on Thursday evening to celebrate the school being named a "2009 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School."

NGHS Principal David McLain said he, Assistant Principal Robin Chapman and others traveled to Washington, D.C., on Nov. 3 to accept a plaque symbolizing the Blue Ribbon School designation from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

At 6 p.m. Tuesday, North Greene's faculty and staff gathered in the school's gymnasium along with several Greene County commissioners; state Rep. David Hawk; County School Board members Kathy Crawford, Richard Morrison and Claude Weems, Jr.; county Director of Schools Dr. Joe Parkins; county Assistant Director of Schools Judy Phillips; and county Secondary Education Supervisor Wayland Seaton.

Director of Schools Parkins opened the program by noting that NGHS was one of only 316 schools nationwide to be designated 2009 Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.

He also noted that NGHS was the only high school in Tennessee to be so honored this year.

Both Parkins and Principal McLain said the school's teachers deserved the credit for the school having won the Blue Ribbon School designation.

McLain also praised Assistant Principal Robin Chapman for her efforts in completing the "paperwork" that led to the school earning the Blue Ribbon School designation.

County School Board members Kathy Crawford and Richard Morrison presented a plaque recognizing the Blue Ribbon School designation to Principal McLain on behalf of the Greene County Board of Education.

State Rep. David Hawk, R-5th, of Greeneville, presented a proclamation from the Tennessee State Legislature recognizing North Greene for having been designated a Blue Ribbon School.

A press release issued by the U.S. Department of Education in September noted that the Blue Ribbon School program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are "either academically superior, or have made dramatic gains in student achievement and helped close gaps in achievement among minority and disadvantaged students."

Each year since 1982, the release said, the U.S. Department of Education has sought out schools where students attain and maintain high academic goals.

Using standards of excellence, as evidenced by student achievement measures and the characteristics known from research to exemplify school quality, the Department of Education celebrates schools, including those that beat the odds.

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program says it honors public and private schools based on one of two criteria:

* Schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests or in the case of private schools in the top 10 percent of the nation on nationally-normed tests; and

* Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that demonstrate dramatic improvement of student performance to high levels on state tests or nationally-normed tests.

Director of Schools Parkins said North Greene was in the second of the two categories.

In addition, public schools must meet Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, in reading (language arts) and mathematics.

Each state -- not the federal government -- sets its own academic standards and benchmark goals.

Following Tuesday evening's formal program, the NGHS faculty and staff joined county commissioners Kevin Morrison, Jan Kiker, Brenda Grogan, Clark Justis, Tim White and school board members for a reception in the school's cafeteria.