For the second time in three years, U.S. News & World Report magazine has rated Vernon’s Lake Street School as one of the best in Connecticut. Long known for rating colleges and hospitals, in 2021 U.S. News began ranking elementary and middle schools across the nation.
Lake Street School was 60th out 560 schools in 2021 and for 2024 is ranked 54th of 545 Connecticut elementary schools.
The magazine’s ratings are based on math and reading proficiency as measured by state assessments as well as how students perform compared to expectations. Lake Street students performed “well above expectations” in math and reading.
“A high-quality curriculum and teachers and administrators with high standards bring about these kinds of results,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary said. “None of this happens, however, without a strong partnership with families. Parents play an essential role in their children’s education. When students, teachers, staff and parents are focused on learning, the sky is the limit.”
Lake Street School Principal Tracy Duenzl said she and her colleagues could not be happier to have achieved the ranking again. Like in all Vernon schools, students at Lake Street are engaged, challenged every day to do their best work, taught to think critically and collaboratively and to grow into life-long learners.
“At Lake Street School, we focus on doing what's best for kids by working together as a team,” Duenzl said. “Our students and families are our top priority and are well supported by Vernon Public School. We work hard
to help our students learn and grow.”
It’s been an exciting fall in the Vernon Public Schools. Lake Street School is only the latest school to be honored for its students’ achievements.
Skinner Road School was named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. And Northeast and Maple Street schools were designated as “Schools of Distinction” by the Connecticut Department of Education. And district-wide, Vernon Public Schools students beat the state average on the Next Generation Accountability Results and were ranked No. 1 among alliance districts and in Vernon’s District Reference Group.
“In Vernon we have a strong curriculum and teachers who are focused on helping students grow academically,” Assistant Superintendent Robert Testa said. “If a student struggles, we have interventionists to help that student get back on track to meeting their full potential.”
Board of Education Chairman Paul Grabowski said the performance of a community’s public schools says a lot about a city or town.
“The Board of Education and Vernon community are immensely proud of the hard work our students, faculty, staff, and administrators have put in to earn this ranking,” Grabowski said. “The strong performance of Vernon schools reflects our town’s commitment to education, and the Board of Education’s focus on creating an environment where high expectations and achievement are the norm. We know our teachers and administrators work hard to challenge Vernon students so that they are successful in school and life. The recognition by U.S. News & World is well deserved.”