Forest Hills receives Blue Ribbon Schools honor

Forest Hills has been recognized by the Minnesota Department of Education as one of only seven schools in the state to receive the 2025 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award! This is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the outstanding work our students and staff do each and every day. 

The Blue Ribbon Schools program honors schools that demonstrate exceptional student achievement or significant progress in closing learning gaps among groups of students. To be considered, schools must show strong academic results over time, high participation in state assessments, and a positive, inclusive learning environment. Schools also describe what makes their community special — things like school culture, teaching practices, leadership, family engagement, and the supports that help every child thrive.

In short, Blue Ribbon Schools are recognized not only for what students achieve, but also for how schools create the conditions for that success.

Our recognition was built on several key strengths, including:

• Student achievement on both state and district assessments
• Designation as a PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) Exemplar School for helping students be safe, kind and responsible 
• High ratings from student surveys reflecting a strong, positive school climate
• A strong application developed by a team of teachers that highlighted all the things that make Forest Hills so special.

While the U.S. Department of Education announced at the end of August that the federal Blue Ribbon program would be discontinued, our application and selection were completed before that decision. The Minnesota Department of Education, along with several other states, is continuing to honor schools that earned this distinction. That means our recognition — and everything it represents — will still be celebrated across our local and statewide communities.

This honor truly reflects each one of our students, working hard each day to learn and grow, as well as each one of the staff members who partner with them in that journey. And we couldn’t do it without each of you, our families. Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership as we inspire each student every day.