BRAINTREE -- Two Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Boston have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education, the department announced on Sept. 23.

St. Mary of the Assumption School in Brookline and St. Joseph School in Needham were two of only nine schools in Massachusetts and 356 schools nationwide to receive the award, which goes to schools that "excel in academic performance or make significant strides in closing achievement gaps among different student groups."

Private schools are nominated for the Blue Ribbon Award by the Council for American Private Education. The nominated schools each submit an application to the Department of Education describing their "school culture, programs, assessments, instructional practices, professional development, leadership, family, and community involvement."

Speaking to The Pilot on Sept. 25, St. Mary's Assistant Principal Maria Enrique said that the school received the award for its focus on children's "moral and virtuous development, as well as high educational excellence."

"We have an amazing reading specialist, we have dedicated faculty and staff who take their time to educate the whole child, and are constantly working with families to see what support they need," she said.

Enrique added that St. Mary's close connection with its parish and its full-time guidance counselor, who serves students' social and emotional needs, contributed to it receiving the award.

"We're really excited," she said. "It's great news for us."

St. Mary's, which celebrates its 125th anniversary this year, is a co-ed school instructing students from pre-K to eighth grade. According to 2023 data from the Catholic Schools Support Network, St. Mary's students scored 39 percentage points higher than the state average in math and reading.

"We are scoring almost double Massachusetts public schools," Principal Christine Nadjarian told The Pilot on Sept. 25.

Nadjarian said that the school's success is due to a low student-to-teacher ratio, parents being active in their children's education, and a school culture that fosters the students' "spiritual potential" by giving them opportunities to practice community service and leadership. She also praised her "incredible faculty and staff," who she said are innovative and adapt well to change.

"Their passion for education trickles down to our students," she said.

Speaking to The Pilot on Sept. 27, St. Joseph School Marketing and Communications Director Tori Banu said, "This award, for us at least, reflects our commitment to developing well-rounded individuals who are faith-filled, intellectually curious, and dedicated to service."

Banu attributed the school's academic success to "data-driven instruction." Like all schools in the Archdiocese of Boston, St. Joseph's uses MAP (Measured Academic Progress) testing to guide the way that teachers instruct. Each teacher looks at the results of the tests, and shapes their instruction based on what they see. That way, they can cater to each child's individual learning needs.

In math and reading testing from September 2023 to January 2024, eight of St. Joseph's nine grade levels exceeded growth projections. Over 91 percent of first graders and over 92 percent of sixth graders exceeded projected growth in math, while over 80 percent of first and second graders exceeded projected growth in reading. More than half of students from grades two to eight scored in the 80th percentile or higher in writing and language use.

"For us, it further affirms the longstanding tradition of faith-based education at St. Joe's," Banu said.

She added that the Blue Ribbon Award is a testament to how the school focuses on character development as well as academic success. Students at St. Joseph's, a co-ed, pre-K through grade eight school celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, have performed over 1,000 hours of community service in the past year. Through student-led initiatives, they have raised over $20,000 for various charities. The school also has a "virtue program," where students learn about a different virtue each month.

"Our students actively contribute to the community," Banu said.

"This recognition reflects the unwavering support of our families, the dedication of our faculty and staff, and the enthusiasm of our students who embrace the values of faith, virtue, intellect, and stewardship each day," St. Joseph's Interim Head of School Kristen Fiumara said in a Sept. 23 statement. "The entire community should take great pride in this achievement."