For Rich Pond Elementary School Principal Dan Costellow, being named a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School recognizes the school’s success in narrowing performance gaps between different student populations.

Rich Pond was among just four public schools in Kentucky to earn the designation this week from the U.S. Department of Education.

Costellow said Blue Ribbon Schools must be nominated by the state and must be in the top 40 percent of Kentucky schools ranked by the performance of subgroups based on race, gender, English language learners, gifted and talented students, free and reduced lunch students and students with academic and physical disabilities. Schools also had to have all their students performing in the top 15 percent in reading and math achievement.

“It’s not a few students who have helped us get this recognition,” Costellow said. “It’s all of our students.”

Rich Pond Elementary joined Ezel Elementary in Morgan County, Graves Central Elementary in Graves County and Norton Elementary in Jefferson County. Five private schools in Kentucky were also named as part of this year’s Blue Ribbon Schools.

Only 342 public and private elementary, middle and high schools across the country were recognized this year.

“Kentucky’s Blue Ribbon Schools are great examples of school success in the Commonwealth,” said Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt in a news release. “These schools are models for others across Kentucky and serve as proof of what can happen when schools create a culture of high expectations for students and staff, encourage excellent teaching, support the learning needs of each child and adopt a mindset of continuous improvement.”

This is the second time Rich Pond Elementary has received this award, with the first time being in 1997.

A school announcement noted the school has achieved this award with roughly 40 percent of its students coming from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background and with a student population that’s grown from 320 students in 2012 to nearly 560 students.

For Costellow, the school’s secret to success is its culture. While at school, students are taught to respect each other and all adults in the school, that mistakes are OK when they’re learning and the importance of trying their best.

That culture also allows the school’s staff to do the best job they can, Costellow said. Along with great parent and community support, Costellow said the school’s staff is on the same page and headed into the right direction together.

“Without that, academic success doesn’t follow,” Costellow said.

Representatives from the school will travel to Washington, D.C., in November to receive the award.