Local schools win national recognition from Sec. DeVos

Dodgen Middle School in Cobb County is one of the Georgia schools that won national recognition for excellence.

Dodgen Middle School in Cobb County is one of the Georgia schools that won national recognition for excellence.

Eight public and private schools in the metro Atlanta region received recognition from U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

The National Blue Ribbon recognition is based on overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

The local schools are:

Atlanta Academy, a private school in Roswell.

In Forsyth County: Big Creek Elementary School,  Brookwood Elementary and Riverwatch Middle School.

In Cobb County: Dickerson Middle School and

Dodgen Middle School.

In Fayette County, Kedron Elementary School.

And in Hapeville, Saint John the Evangelist Catholic School.

They are among 342 school nationwide which achieved the distinction.

The U.S. Department of Education will recognize the 292 public and 50 private schools at an awards ceremony in Washington November 6 and 7, 2017.