Decatur’s St. Thomas More Catholic has been named a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.

The W. Ponce De Leon Avenue institution is one of just 50 private schools to make Secretary of Education John King Jr.'s list of 329 schools, according to a news release.

"National Blue Ribbon Schools are proof that we can prepare every child for college and meaningful careers," King said in a video message to honorees. "Your schools are on the cutting edge, pioneering innovative educational practices — professional learning communities, project-based learning, social and emotional learning, positive behavior systems — making you shining examples for your communities, your state and the nation."

>Related: Which Atlanta private high school was named the best in Georgia?

The Decatur school, accredited through the Archdiocese of Atlanta, has 480 students total from Kindergarten to 8th grade. It opened in 1950 and was staffed by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

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