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Beth Raeburn, Tim Closson and Greg Denecker, representing Bluffton elementary school, traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to receive the U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon Award.

Bluffton elementary is one of only 16 schools in Ohio to receive the award.

Only 349 schools (300 public, 49 private) nationwide received the award out of 130,000 schools in the United States.

The award is for Exemplary High Performing achievement on assessments.

All schools are honored in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:

• Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.

• Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students over the past five years.