Glen Oaks Elementary Hosts Blue Ribbon Celebration

HICKORY HILLS, IL — Glen Oaks Elementary School in Hickory Hills was the proud host for a momentous event on October 10, as Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Chair Dr. Steven Isoye recognized it and 27 other schools from across the state as 2025 Blue Ribbon Schools.

This latest recognition marks the third Blue Ribbon award for Glen Oaks Elementary and the sixth overall for North Palos School District 117, adding to the district's reputation for academic distinction. Superintendent Dr. Christine Droba remarked that, “awards like this are a celebration of our work, not the reason for it. Our focus has always been clear - student learning.”

During the event, Governor Pritzker took the opportunity to unveil the establishment of the new statewide Blue Ribbon Schools program. This program will utilize the same rigorous criteria as the discontinued National Blue Ribbon program, which was ended by the U.S. Department of Education earlier this year. The state initiative ensures that Illinois can continue to identify and celebrate its highest-performing schools and those with significant progress in closing achievement gaps.

Glen Oaks Principal Farah Doaud emphasized that the students are, “the reason that we are here today and they’re truly at the heart of everything we do.” Glen Oaks School was previously recognized as a Blue Ribbon School in 2012 and 2019.