Just weeks into the 2024-25 school year, Pembroke Academy, a public charter elementary school in northwest Detroit, was named a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School — the first school in Detroit to earn this recognition in 23 years. Salwa Kinsey, Principal at Pembroke Academy, compares the achievement to winning an Olympic gold medal.
“During our first school-wide assembly of the school year, I mentioned Gabby Thomas, the Olympic gold medalist in track,” says Kinsey. Thomas achieved gold through hours upon hours of hard work, upliftment from her community, and guidance from a supportive coach, she says. “I connected our National Blue Ribbon recognition from the U.S. Department of Education back to Gabby Thomas and said, ‘this is like winning Pembroke’s gold medal.’”
Pembroke Academy is built on a unique model that prioritizes transparency in education, true academic proficiency along with strong partnerships — and this translates into success for students and families.
True academic proficiency leads to National Blue Ribbon School status
Pembroke Academy ensures that education is tailored to each child’s needs by identifying their academic level and placing them appropriately. By taking this proactive approach, every educator can move forward with intentionality toward closing achievement gaps for any student that tested below grade level right from the start of the school year.
“Unfortunately, far too frequently, students are continuously passed along when they’re not quite at true grade-level proficiency,” Kinsey says, which can create an even wider achievement gap, making schoolwork even more challenging as the years progress.
Pembroke’s unique approach consists of families scheduling an appointment for their scholars to test as part of the enrollment process. After they complete the testing portion of the enrollment process, Kinsey and fellow administrators speak with each family.
“We look at the data and let parents know academically where their child is from the get-go, which allows one of the very first conversations our school has with families to be academically focused right from the start. We use the NWEA test for reading and math,” she says, adding that young fives and kindergartners also do a paper and pencil readiness test.
Results can be an a-ha moment for parents who have never received in-depth data about their child’s education. “If we have a conversation with a parent whose child is below where they need to be, we share our goal to close that achievement gap as quickly as possible,” Kinsey says. “I share with parents that we are dedicated to the success of their child.”
The positive partnership between school and home, combined with placing each child in a classroom aligned with their academic level, fosters targeted goals and consistent support. This approach empowers students to take ownership of their learning, driving significant progress in closing achievement gaps.
How National Blue Ribbon Schools like Pembroke Academy achieve excellence
Students learn and grow effectively when they are participating in instructionally aligned classrooms. This model is even more important post-pandemic, when many parents recognize the COVID year was not strong educationally for their children.
Through transparent, academically-focused dialogue, intentional instruction with dedicated educators, students work hard and rise to meet their goals — but not without the support of their parents and families. At the beginning of each school year, Pembroke Academy educators and parents commit to supporting the scholars in every way possible, not just in words but also by modeling through the adults’ daily interactions with one another. Each year they renew their vows in positive partnership, via a ceremony during Open House night, similar in many ways to a wedding.
It’s a reminder of what it means to be collectively responsible to the students and the school. “We have received a tremendous amount of positive feedback from our families by taking this approach,” Kinsey says.
Why parents should choose a Blue Ribbon School for their child
When Kinsey and her team traveled to Washington D.C. to receive the National Blue Ribbon from the U.S. Department of Education on behalf of Pembroke Academy, she recognized common themes among the 356 honored schools — 12 of which are Michigan schools.
“High standards, high expectations and never wavering from them. For us, that true grade-level proficiency is what we’re all looking at. Consistency was the key among all National Blue Ribbon Schools and positive partnership with parents was also a key factor,” she says, adding that fellow nationally recognized Blue Ribbon schools, most importantly, had a sincere interest and true dedication to helping every student succeed.
As a charter school, Pembroke has received the support of National Heritage Academies and Central Michigan University. “Just like educators at Pembroke, many teachers within charter schools have really high expectations for themselves and for what we set out to accomplish for our scholars and our school,” Kinsey explains. “There is a camaraderie between the educators and the school leaders within the city of Detroit. We learn best practices from one another and work together as a family all for the sake of our scholars’ success.”
Why choose a National Blue Ribbon School for your child? They are among high performing schools — just 9,000 nationwide historically. “You know you’re going to get top-quality instruction. That recognition is not easy to achieve by any means. It’s a national recognition by the state and the U.S. Department of Education and is the highest honor any school can receive. You will get a team of educators that move forward with integrity and great care to bring success to all the students that we serve.”
Kinsey says it may not sound like a brilliant new concept, “but it really takes consistency. First the belief, then looking at the data at hand, then moving forward with intentionality without wavering. Our entire Pembroke community has worked hard over the years to build our school together, so we are proud of it and protective of it. We will continue to work hard, moving forward in positive partnership with our families, with integrity and a sincere commitment to our collective success.”
Content sponsored by the Center for Charter Schools at Central Michigan University. Learn more about Pembroke Academy.
Find more articles like this at Metro Parent’s Guide to Michigan Charter Schools.
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