Charlottesville, VA - January 28, 2005 - Having been called the "Best Place to Live in America" Charlottesville can claim another national distinction. This past week Charlottesville Catholic School was notified by the Council for American Private Education (CAPE) that it has been selected as one of 50 private schools in the United States to be nominated for the prestigious 2005 Blue Ribbon Award.

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program has been in existence since 1982. In 2002, it was brought under the No Child Left Behind program. According to the United States Secretary of Education, Rod Paige, "Blue Ribbon recipients will be national models of excellence that others can learn from."

According to Dr. Grace Viere, Principal at Charlottesville Catholic School, "We are honored to be nominated by this prestigious organization for our academic achievements. We have a tremendous community of families and faculty that have been instrumental in our growth." She added, "Even though we have created an environment that allows our young people access to superior academics, we emphasize the development of the whole person and help them as they discover their God-given talents. As part of our mission, we believe that nurturing Christian values along with excellence in education fosters character and leadership development and inspires good citizenship."

In the fall of 1996, Charlottesville Catholic School opened its doors. At the time it was renting space generously provided by a local synagogue. Today, CCS is located on a 20-acre campus in its own new facility. It offers pre-K through 8th grade curriculum and is welcoming to all faiths. According to Dr. Viere, "The reason we have been so fortunate is that we have never lost sight of our purpose. We know that in order to effectively serve our community, we must always challenge ourselves to grow and improve. We are honored to serve the Charlottesville and surrounding communities."

For information: www.cvillecatholic.org
Contact: Lisa Goutos: lgoutos@cvillecathoilic.org
Phone: 434-964-0400 ext. 301