W.R. Odell Elementary School has been named an Exemplary High Performing National Blue Ribbon School for 2023 by the U.S. Secretary of Education.   

W.R. Odell Elementary is one of only 353 Blue Ribbon schools in the nation and one of only eight schools in North Carolina to earn this distinction.  

“Congratulations to the staff, students, and families of W.R. Odell Elementary School,” said Cabarrus County Schools Superintendent Dr. John Kopicki. “This award signifies the culture of success at Odell Elementary and the commitment of all those involved in making a positive difference in the lives of each child, every day.”  

According to a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Education, National Blue Ribbon School leaders articulate a vision of excellence and hold everyone to high standards. They demonstrate effective and innovative teaching and learning, and the schools value and support teachers and staff through meaningful professional learning.  

National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as models of effective and innovative school practices for state and district educators and other schools throughout the nation. A National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing a school’s entryway or on a flagpole is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.  

“This is an amazing honor for our school and our community, and we look forward to celebrating with our staff, students and families over the coming weeks and months,” said W.R. Odell Elementary School Principal Lisa Ober.  

A complete list of National Blue Ribbon Schools is available here. 

About National Blue Ribbon Schools:  

According to its website, The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.  The coveted National Blue Ribbon School award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content.   

About Odell Elementary School:  

Odell School opened in 1929 and was named for W. R. Odell, the founder of Odell Mil – Cabarrus County’s first textile mill. Odell School opened initially for eleven grades and expanded to twelve grades in the 1940s. When Northwest Cabarrus High School opened in 1966, grades 9-12 moved into the new high school, and grades 6-8 eventually moved to Northwest Cabarrus Middle School in 1988. A replacement elementary school was built on Moss Farm Road near the original site and K-5 began the 2007–08 school year in the new facility. Odell School was reconstructed on its original property and reopened in 2019 as a school for grades 3-5 by the name of W.R. Odell Elementary School, moving students in these grades from the now-renamed W.R. Odell Primary School on Moss Farm Road.