Our Redeemer Lutheran School named 20th best middle school in America

Our Redeemer Lutheran School was ranked the 20th best middle school in the country by TheBestSchools.org. In this ranking, "middle school" meant any school that offers seventh or eighth grades.

ORLS serves students in grades three through eight from 16 communities and 32 ZIP codes.

TBS used test results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress to create a standard of comparison for middle schools in America. NAEP administers the same test nationally.

Other factors such as awards, rankings and geographical diversity also were considered.

Eighth-graders at ORLS scored in the 94th percentile nationally on standardized tests. The school was credited for its strong academic curriculum, after-school programs such as chess, art and reading clubs and its accreditation through the National Lutheran Accreditation Program.

"The schools in this ranking have found a way to provide seventh- and eighth-graders with a rich school experience that prepares them superbly well for high school, college and life," TheBestSchools.org states.

In 2013, the U.S. Department of Education named ORLS the National Blue Ribbon Winner. The award recognizes schools in which students perform at high levels or where significant improvements are being made in academic achievement, the website said.

In 2010, ORLS received the Exemplary School award from The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod as well as re-certification from the National Lutheran School Association.