Fithian Tatem Elementary School was named a 2023 national blue ribbon school. For a school to earn a blue ribbon, their academic performance must be exceptionally high. Every year the U.S. department of education seeks out top schools to award the blue ribbon, which not only signifies the hard work of students, but also the work put in by the teachers, families, and community. Tatem’s own Tara Lampman says, “Haddonfield is a unique community. We have a range of demographics. People move here because of the schools and their own values and priorities. Because Haddonfield families all want the same thing, they are able to work hand in hand with teachers and design a school setting able to fit their needs.”

Being a small town, the community of Haddonfield is able to collaborate and prioritize their goals. This allows teaching to evolve quickly and find what methods work the best for the students. The community that shapes Haddonfield public schools was a main contributor to earning this award. Additionally, Tara stated, “Over the pandemic parents were concerned that their kindergartners were being impacted because of only having half-day kindergarten. Tatem hired additional teachers during this time so that they could offer a three-quarter day for kindergartners. They went to school for an extra hour and a half. I had them last year and they were the most advanced second graders I’d ever had.” The academic level of students is ever increasing. Not only are the teachers learning new strategies to keep a class attentive, but students are motivated to learn. Tatem Elementary could not have won this award without the community surrounding the Haddonfield public schools and the families within the community.