Things are a little blue around Severn River Middle School in Arnold today, but there’s no feeling the school’s students, staff, and community would rather have.
The school today was honored by the Maryland State Department of Education as one of 12 public schools to be named a 2026-2027 Maryland Blue Ribbon School. The honor reflects Severn River’s performance on state and national assessments, and success in closing achievement gaps among student groups.
“Our entire team and school community are immensely honored to be recognized in this way,” said Principal Mike McCann, who succeeded Scott Manbeck as principal before the start of the 2025-2026 school year. “This accomplishment happens because students, staff, and families both past and present have been committed to making sure our school’s environment is one that fully supports every student so that they can Belong, Grow, and Succeed.
Since 2022, Severn River Middle School has seen increases of:
17.8 percent points in overall English Language Arts proficiency, with a 32.7-point increase for Black-African American students and a 25.6-point increase for students receiving free and reduced-price meals.
17.2 points for English Language Learners making progress toward English language proficiency.
12.6 points in overall math proficiency, with a 14.7-point increase for students receiving free and reduced-price meals.
Students who take the Algebra I course at Severn River also do extremely well. Scores on the Algebra I exam averaged 87 percent over the last three years.
The school has also seen a 5.3 percentage point decrease in its chronic absenteeism rate since 2022. During that same period, there have been chronic absenteeism rate decreases of 16.2 points for Hispanic students, 12.6 points for English Language Learners, and 10.6 points for students receiving free and reduced-price meals.
“The best thing about Severn River is our students,” McCann said. “Our teachers are remarkably devoted to their students, and the students not only know that, but they can articulate what those relationships mean to them as learners and how the support they receive from their teachers is vital to their successes. We know our Sharks come to school each day with positive attitudes and a true desire to learn. They are engaged and enthusiastic learners, and we have a parent community that has instilled those values in their children.”
The other 11 public schools to earn state Blue Ribbon distinction are:
Baltimore School for the Arts in Baltimore City
Beverly Farms Elementary in Montgomery County
Fort Garrison Elementary School in Baltimore County
Homestead-Wakefield Elementary School in Harford County
Kingsville Elementary School in Baltimore County
Liberty High School in Carroll County
Red Pump Elementary School in Harford County
Seventh District Elementary School in Baltimore County
Somerset Elementary School in Montgomery County
Travilah Elementary School in Montgomery County
Urbana Middle School in Frederick County
“Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools demonstrate what is possible when strong leadership, dedicated educators, and engaged families work together on behalf of students,” said Dr. Carey M. Wright, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools. “These schools are among the best of the best in our state, achieving one of the highest honors in education. We are proud and excited to celebrate their accomplishments.”
In all 23 public and private schools received 2026-2027 Maryland Blue Ribbon distinction. The schools will be honored by the Maryland State Board of Education in December.