McKenzie Elementary School in Wilmette earned a 2026 Governor's Blue Ribbon School designation, one of only 24 schools statewide to receive the honor.

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and Gov. JB Pritzker announced the selections on Oct. 20 at a ceremony at John Mills Elementary School in Elmwood Park. McKenzie was the only Wilmette Public Schools District 39 school on the list, according to The Record North Shore.

McKenzie, which enrolls approximately 415 students in grades K-4, was recognized in the "High Performing" category. The school is one of six campuses in District 39, alongside Central Elementary, Harper Elementary, Romona Elementary, Highcrest Middle School and Wilmette Junior High.

Dr. Kari Cremascoli, superintendent of Wilmette District 39, said in a statement that the district is proud of McKenzie's students, faculty and staff. She said McKenzie staff work to ensure academic excellence and to prepare students for successful, compassionate lives, according to The Record. McKenzie Principal Dana Nasiakos called the designation an honor and credited the work of students, staff and families, according to the same report.

State program replaced canceled federal version

The Governor's Blue Ribbon Schools Program is now in its second year. ISBE and the governor's office created it in 2025 after the Trump administration canceled the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, a federal recognition that had run for more than 40 years.

Federal officials told state education leaders in 2025 that they ended the national program to reduce federal spending on education, according to reporting by Chalkbeat, a nonprofit education newsroom, as cited by The Record.

North Shore schools were regulars on the old national list. New Trier High School won in 1990 and 2009. Romona Elementary in Wilmette was recognized in 2006, 2017 and 2023. Regina Dominican High School earned the national award in 2025, just before the program was shut down, and was then selected for the state program's inaugural class that same year, according to The Record.

What the 2026 class looks like

The 24 honorees include 16 public schools and eight nonpublic schools. Schools were recognized either for high academic performance or for progress in closing achievement gaps. Nearby, Evanston's Dawes Elementary and Glenbrook South High School also made the list.

All honorees will be invited to a recognition event at the Governor's Mansion in Springfield this spring, according to the governor's office.