Once again, the blue ribbons are flying in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

This year, eight archdiocesan elementary schools were recognized as part of the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program of the U.S. Department of Education. The award is available to 236 public and 50 private schools each year, with the determination based on test scores and other criteria.

The Sept. 24 announcement continued a run of success for archdiocesan schools. This was the most ever recognized in one year, and it brings to 20 schools the number recognized in the last three years. The archdiocese has had 75 schools recognized over the past 30 years, more than any school system in the country.

This year’s crop include four schools in Chicago and four in the suburbs, with enrollments ranging from 229 to 590. All offer grades preK-8.

In large part, the secret to the schools’ success is that faith permeates everything they do, said Bernadette Cuttone, principal of St. Michael School in Orland Park.

“I’m not sure the public domain understands that what we offer is priceless,” Cuttone said. “We have the luxury of reinforcing everything the parents are teaching at home. I feel that our faith strengthens us in every area. When people really analyze what is going on in our schools, they are amazed.”

Cuttone said that the biggest reward from being named a Blue Ribbon school is the confirmation of what she — as well the school’s faculty and school families — already knew.

“I knew we were a very, very fine school, but when you love your school you realize that sometimes you’re not objective,” she said. “I wanted my teachers affirmed. Teachers work so hard nowadays.”

Indeed, validation was mentioned by the principals of nearly all the honored schools as a reason to apply for the award.

“It validates the hard work people do here. We knew we were good, we told people we were good,” said Allen Ackermann, principal at St. Andrew School, whose motto is “Spirit-Study- Service.” “We looked at everything that’s been going on in the way of spirit-study-service. We thought we had a good handle on the spirit and service parts of that — we’re always working on those — so when we had the test scores, we thought, ‘Why not us?’”

Julia Byrns Kelly, principal at Queen of Angels School, said being recognized emphasizes how far the school has come over the last several years.

“It helps you look back at where you’ve been and forward to where you’re going,” said Kelly, who has been principal at Queen of Angels for 16 years. “It validates what we’ve done with the community. It’s our staff, students and families all working together.”

Northside Catholic Academy, which is sponsored by seven parishes, applied as soon as test scores met the eligibility requirements. To be considered as a “high performing school” students must score in the top 15 percent on a nationally standardized test.

“We’ve been working really hard for the last seven or eight years on our curriculum and on our academic program,” said Debra Sullivan, Northside Catholic Academy’s principal. “We’re going to use this as a spur to keep us on the right track.”

The application process was a challenge, with 13 essays and very technical requirements in terms of the necessary information, Sullivan said.

Shane Staszcuk, principal of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy, said the technical requirements of the application might make some schools reluctant to apply, or knock some schools out of contention when they would otherwise qualify.

He said he hopes the award will help his school get attention in an area that is crowded with educational choices.

“Right in our area, we have 25 high-quality schools, whether they are Catholic schools, public schools or private schools,” Staszcuk said. “This might make somebody who didn’t plan to look at us come in to visit.”

When they come, they will find “a medium-sized school in a really diverse area,” Staszcuk said. “We produce really strong, well-rounded students. ... We have academics that challenge selective enrollment schools, but we have an open enrollment policy.”

Catholic elementary schools generally do not have selective enrollment policies.

St. Francis Xavier School in La Grange also boasts of the variety of experiences it provides for its students.

“Our rigorous academic core, combined with community service initiatives, performing arts traditions and a no-cut sports program enables us to cultivate well-rounded students,” the school said in a statement.

Rosanne Sikich, principal of St. Norbert School in Northbrook, said an advantage of being a smaller school is that teachers know each and every student.

“We know where all of our students are at,” she said. “Every student is really challenged at their own level.”

St. Norbert has formal accelerated math and language arts programs in fifth through eighth grades, and individual enrichment is offered at lower grades. Middleschool students have electives ranging from jazz band to Lego robotics, Sikich said.

“There’s really something for everybody,” she said, although she acknowledged that “it’s a scheduler’s nightmare.”

St. Joan of Arc School in Evanston also has a smaller student body, but it has a feeling of family that goes beyond what principal Carrie Hampson has found in other schools, she said.

“This is my third year as principal. When I came it was obvious to me that this was already a Blue Ribbon school,” she said. “St. Joan of Arc has the most positive atmosphere of any school I’ve ever been in. It’s a very happy place. The teachers are positive, so the kids are positive. The teachers have really high expectations of the students, and the students rise to meet them.”

All the schools reported happy students, parents and faculty and staff the day the announcement was made. They celebrated by wearing blue ribbons — including St. Joan of Arc’s seventh- and eighth-graders, who were in Washington, D.C. — eating blue cupcakes and making blue paper chains. Most will host wider community celebrations in November, after the principals return from the formal award presentation in Washington, D.C.

“It’s been a fun week to be at school,” Cuttone said.