Whitehall Elementary School has received a national award for education excellence.

The Bowie school was designated a national Blue Ribbon school on Sept. 7 by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

The recognition was welcomed by the school’s principal, Jerenze Campbell.

“I promised my students and staff that we would bring home a National Blue Ribbon Award this fall,” said Campbell in a statement. “We appreciate everyone’s support in helping us to achieve this honor.”

The school is the only one in the county to receive the honor. The U.S. Department of Education gave out the award to 269 schools across the country for overall academic improvement or for making progress in student achievement levels.

Whitehall was one of the highest-performing county elementary schools in reading and math on the statewide Maryland School Assessment. On the 2011 MSA, 97.9 percent of students achieved proficient or advanced in both reading and mathematics. Around 42 percent achieved the higher advanced rating in reading and 49 percent scored at an advanced level in math.