Test scores are merely one aspect of a high-performing school. So are the results found within the annual Illinois Report Card, which will be released Oct. 30.
While both are important, not to mention effective administration and strong parent backing, don’t discount the value of a school culture that makes each child feel supported.
All of those elements came together for Lincoln Elementary School in River Forest, which was named Tuesday as a 2026 Governor’s Blue Ribbon School, one of 16 public and eight private schools.
Lincoln School was recognized in 2015 as a national Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, which disbanded that program in 2025, prompting the launch of the Illinois Governor’s Blue Ribbon Schools Program later that year.
Casey Godfrey is Lincoln School principal, and every morning, rain, snow or shine, you’ll see him outside opening car doors and greeting students.
That’s one example of culture, but there’s much more, he said, which came out in the application process last spring that required responses to questions covering over 40 pages.
“There is so much intentionality that goes into the relationship building and making every kid feel like they belong at our school,” Godfrey said. “That’s what we really leaned into in the application, just telling the story of our school and how it feels to be at Lincoln.”
Perhaps the icing on the cake for the application was the creation of a video that captures a day in the life of a Lincoln School student. It started with a youngster arriving at school in a car and Godfrey opening the door with a smile and a welcome.
That carries a lot of weight in the mind of a student and a parent.
“One of the things our teachers really emphasized in the video was our efforts with Responsive Classroom,” Godfrey said, referring to a teaching method that brings together academics and social-emotional learning.
“Every child’s day starts with a morning meeting in our classroom, where the whole class is sitting around the rug,” he said. “We’re not doing math right away, we’re not doing reading right away. The first thing that we do is level set, and we see how is everyone entering the space that day.”
Youngsters tend to be honest, he added, and will admit, for example, that they’re having a rough morning. That informs a teacher how to help that child that day.
“That time in the morning, it’s very sacred and it’s something we built into our master schedule,” Godfrey said. “No one is getting pulled for any service. It’s an intentional time every day. That carries on through the whole culture of the school.”
It’s more than that. Now meld culture with academic excellence. With a score of 85.36, Lincoln earned Exemplary status for the third year in a row in 2025 on the Illinois Report Card, and its English/language arts proficiency score was the highest among all public elementary and middle/junior high schools in suburban Cook County.
Third grade teacher Kim Briggs sees that combination every day.
“I believe Lincoln earned its Blue Ribbon recognition because we share a culture of celebrating each other’s unique gifts, supporting one another, and creating a community where we all belong and shine,” Briggs said.
Added first grade teacher Ginger Timchak: “I am excited to see the students and my colleagues every day. There is a universal level of respect and joy that is genuine, honest, and true. The staff embodies the true respect for one another that we teach our children.”
Godfrey added that it’s important to him that the award is shared across District 90.
“In a message that I shared to the other schools, I wish that it was an award that I could split three ways,” he said, “because all three of our schools are so amazing. It’s not just Lincoln; the entire village of River Forest should be proud of the work.”
One of the perks of being named a 2026 Governor’s Blue Ribbon School is attendance at a special recognition event at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield next spring. Godfrey will be there, along with other district representatives.
He and Gov. JB Pritzker have already met – at a special recognition ceremony Tuesday at John Mills Elementary School in Elmwood Park that announced all recognized schools. Also present was Janice Pavelonis, the new D90 elementary superintendent.
“We are thankful to our staff for their passion and skill, to principal Casey Godfrey for his leadership over the past 11 years and to our families for their partnership,” Pavelonis said Wednesday. “We are very proud of our students, whose curiosity and hard work earned this amazing honor.”
Closer to home, a celebratory Blue Ribbon Rally will be hosted at 5 p.m. Oct. 29 in conjunction with the Lincoln School PTO. Attendees will include local and state dignitaries, including River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci and the board of education.
“Congratulations to the administration, staff, students, and families of Lincoln Elementary for being recognized among the top 16 Illinois public schools for your high level of academic achievement,” Adduci said in a statement. “River Forest is fortunate to have such dedicated educators serving our community.”