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(This article was printed in the January 30, 2009 issue of The Torch) 2/9/09 ‘US News’ ranking places high school in top 3 percentJesse Vogel The high school has been awarded a silver medal in the 2008 "US News and World Report" annual edition of high school rankings, putting it in the top 3 percent of public high schools nationally, Principal John Kellogg said. The ranking is based on several factors: the magazine’s "College Readiness Index" (a value that takes into account both the number of AP courses taken and the pass rate on AP exams), as well as two numbers that use standardized state tests to calculate the performance of "typically disadvantaged students"— minorities and students living in poverty, the magazine’s website said. Kellogg said that he appreciated this multi-faceted approach to the ranking. "The important thing to notice is that [the magazine] ranks schools based on all students and how they’re doing,” he added. Kellogg said he attributes this award to three things, including an increase in enrollment in AP courses, a more proactive stance in helping students achieve on the Ohio Graduation Test and a talented teaching staff. "We have been very thorough and systematic in our hiring process," Kellogg said. "Our kids just work hard. That’s a wonderful thing to have." Although the poverty achievement score is a significant piece of the school’s ranking, the minority achievement index is not included because of low minority enrollment at Bexley, Kellogg said. Kellogg is still interested in boosting the school’s minority enrollment in honors and AP classes he said, regardless of what is calculated in the magazine's ranking system. "I don’t want to chase a number," he said. Superintendent Michael Johnson agrees that pursuing awards without an eye towards student achievement is counterproductive. “We’re not pursuing the ranking, we’re pursuing helping students," he explained. Johnson said that he doesn’t feel pressure to win awards for the school district. “The pressure I feel from the community is creating an educational program that prepares students for success in college or the world of work,” Johnson said. This award lets the community know that the school is still offering a high-quality education, he added. “Although we already had a good reputation, this solidifies it,” Johnson said. These rankings allow us to demonstrate the quality that’s offered at Bexley. This demonstration of quality is important, Johnson added, because the tax-payers of Bexley want to support excellent schools. Additionally, Johnson said that in order for the community of Bexley to continue to attract new residents, the district’s reputation must not fade. French teacher Barbara Romanczuk said the rating validates hard working teachers. "We just teach and do what we do,” she said. And we’re really good at what we do." |
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