SOUTHWICK – More students at Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional High School (STGRHS) are taking Advanced Placement classes.
Principal Pamela Hunter updated the school committee this week on the high school’s AP program and said there is an increase in participation.
“Last year there was an increase of 32 percent in how many tests were taken,” said Hunter. “We had 60 students and 78 scores, which means there is an increase in the number of students taking more than one AP class.”
STGRSD was recently recognized by the commonwealth as one of 46 communities named to the 2012 AP District Honor Roll. Westfield was also named to the Honor Roll.
According to the College Board, more school districts from Massachusetts earned a spot on the honor roll than any other state in the nation. A total of 539 districts across the U.S. and Canada were selected for the 3rd annual AP Honor Roll.
“I am proud of our students and teachers for continued progress in boosting participation and performance on AP exams,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “We will continue to expand our efforts to help even more students enroll in these rigorous college preparatory courses that will help prepare them for success in the classroom and beyond.”
“[This] news is an affirmation of our commitment to expanding access to high quality educational programs for our students,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “The AP exam is a key indicator of a student’s future success, and I am thrilled to see more districts offering students options for rigorous coursework.”
The Patrick Administration and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education have developed a number of initiatives to ensure that all students are prepared for success in college and career and have the necessary skills to fill open jobs in Massachusetts and our increasingly global economy. Governor Patrick has begun to implement a plan to unify the state’s fifteen community colleges into a strengthened statewide system responsive to both local and statewide employer needs.
The Governor’s Gateway Cities Education Agenda has also focused attention on early career education as a means to better connect what students are learning in the classroom to meaningful employment beyond school. Through these initiatives and others, the Administration is setting new expectations for college and career readiness that will align the Commonwealth’s educational system with those of competitor nations around the world.
Hunter said most students are achieving levels three and four on the tests.
“One of our goals is to get everyone at a level three and get to that level four for more students,” said Hunter.
Hunter was pleased that 12 percent of students at STGRHS are taking at least one AP course.
Hunter said to further increase AP participation, students currently in AP will be reaching out to their classmates.
“We also want to give the PSATs to all sophomores so we will have another data source,” Hunter sad. “We also want to add AP English and AP Environmental Science. We have the staff that can teach it, but there is some dollar signs attached and we’re looking at using Race to the Top funds.”
Transportation update
Also during the school committee meeting, Business Manager Steve Presnal and Transportation Director Karen Wzorek gave an update on the Granville and Tolland bus situation. There had been an issue with students arriving to the high school too early because they were on the same bus as students going to the Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative.
“The students were arriving at the high school at five to seven and there is no one on staff there until 7:15,” said Wzorek. “We now have a bus just for the collaborative students and the high school students are arriving at 7:15 with the other students.”
