Editorials

School grade cards show achievement

Hernando Today
Published: December 11, 2010

The issue: High school grade cards.

Our opinion: Cause for celebration.

Our community got some excellent news this week with the release of school grade cards for our four high schools.

Three of the four posted higher grades and the fourth nearly achieved an A, falling only a couple points shy of that mark.

Of particular significance was Central High School, which took home a B this grading period - a huge improvement over the previous two years when it earned D's. It was the school's first B since the state began calculating school grades in 1999.

That's success.

A humble Central High Principal Joe Clifford credited his predecessor, Dennis McGeehan, for setting the stage for the students' recent improvement. That shows real leadership in our eyes.

McGeehan implemented new instructional programs to improve student performance after Central dropped from a C to a D, Clifford told Hernando Today .

"While we have worked hard this year, I really feel like it was a collaborative effort," he said.

That kind of teamwork is responsible for the school's latest success. With that kind of leadership and attitude, Central students, teachers and administrators can expect continued academic achievement. The school was tops in math locally, with 82 percent of its students meeting the high standard.

Hernando High also posted improvement this grading period, earning a C after brining home D's the previous two years. Nature Coast Technical jumped from a C to a B for only the second time since the magnet school opened six years ago. It finished tops in writing, with 92 percent of its students meeting the high standard in that category.

Bravo!

Springstead High, which has consistently posted high marks, held steady with a B average, only a couple points shy of an A, Superintendent Bryan Blavatt noted.

High school grades are based on student performances on Florida's Comprehensive Assessment Test (known as FCAT) and other data, including graduation rate, graduation rate for at-risk students and accelerated curriculum performance.

So what does all this mean?

Not only does Hernando County have above average high schools, it also shows that they are continuing to improve. Our hats are off to the students, teachers and administrators of our high schools and to Blavatt, who has helped reinforce a culture of achievement throughout our school district. Hernando County's elementary and middle schools achieved an overall A grade for 2009-10.

We should all be proud, even those who have no direct connection to our public schools. Our tax dollars are being spent to improve the lives of the next generation, and we've all had a hand in that.

Cheers!