Staff and students of five high schools in the region were honored in Charleston Friday by state Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano for having graduation rates at 90 percent or higher in the 2015-2016 school year. <\/p>\n
Liberty High School (92 percent) in Raleigh County, Wyoming County East High School (93 percent) in Wyoming County, Greenbrier East High School (92 percent) in Greenbrier County and Richwood High School (96 percent) and Nicholas County High School (91 percent) in Nicholas County were among the 70 schools, or about 60 percent of the 116 high schools in the state, to achieve a 90 percent or higher rate of graduating students. <\/p>\n
\"Our state becomes stronger with each student that graduates high school,\" Martirano said. \"The high schools here today deserve the praise they are receiving for achieving a 90 percent or higher graduation rate. <\/p>\n
\"Our schools see the potential that a high school graduate holds for our state and they, along with the Department of Education and Board of Education, have made it a top priority to ensure our students show up, work hard and earn a diploma.\" <\/p>\n
Martirano recognized those schools who topped the graduation list outside of the Senate chambers at the State Capitol Friday. <\/p>\n
WVBOE member and former Collins Middle School principal Dave Perry applauded administrators, teachers and staff at the schools in comments made Friday afternoon. <\/p>\n
\"I think it's a testament to the caliber of teachers and administrators that we have, not only in the state of West Virginia, but, particularly, in Raleigh County,\" Perry added Friday, in reference to Liberty High's graduation rate. <\/p>\n
Recent data show more students in West Virginia are graduating from high school, in comparison to past years. Department of Education officials report that creation of the Early Warning System tracks 45 different indicators which identify students who are at risk of dropping out of school. <\/p>\n
West Virginia is among the top 20 states for graduation rates, according to 2015-2015 data, at a rate of 87 percent for those years. The average graduation rate in West Virginia for 2015-2016 had climbed to 89 percent, according to DOE data. <\/p>\n
Raleigh County Schools Superintendent David Price said school personnel have made a concentrated effort to retain students and to increase the number of graduates. <\/p>\n
He said part of the strategy to success has been a partnership with Raleigh district and Regional Educational Services Agency (RESA). The WVBOE established eight RESA districts statewide to provide professional staff development and technical assistance to low-performing schools. <\/p>\n
Gov. Jim Justice's budget plan calls for a $3.7 million cut to the RESAs. <\/p>\n
Three former Raleigh educators currently work with the school system through RESA. <\/p>\n
\"We're working with RESA, with graduation coaches,\" said Price. \"RESA provides support for at-risk students who are at risk of not graduating, and we provide support for the ones that want support, through graduation coaches. <\/p>\n
\"(Graduation coaches) meet with those students and provide support so that they don't quit.\" <\/p>\n
Terry Poe, retired principal of Independence Middle School, is the graduation coach at Liberty High. <\/p>\n
Price gave kudos to Poe for his work with students and his influence on the top graduation rate at Liberty. <\/p>\n
\"He does an outstanding job, develops great relationships with students, and I think the evidence is here, of how successful that is,\" Price said. <\/p>\n
Liberty High School principal Lori Knight, counselors and teachers have also invested in the plan to stop drop-out tracks, according to Price. <\/p>\n
\"The counselors and staff at Liberty do an outstanding job of working with students when they notice, maybe, grades or attendance seems to be dropping off,\" Price said. \"The counselors meet with them immediately to see what support they need and provide it. <\/p>\n
\"I think Ms. Knight and her staff are to be commended for providing students the support they need to ensure they graduate and get a great start for their future, in being college- and career-ready.\" <\/p>\n
Four schools in the state two in Randolph County, along with one each in Wetzel and Grant counties -- had a 100 percent graduation rate, according to DOE statistics. <\/p>\n
Email: jfarrish@register-herald.com<\/a> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read the original post: <\/p>\n Raleigh Liberty among schools recognized for 90+ percent graduation rate - Beckley Register-Herald<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Staff and students of five high schools in the region were honored in Charleston Friday by state Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano for having graduation rates at 90 percent or higher in the 2015-2016 school year. Continue reading