District makes U.S. News ranking again

U.S. News & World Report recently released its 2013 high school rankings. And while South Side High School once again was named to the prestigious list, it’s placement dropped from last year.

In 2012, SSHS was named the No. 1 high school on Long Island, the No. 2 school in the state and No. 22 in the country. This year, SSHS was No. 4 on Long Island, No. 20 in the state and No. 117 in the country. The school still received a gold medal ranking.

Rockville Centre Superintendent Dr. William Johnson said that the decrease in ranking was not due to student performance, but to changes in the way that U.S. News & world Report assessed schools.

“Our kids didn’t perform any differently,” Johnson said. “As a matter of fact, they performed better.”

Rockville Centre placed behind Jericho High School, William A. Shine Great Neck South High School and The Wheatley School in Old Westbury on Long Island. Many of the other top 20 schools, Johnson said, were New York City charter schools that only admit the highest-performing students.

“When you take a look at Jericho and Great Neck South and Old Westbury, that’s good company to keep,” said Johnson. “So I’m very comfortable where we’re at.”

Johnson pointed out that there are more than 700 school districts in the state and about 26,000 in the country. But he did say that, by the end of the year, the high school will probably take down the banner out front touting its success in the 2012 ranking.

“We continue to achieve at a level that keeps our kids college- and career-ready,” Johnson said. “That’s our goal.”