School News

Valley Stream high schools earn national rankings

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When it comes to challenging students, the Valley Stream Central High School District is on the ball. That’s what the Washington Post says, which again has ranked the community’s three high schools on a nationwide list.

South High led the pack, ranking 46th in the state and 585th in the country on the America’s Most Challenging High Schools list. North was No. 55 in the state and No. 613 in the country, followed by Central which came in at 60 and 676, respectively.

“It’s very gratifying, especially when you’re recognized by an independent organization,” Superintendent Dr. Bill Heidenreich said. “We know what we do here, but it’s nice when others take note of it as well.”

The Washington Post ranked nearly 2,100 high schools out more than 31,000 public high schools in the United States. Cliff Odell, principal of North High, says the list essentially puts Valley Stream within the top 3 percent of high schools in the nation.

The district’s Advanced Placement program is what landed its three high schools on the list. Rankings are based on the number of college-level tests given at a school in a year, divided by the number of graduates.

Valley Stream offers 18 AP classes for its students in multiple subject areas. Dr. Joseph Pompilio, principal of Central High School, said the district has strong participation among its students in the AP program.

Odell said that some students take 10 to 15 AP courses, while others might take just one or two. Either way, he said, many students look for the opportunity to do college-level work while still in high school. “We have established a culture where students do want to challenge themselves,” he said. “Simply enrolling in a course and being exposed to the curriculum is a positive.”

South High School Principal Maureen Henry said that some students graduate with a full semester, or even a full year, of college credits under their belts because they not only took AP courses, but did well on the corresponding tests. AP exams are graded on a scale of 1-5, with 3 considered passing.

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