Four North Shore high schools were named “Reward Schools” by the state Department of Education last week.
Great Neck South, Herricks, Manhasset and Roslyn high schools were among the 155 New York schools designated by the state for demonstrating high academic achievement.
The four schools were named as “high performing” schools and were also honored in 2017 with the same distinction.
“I am delighted that Herricks High School has been named by the State Education Department as a High Achieving Reward School for the second year in a row,” Herricks Superintendent Fino Celano said. “This could not have been accomplished without the shared efforts on the part of our great students, supportive parents, gifted faculty and dedicated Board of Education. The Herricks School District is dedicated to continuous improvement, and creating an exciting learning environment where all students can succeed.”
To make the list, schools must have scores in the top 20 percent statewide on the state’s math and English exams; not have “unacceptably large gaps” between disadvantaged students and others; and have made adequate progress on various accountability measures, including the requirement that at least 95 percent of students participate in the state tests.
“High performing” schools must have more than 80 percent of their students graduate and have a proportion of students graduating with Regents diplomas or technical certificates above the state average.
“On behalf of the entire district, I would like to commend Manhasset Secondary School on its designation as a New York State Reward School,” Manhasset Superintendent Vincent Butera said. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work of the school’s administration, teachers, students and the greater Manhasset community. While this is an honor, it is just one benchmark of our school’s success.
“Looking ahead, we look forward to continuing to offer those programs that allow our students to grow and succeed in a myriad of ways.”
Of the 155 schools named, 64 are in New York City, 24 on Long Island and 18 public charter schools statewide based on assessments from the 2016-17 school year.
“For Roslyn High School to be recognized by the state as being among the highest performing schools in New York is a testament to our dedicated faculty and staff, our innovative educational programs and, most of all, our hard-working, high-achieving students,” Roslyn Superintendent Allison Brown said. “It is something the entire Roslyn school community, which is always so supportive of all of our schools, can justifiably take pride in.”
East Williston School District Superintendent Elaine Kanas said in a statement that the Wheatley School, which includes eighth grade through 12th grade, was not included in the list because “there was not a 95 percent participation rate on the eighth grade English Language Arts and math assessments” despite 99 percent of Wheatley students passing the English Regents exam and 98 percent passing the Algebra I Regents exam in 2017.
No North Shore middle or elementary school was included on this year’s list.
While the overall number of honored schools has decreased dramatically in recent years, with 365 “Reward Schools” named in 2015, Great Neck South has been named to the list for four consecutive years.
“The success of any school district takes the dedication of exceptional staff, informed parents and involved community members to create the best possible environment for learning,” Great Neck Superintendent Teresa Prendergast said. “Great Neck has a long tradition of academic excellence, coupled with a strong commitment to the success of every student. We are very proud of our students and applaud their accomplishments.”
