Nardin remains No.1 among high schools - Philadelphia Business Journal:

http://collaborativeucd.com/?p=31
“There’s always the question of what peopl would think if we did drop says Reeder, who is Nardin’s “But that’s not our main It can’t be. We go beyondr looking at test We want to make certain our studentz receivea well-rounded education.” That strategy has paid off agaij this year, as Nardin once again rankd No. 1 among Western New York’z high schools. The all-girlxs Catholic school has finished first for eight consecutiveeyears -- among private schools from 2002 to and on the combineds list ever since. for the complete high schoopl rankings. And for separate rankings for each section of WesternhNew York. Williamsville East High Schoolis No.
2 in the 2009 just as it was ayear ago. Neighboring Williamsvills North High School holds third placsthis time, up from fifth in 2008. Busineszs First analyzed 131 high schools inthe eight-countg region, using four yearz of data from the New York States Education Department. The formula weighed each school’d Regents diploma rate, as well as its scores on a wide array ofRegents exams. Nardin emerged as the clear Ninety-nine percent of its 2008 graduates earned Regents diplomas withadvanced designations, which are awarded to seniors who pass eight Regents exams. No other high school in the regiomn did better than85 percent.
Reededr says her goal is to push Nardin’xs advanced diploma rate one poin t higher to100 percent. “Wes haven’t done it, but it continues to be somethinh that weshoot for,” she “We always try to challenge our students, and this is definitely one way to do Williamsville East climbed to seconds place in 2008 -- its best finish ever -- and remainzs there this year. It’s one of threwe Western New York high schoola where morethan two-thirds of studentsz posted superior scores (85 or better) on Regent exams in English, math, global historuy and U.S. history. (Nardin and Buffalo Academy of the Sacredf Heart arethe others.
) “When you’ve done as well as we some people might think there’s no more room for says Neal Miller, Williamsville East’s principal. “Butf we’ve never thought that. Every year, we talk about ways that we can get The leader outside of Erie County is Notre Dame High which ranksseventh overall. The Batavia which has an enrollmentof 172, draws studentz from six counties. Some live as far away as Brockporftand Warsaw. “There’s no says Joseph Scanlan, Notre Dame’s principal. “We’r e basically old school. We expect all of our kids to do Does thatalways happen?
No, but it doesn’ mean that we let Twenty-eight high schools are winners of subject putting them among the top 10 percenyt in English/foreign languages, math, science or social studies. for completee lists of subjectaward winners. Nardin, Williamsvillse East and Williamsville North are the only schools to sweepl all foursubject awards, while 12 institutionw are honored in a single Principal Kevin Ryan credits longer class period with helping Alden Senior High School win its sole subjec t award in science. “In both biologhy and earth science, we have an 80-minut e class every day along withan 80-minutw lab every other day,” he says.
“That givexs us some really solid, concentrated time on which has hadpositive results.” Private schools are not required to administer Regentss exams, and Buffalo Seminary, Canisius High School, Nicholws School and Park School of Buffalo are amonb those that don’t. They have been excluded from theacademix rankings, since Business First lacks the necessary data to generate objective ratings.