Bronze ranking awarded to Pottsgrove High School
US News & World Report also cites Pottstown, Spring-Ford, Perkiomen Valley
US News & World Report Magazine released its annual survey of high schools across the nation recently and Pottsgrove High School received a bronze rating.
That means it ranks in the top third of all high schools across the nation, according to the magazine’s ranking system.
US News & World Report ranks schools based on performance in their state assessments and how well they prepare all students for college and career.
According to the rankings on the site, Pottstown High School also received a bronze rating.
The only other two area schools to be ranked in the system were Spring-Ford Area High School and Perkiomen Valley High School, both of which received silver rankings, which puts them in the top 11 percent of high schools.
Further, Perkiomen Valley was ranked 22nd in Pennsylvania and 929th in the United States.
Spring-Ford was ranked 54th in Pennsylvania and 1,770th in the United States.
Pottsgrove High School Principal William Ziegler said “the data used in determining our bronze status was from the 2013/2014 school year.”
“Combined with our excellent rating in the 2015 Pennsylvania School Performance Profile, Pottsgrove High School has enjoyed positive recognition for our achievements over the last few years,” acting superintendent William Shirk said in a press release announcing the ranking.
“Our academic initiatives include: (1) increased AP course selections, (2) more STEM courses, (3) the implementation of the Digital Learning Environment (DiLE), and (4) more college and career opportunities for all students,” he said.
“There is always work to be done and that is why we have been so focused on our comprehensive plan for continuous improvement,” said Shirk. “We appreciate the hard work of our faculty, students and the ongoing support of our community.”
English teacher Mays Coleman noted, “we are pleased to be recognized among a prestigious group of secondary schools for preparing students for advanced educational opportunities.”
The release quotes librarian Dani Small as saying, “Pottsgrove students should be extremely proud of their accomplishments and academic successes. It is an honor to be part of our students’ every day life and watch these Falcons grow and ‘soar to excellence.’”
“It is refreshing to know that all of our hard work has been nationally recognized by U.S. News & World Report,” said science teacher Brian Sheehan.
“This good news comes to us at the same time we are opening our newly renovated high school facility, said Ziegler. “This achievement is the result of the hard work of our outstanding students and staff. We are excited and look forward to a great school year.”