This week, Glenda Ritz, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction, announced the list of schools that earned a four star rating for the 2013-2014 school year. About 281 schools throughout the state received this award including two from the Lake Central School Corporation: Lake Central High School and Kolling Elementary School.
The star ranking is determined on different standards for each level of schooling. For example, the elementary school ranking is based on the passing percentage of ISTEP test scores.
The high school ranking level is based on the passing percentage of the English and Algebra I ECA. To qualify, 95 percent of students in the school must participate in testing for the high school level as well as the elementary level.
Lake Central has received this ranking for three years in a row and there are certain aspects we need to focus on to keep receiving this ranking.
“There’s four lines of effort that we need to focus on [to keep attaining this ranking]. Our students, our staff, our curriculum, and our community. In order to keep achieving it we have to keep on pushing students. They have to be academically challenged and academically successful. With our staff, professional development and giving them time and resources so they can give the best possible instruction to our students. Our curriculum we need to make sure that we’re in line. That English 10 is in line with English 9 that English 9 is in line with the middle school. So there’s a seamless transition and we’re giving the best possible instruction to our students. And then making sure that we’re getting buy in and that support from families and that they know what’s going on so they can continue to help and support their student(s) to be successful in school,” Begley said.
Principal Mr. Sean Begley was very happy to have received this award for the 2013-2014 school year and hopes to keep it going for years to come.
“It’s nice to see, I mean I know it’s nice to get a pat on the back with the four star school because it’s something that we’ve worked for year after year. I know that the English 10 teachers and Algebra 9 teachers really work hard to synchronize their instruction and to make sure that they’re giving the best possible instruction to the students. I know the students are working really hard. I saw a lot of the students today going up to take the English ECA for this year. Going up to see those students and wish them luck and make sure testing was going well. But it’s make you feel good that we have such good students, great staff, and great families and a great community and we achieved this goal and I hope we achieve a lot more. There’s four lines of effort that we need to focus on [to keep attaining this ranking]. Our students, our staff, our curriculum, and our community,” Mr. Sean Begley, Head Principal, said.
