Letter: Schools Superintendent Discusses Recent Rankings

As we prepare to open our doors for the 2012-2013 school year, have made it clear that the academic achievements of students continue to rank among the best in the state. This is demonstrated by student performance on the SAT, the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) and Advanced Placement tests.  

The Star Ledger’s Inside New Jersey’s article – “Top Performing High Schools” – (www.nj.com/inside-jersey ) - based its criteria solely on academic performance. Using these measures, Westfield High School ranked as the top performing comprehensive public high school in Union County. (Vocational and technical schools were also included in this listing.)

New Jersey Monthly’s rankings included not only student achievement criteria, but also non-performance indicators, such as student/faculty ratio. Focusing on the academic indicators, Westfield High School ranks 17th statewide in combined SAT scores; 12th in HSPA Language Arts (Advanced Proficiency); and 13th in HSPA Mathematics (Advanced Proficiency) among the 328 public high schools in the state.

I invite readers to examine the categories in New Jersey Monthly and make careful comparisons of each school. Readers will see that Westfield outperforms many of the schools that appear earlier in the overall rankings.(http://njmonthly.com/articles/towns_and_schools/top-new-jersey-high-schools-2012-.html. 

The data provided in both magazines confirm that the Westfield Public Schools continue the tradition of excellence in academic performance that will prepare our students well for their future.  

Sincerely,
Margaret Dolan, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools