Setting higher expectations for our students

It is hard to believe that it has been over a month since I watched the class of 2009 walk across the stage here at Watervliet Junior Senior High School.

As I read the names of each graduate as they crossed the stage, I could not help but think of our district’s mission and our community’s shared value of high expectations.

Each of the students who graduated in June met these high expectations and I have confidence that they will go out into the world and become highly successful individuals.

But even as we handed out diplomas that night the world moved forward, and the expectations of the class of 2009 were no longer high enough to meet the needs of a world that is changing and advancing at a rate that we can’t even begin to comprehend.

It is with this in mind that I turn my attention to setting new, higher expectations for our students, faculty and administration. Not too long ago a high school diploma was all someone needed to be ready for a fulfilling and prosperous career and life. This is no longer the case. Research shows us that post-secondary education is now the key to success in life. College and/or technical school is a necessity and the same old high school expectations will not prepare our students for the challenges they will meet at these institutions. We must set the expectation that every student who enters our school district, regardless of when they enter, will graduate on time and with an ADVANCED REGENTS DIPLOMA. An advanced Regents Diploma requires that students meet more rigorous standards than a regular Regents Diploma. Next year’s freshman (students entering WHS in fall 2009) will need to pass 8 Regents exams to qualify for an Advanced Diploma as opposed to passing five exams to obtain a regular Regents Diploma.


The most recent school report published by the Capital Region Business Review ranks our school district 76 out of 85. While there can be many excuses and “yeah buts” used to rationalize this ranking, the truth is the methodology used to calculate this score is logical and actually a valid measure of school success with students. The overall score is a weighted tabulation that takes into account data from five categories: scores on state tests in ELA/Reading, social studies, science and math; and the total number of students who graduated with either Regents Diplomas or Advanced Regents Diplomas. After much analysis of this report, it is clear that despite impressive gains in our NYS assessments, the number of students graduating on time and with advanced Regents diplomas (the sign of a truly rigorous high school curriculum) is an area of weakness that we must address.

I find this ranking unacceptable and have begun conversations with our administrators and board of education to address this area of weakness immediately. Our job as educators, is to set the bar high for our students. To that end, it is my intention to present the BOE with a proposal to adopt graduation requirements that mirror those of the NYS advanced regents diploma as our district requirements for graduation.

Our graduates deserve to leave us prepared not just to survive in the world but to excel. With Board of Education, faculty, community and student support I am confident that our students will meet this new expectation handily.