Fitch, East Lyme High School rank among 'Most Challenging' in nation
Several high schools in southeastern Connecticut have been recognized as top schools in separate national rankings.
Robert E. Fitch High School in Groton and East Lyme High School ranked among 14 schools in Connecticut listed by The Washington Post among the Most Challenging High Schools in America.
Several other schools, including Lyme-Old Lyme High School, the Marine Science Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut, Old Saybrook High School, Waterford High School and Fitch, made the list of the top 50 high schools in Connecticut, according to 2016 rankings by U.S. News & World Report.
The rankings looked at different criteria.
The Washington Post ranked schools based on a ratio of number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Advanced International Certificate of Education tests in a given year, divided by the number of seniors who graduated.
Groton has been trying to boost enrollment in the International Baccalaureate program at Fitch by encouraging students to try a class even if they don't normally enroll in advanced-level courses.
The district also hopes to someday create an interdistrict IB magnet program to help Groton compete in an era of school choice.
“My thought is this is just another indication of how excellent the International Baccalaureate program is and how excellent a reputation it has, both internationally and nationally,” Groton Superintendent Michael Graner said.
“And of course, we’re doing everything we can to expand that program," he added. "And I think it’s an endorsement of that approach.”
The 2016 U.S. News rankings looked at student performance on state assessments — including the math and reading proficiency rates of disadvantaged students — graduation rates, and AP or International Baccalaureate test data.
Among high schools in Connecticut, Lyme-Old Lyme High School ranked eighth, and the Marine Science Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut ranked 27th.
Superintendent Ian Neviaser attributed Lyme-Old Lyme's success to the dedication and hard work of students and staff, "coupled with the tremendous support of our parents, our Board of Education, and our two communities."
"Without all of these pieces in place we could not have the success that has led to such a recognition," he said by email Saturday.
“We’re excited,” the marine science magnet school Principal Nicholas Spera said. “It’s pretty amazing to be ranked 27th, and they only used the 2013 test data for the AP scores.”
The magnet school first offered AP classes in 2013. Eleven students took a class and nine passed, Spera said.
He hoped the rankings would look at the school’s first graduating class in 2014, and the number of students who took and passed an AP course in their junior or senior year — 68 percent.
Old Saybrook High School, Waterford High School and Fitch also made it into the top 50 high schools in Connecticut, ranking 30th, 41st and 43rd, respectively.
Old Saybrook Superintendent of Schools Jan Perruccio said by email that she thinks the high school was recognized because "the Old Saybrook Public Schools enjoys excellent support from the community, has a superior teaching staff and is fortunate to work with wonderful students."
Day Staff Writer Kimberly Drelich contributed to this report.
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