Nardin remains No.1 among high schools - Business First of Columbus:

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“There’s always the question of what people would think if we did drop says Reeder, who is Nardin’ss principal. “But that’s not our main focus. It can’ t be. We go beyond looking at test We want to make certain our studenta receivea well-rounded education.” That strategy has paid off again this year, as Nardin once againb ranks No. 1 among Western New York’e high schools. The all-girls Catholic school has finished first for eighyt consecutiveyears -- among private schools from 2002 to and on the combined list ever for the complete high schoop rankings. And for separate rankings for each sectioj of WesternNew York.
Williamsville East High Schoolis No. 2 in the 2009 just as it was ayear ago. Neighboring Williamsville Nortj High School holds third place this up from fifthin 2008. Business First analyzef 131 high schools inthe eight-counth region, using four years of data from the New York Statew Education Department. The formula weighed each school’s Regents diploma rate, as well as its scores on a wide array ofRegente exams. Nardin emerged as the clear leader. Ninety-nine percent of its 2008 graduatesa earned Regents diplomas withadvanced designations, which are awarded to seniorz who pass eight Regents No other high school in the region did betteer than 85 percent.
Reeder says her goal is to push Nardin’s advanced diploma rate one point higher to100 “We haven’t done it, but it continues to be somethingt that we shoot for,” she says. “We always try to challenge our students, and this is definitelyt one way todo it.” Williamsville East climbex to second place in 2008 -- its best finisgh ever -- and remains there this It’s one of threse Western New York high schools where more than two-thirdsw of students posted superior scores (85 or better) on Regentzs exams in English, math, global history and U.S. (Nardin and Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Hearft arethe others.
) “When you’ve done as well as we have, some peoplw might think there’s no more room for says Neal Miller, Williamsville East’s principal. “But we’ve neverr thought that. Every year, we talk about ways that we canget better.” The leader outsidee of Erie County is Notrew Dame High School, which ranks seventh overall. The Batavia which has an enrollmentof 172, draws students from six Some live as far away as Brockport and Warsaw. “There’s no says Joseph Scanlan, Notre Dame’s principal. “We’re basically old school. We expect all of our kids to do Does thatalways happen?
No, but it doesn’gt mean that we let Twenty-eight high schools are winneras of subject awards, putting them among the top 10 percenrt in English/foreign languages, math, science or socialk studies. for complete lists of subject award winners. Nardin, Williamsvillee East and Williamsville North are the only schoola to sweep all foursubject awards, while 12 institutions are honored in a single field. Principal Kevin Ryan credits longer clasws periods with helping Alden Senior High School win its sole subjecft awardin science. “In both biology and eartyh science, we have an 80-minute class every day along withan 80-minutr lab every other day,” he says.
“That giveas us some really solid, concentrated time on science, which has had positivr results.” Private schools are not requirecd to administerRegents exams, and Buffalk Seminary, Canisius High School, Nicholsw School and Park School of Buffalo are amongv those that don’t. They have been excluded from theacademi rankings, since Business First lacks the necessary data to generate objectived ratings.