We have much good news to share with the community, including the latest results of an independent study by Scott Gerber of Gerber Analytics, who analyzed the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) scores of all the high schools in Ohio for 2009. Based on the report analysis, Catholic Central has been named one of the top academic high schools in Ohio.
And Catholic Central was the only school in Clark and Champaign counties to achieve this ranking. Comparing Catholic Central to other Catholic high schools in our region, we ranked ahead of any school in Dayton and fifth among all archdiocesan high schools.
Of the 1,005 secondary schools in Ohio, only 114 met the criteria of a 91-percent passing rate on all five parts of the Ohio Graduation Test.
The Ohio Department of Education provided Gerber Analytics the electronic media source for private school data and charter schools, as well as the percentage of students who passed all five parts of the test for all secondary schools in Ohio.
This research supports our philosophy that Catholic Central strives to achieve excellence in education in a faith-filled environment. The study confirms what we have known for many years: Catholic Central High School continues to be a leading high school of academic excellence in our region.
Our 80-year history of success and academic strength is a product of dedicated faculty at both the elementary and secondary levels, as well as our active approach in maintaining strong partnerships with our families.
An integral part of Catholic Central’s success is the disciplined environment, with high demands placed on students and where all are expected to perform their best at all times. Our students continue to respond positively to these expectations.
This is wonderful news both for Catholic Central and the entire community! In terms of economic development, it is critical that Catholic Central remain a viable institution as an alternative for families who desire a strong academic and faith-based education. Anything less will severely compromise our ability to be an attractive environment for business development for families considering moving to this great region.
Certainly there are other excellent schools within the region that serve students and are striving for excellence in academics, both at the elementary and secondary levels. As a community of educational institutions, whether public or private, it is important to support and encourage all of our students to excel in the classroom and beyond.
We at Catholic Central School want to create strong partnerships as well as continue to enhance our academic successes for the betterment of our church and our community.
As we commemorate our 80th year of secondary education and 160 years of elementary education at Catholic Central, we are continuing to grow and thrive in spiritual abundance, while reaping the seeds of our rich history and commitment to the highest quality of education and faith development.
Together, with others in our community as partners in faith, we will continue the tradition of developing the next generation of leaders for Springfield and other communities throughout the United States.
Kenith Britt is president of Catholic Central.