POMPERAUG HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2007 PROFILED AT BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING----Director of Guidance Highlights Graduate Data

    Kenneth L. Varotta, director of guidance for the Pomperaug Regional School District 15, presented his annual status report on the Pomperaug High School Class of 2007 to the Region 15 Board of Education at their January 28, 2008 meeting. Among the information Mr. Varotta shared with the Board members was the percentage of students who graduated, the types of post-graduate education pursued by the students, test scores, and the competitive level of colleges attended by the Pomperaug High School graduates.

    Mr. Varotta reported that the Class of 2007 numbered 335 students and 311 graduated.  Of those 24 non-graduate students, four have returned to PHS for a fifth year of high school, seven students completed the necessary work to earn their diplomas this past fall, eight students are attending a continuing education program, and five students are considered drop-outs. As part of the presentation, Mr. Varotta reviewed post-graduate education SATs, college attendance by quintile, and graphic illustrations of this data.

    “Ninety-eight percent of the Pomperaug High School Class of 2007 are currently enrolled in a 4-year or 2-year college. Approximately 44 percent of the graduates attending college are enrolled at schools labeled as most-, highly-, or very-competitive, as ranked by the Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges.

    “Many PHS students are applying to and attending our state colleges at a greater frequency than ever before,” said Mr. Varotta. “Therefore, the Connecticut State colleges and universities are getting more selective and highly ranked.”

    The Scholastic Aptitude Test, or “SAT”, is often taken in the student’s junior or senior year of high school. Eighty-seven percent of the Class of 2007 took the SAT. The average SAT score for all 2007 graduates based upon each student’s best scores was 560 for the Critical Reading (formerly known as Verbal) portion of the test and 560 for the Math portion.

    “The Advanced Placement program continues to be a strong program here at Pomperaug High School and students’ scores, as well as enrollment into these classes, continue to rise,” said Mr. Varotta. “In 2007, we administered 428 exams and we could break 500 this spring. Eighty-seven percent of those test takers received a score of 3, 4, or 5 and may receive college credit or placement in the college they attend in the fall. Incidentally, each student pays a fee to the College Board for each test.”

   Mr. Varotta explained to the Board of Education that each spring, the seniors fill out a survey regarding their areas of involvement while at Pomperaug High School in order to give a snapshot of that particular class’s level of activity. Over eighty percent of the students responded that they were involved in some activity during their years at PHS, including music, government, organizations, sports, or drama.

    “The strong SAT scores, dedication to the AP program, college acceptances, and level of involvement exhibited by these graduates speaks to the strength of this school system,” said Mr. David Erwin, Region 15 Board of Education member.