POMPERAUG HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2006 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 a status report on the Pomperaug High School Class of 2006 to the Region 15 Board of Education at their December 14, 2006 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 2006 started with 318 students and 294 graduated.  Of those 24 non-graduate students, four are taking a fifth year at the high school, seven students completed the necessary work to earn their diplomas this 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.

“By graduation day, over ninety-two percent of our students met the graduation requirements,” said Mr. Varotta. “Of the remaining non-graduates, most have received or are now pursuing their diploma or GED. Our statistics show that, ultimately, the vast majority of the students will end up with a high school diploma or GED.”

 Two hundred seventy-five (275) members of the Pomperaug High School Class of 2006 are currently enrolled in continuing education, including a 4-year college, 2-year college, or trade, technical or specialized, non-degree program. Approximately one-quarter of the graduates attending college are enrolled at schools labeled as most-, highly-, or very-competitive. Almost half the graduating class of 2006 attending college is enrolled at a school classified as competitive.

 “Our records shows that more students are attending state colleges now than ever before,” said Mr. Varotta. “Getting into college is getting increasingly harder because, nationwide, the number of graduating seniors is increasing and, therefore, enlarging the applicant pool at the colleges.

 The Scholastic Aptitude Test, or “SAT”, is often taken in the student’s junior or senior year of high school. Eighty-nine percent of the Class of 2006 took the SAT. The average SAT score for all graduates based upon each student’s best scores was 529 for the verbal portion of the test and 535 for the math portion.

 Eighty-five percent of those students who were enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) classes took the AP test or tests at the end of the year. Eighty-seven percent of 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.

 “Pomperaug High School students do exceptionally well in the AP program,” said Mr. Varotta. “Year after year, the scores are consistently high.”