For the third consecutive year, Hamilton High School was named to Newsweek Magazine’s “America’s Best High School” list for 2014. The ranking highlights the best 500 public high schools in the nation – ones that have proven to be the most effective in turning out college-ready graduates.
Hamilton is one of only 17 Wisconsin high schools on this year’s list. Newsweek created the list by first identifying schools that perform at or above the 80th percentile within each state and then calculating a a college-readiness score for each school based on:
- graduation rate;
- Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate credits;
- ACT or SAT exam scores;
- change in student enrollment between grades 9-12; and
- counselor-to-student ratio.
Hamilton Principal Candis Mongan said being named again to Newsweek’s best high schools list is an honor because it reaffirms the commitment of Hamilton teachers who continually work to advance their teaching skills.
“Teachers have taken on quite a few new initiatives in the interest of self-improvement and bettering their instructional skills, always keeping their sight on students and their academic growth,” Mongan said.
Superintendent Kathleen Cooke, Ph.D., credited high school staff for being focused and deliberate in their effort to increase rigor and meet the needs of all students. She noted that the district’s Strategic Plan and the school site plan have success indicators that include the factors that Newsweek used to rank America’s top high schools.