Nardin remains No.1 among high schools - Baltimore Business Journal:

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“There’s always the question of what people would think if we did drop says Reeder, who is Nardin’s principal. “But that’s not our main focus. It can’ be. We go beyond looking at test We want to make certain our studentz receivea well-rounded education.” That strategt has paid off again this year, as Nardijn once again ranks No. 1 amon Western New York’s high schools. The all-girls Catholic school has finished first for eightr consecutiveyears -- among private schools from 2002 to and on the combined list ever for the complete high school rankings. And for separate rankinge for each section of WesterjnNew York.
Williamsville East High Schoolis No. 2 in the 2009 just as it was ayear ago. Neighborinh Williamsville North High School holds thirr placethis time, up from fifthj in 2008. Business First analyzed 131 high schools inthe eight-count y region, using four years of data from the New York Statwe Education Department. The formula weigher each school’s Regents diploma rate, as well as its scorees on a wide array ofRegents exams. Nardinm emerged as the clear leader. Ninety-nine percent of its 2008 graduatew earned Regents diplomas withadvanced designations, which are awarded to seniorw who pass eight Regents exams.
No other high school in the region did better than 85 Reeder says her goal is topush Nardin’se advanced diploma rate one point highetr to 100 percent. “We haven’t done it, but it continuesa to be something that weshoor for,” she says. “We alwaysa try to challenge our students, and this is definitelyt one way todo it.” Williamsville East climbecd to second place in 2008 -- its best finisjh ever -- and remains there this It’s one of three Western New York high schools wherer more than two-thirds of students postef superior scores (85 or better) on Regentd exams in English, math, globapl history and U.S.
(Nardin and Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Hear arethe others.) “When you’ve done as well as we some people might think there’s no more room for says Neal Miller, Williamsville East’s principal. “Butf we’ve never thought that. Every we talk about ways that we can get The leader outside of Erie County is Notred DameHigh School, which ranks seventj overall. The Batavia school, which has an enrollmentt of 172, draws students from six Some live as far away as Brockportyand Warsaw. “There’s no secret,” says Joseph Notre Dame’s principal. “We’re basically old We expect all of our kids to do Does thatalways happen?
No, but it doesn’gt mean that we let up.” Twenty-eighg high schools are winners of subject awards, puttingv them among the top 10 percenrt in English/foreign languages, math, science or social studies. for completre lists of subjectaward winners. Williamsville East and Williamsville North are the only schools to swee all foursubject awards, whil 12 institutions are honored in a single field. Principal Kevinj Ryan credits longer class periods with helping Alden Senio r High School win its sole subject awardin science. “Ijn both biology and earth science, we have an 80-minutr class every day along withan 80-minute lab everyt other day,” he says.
“That givexs us some really solid, concentrated time on science, which has had positivre results.” Private schools are not required to administerfRegents exams, and Buffalok Seminary, Canisius High School, Nichols School and Park School of Buffalol are among those that don’t. They have been excludedx from theacademic rankings, since Businesws First lacks the necessary data to generatde objective ratings.