Simply two years into the tenure of its first Black and first lady principal, historic Central Excessive has been named a nationwide Blue Ribbon College by the U.S. Division of Schooling — for a record-setting third time.
Central is the nation’s second oldest highschool in steady operation. Together with Masterman, it’s also among the many metropolis’s most selective. It’s the solely college in Philadelphia to win the award this yr.
College students and employees with tubes of confetti gathered to have a good time on the south garden of the college at Broad and Olney as Kate Davis, whose title is president somewhat than the principal, made the announcement.
“That is an achievement that acknowledges the continued tutorial excellence of Central Excessive College,” Davis informed the group. “That is an achievement that celebrates the dedication of our college, our college students, and our households.”
Confetti in pink and gold, Central’s colours, quickly stuffed the sky.
Davis, an alumna of Central who was named its president in April 2022 at age 34, is anticipating a child. She will probably be going to Washington, D.C., in early November to formally settle for the award, three weeks earlier than her due date. Her dad and mom have been amongst these within the crowd Monday.
“This is just one small second in our faculty’s storied legacy,” Davis stated.
To cheers, Superintendent Tony Watlington stated the achievement reminded him of basketball legend Michael Jordan, whose Chicago Bulls groups had two separate “three-peats,” or strings of three consecutive championships.
The Blue Ribbon program honors high-performing, typically progressive faculties, particularly those who present progress in closing achievement gaps based mostly on pupil race and financial standing.
Central was certainly one of 356 faculties nationwide given the dignity this yr and certainly one of 4 within the Philadelphia area. Non-public and constitution faculties are additionally eligible.
Based in 1836 as a faculty for boys, Central was first named a Blue Ribbon college in 1987, simply 4 years after the college began admitting ladies as the results of a prolonged courtroom battle. It was honored once more in 2011.
For the reason that Blue Ribbon program started in 1982, 15 Philadelphia district faculties have been given the dignity. Six apart from Central have been designated twice, and 5 of these are excessive faculties with citywide or particular admissions standards. The opposite is Penn Alexander elementary college, which has a partnership with the College of Pennsylvania. Central is the primary metropolis college to be cited thrice.
The final Philadelphia district college to get the designation was the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush in 2022.
Faculties don’t apply for the dignity. Somebody unknown within the Division of Schooling nominates faculties, to which officers ship “a complete software about your educational program, further curricular programming, mission and values and beliefs,” Davis stated. “You have interaction truthfully in a dialogue that goes on for months.”
The final requirement is to satisfy all of the state’s targets for standardized exams, which Central did this yr.
The most recent data on the district web site on pupil check scores exhibits that in 2022, simply 42% of Central college students scored proficient on the state math check — an enormous drop from its common near-perfect figures. District spokesperson Christina Clark stated this was as a result of most ninth graders beginning highschool after the pandemic yr selected to not take the state Keystone algebra check that yr, as they often do at Central. They’ve till eleventh grade to take a seat for the check.
Davis stated that this yr’s check scores, which will probably be launched to the general public quickly, will present an enormous rebound.
The most recent honor additionally comes after the district moved to an admissions system that places all certified college students in a lottery, prioritizing college students from historically underrepresented ZIP codes, somewhat than relying largely on principal selection. And it’s nonetheless combating considerably growing the proportion of Black and Latino college students to extra intently match districtwide enrollment.
“We all know as younger folks got here again from COVID, you see actual challenges with standardized exams,” she stated. “My college has been impacted simply as different faculties have, however we proceed to see enhancements.”
Jake Benny, a Central junior who final week was named as an alternate pupil member of the Board of Schooling, was amongst these cheering the announcement.
“It simply exhibits that Central is again, higher than ever,” he stated.
Dale Mezzacappa is a senior author for Chalkbeat Philadelphia, the place she covers Okay-12 faculties and early childhood schooling in Philadelphia. Contact Dale at dmezzacappa@chalkbeat.org.
