RI’s #1 School: East Greenwich High School
Monday, May 09, 2011
Can you say back-to-back? For the second year in a row, East Greenwich High has dominated the Top High School rankings, and holds its premiere spot at #1.
It's hard to beat a school with this combination of powerhouse NECAP scores across the board - 92% above proficient Reading, 68% Math, and the state's highest: 80% Writing. Factor in the best SAT averages in Rhode Island in every category, a standardized testing hat trick, and you've got momentum that's pretty much impossible to overcome. More remarkable - all those big scores are actually improvements on the last reported
scores for the 2010 rankings. East Greenwich is spinning performance gold... out of gold.
Perhaps what's most amazing is that this high school accomplishes these feats with one of the lowest per student investments in the Top 10 - $14,086. With such high numbers throughout its profile, though, this lower amount was not enough to bring the champion down in ranking.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWhat Makes EGHS Great?
According to Deidre Gifford, Chairman of the East Greenwich School Committee, it's a three-part formula. "The first is the support and involvement of families in the school," Gifford said. "Whether it is in athletics, music, PTG, academics, or any number of other school-related activities, we can always count on strong involvement from our students' families. This sends the message to our kids that education is important and should be a priority."
The second, Gifford said, was community support. "East Greenwich receives very little state funding to support our schools, which means the vast majority of our school funding is derived from local property taxes. Even in difficult economic times, the Town has supported continued excellence in our educational programs. We were recently able to modernize our outdated science labs, and recently completed a very long overdue renovation of our athletic fields at the high school. The Town of East Greenwich has made it clear that excellent schools are a priority."
And last, but in no means, least, Gifford laid laurels where they are due - at the feet of East Greenwich High School's faculty. "We are extremely fortunate to have a very strong and stable faculty at our high school," he said. "Even with strong family and community support, we would not have an excellent high school without excellent teachers in the classroom. All of us are grateful to them for their hard work and dedication to our kids."
A student's perspective
For Megan Soule, a graduating EGHS senior, it's the less quantifiables that have made her years at East Greenwich worth a number-one ranking. "EGHS has always pushed its students to be the best they can be," Soule said. "The students are very strong academically and well-rounded. They are involved in many extracurricular activities in the school and in the community." Further, Soule said, there is a diversity of interests and aptitudes at her high school that makes it feel even more unique.
And while she calls her peer group "competitive," she hastened to add that the entire community at EGHS is a close-knit group. "The faculty and staff become close with the students," she said. "With such a small school, everyone knows everyone and that is a good thing at our school. Whenever someone is in trouble there are always people there to help that person out."
East Greenwich High at a Glance
Enrollment: 758
Mascot: Avengers
Famous Alums:
- Donald Carcieri, Governor of Rhode Island
- Suzanne Carcieri, First Lady of Rhode Island
- Debra Messing, Actress
- Mark Zito, Radio Host
- Leeann Tingley, 2006 Miss Rhode Island USA
For a downloadable, printable version of RI's Top High Schools 2011, with the full chart of rankings and summaries of key articles, click here.
Related Articles
- RI’s #3 School: Exeter-West Greenwich Senior High School
- Last Ranked: What Next for Mount Pleasant High School?
- RI’s #4 School: South Kingstown High School
- College Admissions: Why School Rankings May Help You Get Into a Better College
- RI’s #5 School: Barrington High School
- CHART: RI’s High Schools, from #1 to #51
- RI’s #6 School: Middletown High School
- RI’s Top High Schools 2011: How We Got the Rankings
- RI’s #7 School: Lincoln Senior High School
- RI’s Top High Schools 2011: Who Moved Up, Who Moved Down?
- RI’s #8 School: Toll Gate High School
- RI’s Top High Schools 2011: The Link Between Schools and Home Values
- RI’s #9 School: Westerly High School
- RI’s #2 School: Narragansett High School
- RI’s #10 School: Classical High School
