Grades are in for high schools Report helps residents gauge cost, quality of education. Thursday, February 08, 2007 • By ANDREA EILENBERGER and MICHELLE PITTMAN • The Express-Times Like most other Warren and Hunterdon County schools, Phillipsburg students scored above average on state high school proficiency tests in 2005-06. But Phillipsburg students didn't fare as well in other areas of the state-issued report card, including graduation and dropout rate. Superintendent Gordon Pethick said initiatives such as developing small learning groups within the school are in the works to attack many of his school's challenges. "This is a very positive time in education because of things that are coming to light over the next several years," Pethick said. That program is one that Abbott districts, which are the poorest in the state, are encouraged to use. Phillipsburg spent $14,252 per pupil, above the state average of $13,169. Performance gauge Each year, the state Department of Education issues a report for each public school to help communities gauge the quality and cost of education. It assesses school environment, student information, student performance and staff and financial information. According to the DOE, the graduation rate rose 2 percentage points in the 2005-06 school year to 93.2 percent. But not all Warren County high schools met that score. Phillipsburg has the worst graduation rate in both Warren and Hunterdon counties at 89.5 percent. Phillipsburg managed to close the gap from 2003-04 by about 9.1 percentage points, something Pethick credits to having creating a "personalized atmosphere" for students. Warren Hills Regional High School Principal Tim O'Brien said his district has taken steps to address dropout and graduation rates by helping students of diverse backgrounds assimilate into the school environment. "The dropout rate is something we're looking at very closely," particularly among special education students, he said. Continuous improvement The district already is trying to help ease students' frustrations in the classroom in hopes of keeping them in school with things such as skills development software. Hackettstown Superintendent Robert Gratz said his district will do everything it can to help the upward trend of testing scores by operating under the motto of "continuous improvement" in all educational aspects. That includes improving SAT math scores. "We're a relatively small school, so there is significant attention given to individual students," Gratz said. Warren Hills saw a significant increase in the number of students placing in the advanced category for language arts proficiency. The district had focused on that area and now plans to do so even more with math. Phillipsburg was the only Warren County high school to spend more per pupil than the state average of $13,169. Belvidere spent the least at $10,213. Belvidere Superintendent Dirk Swaneveld did not return messages seeking comment. In Hunterdon County, Voorhees, North Hunterdon and Delaware Valley Regional high schools scored above the state averages in most areas, producing more college-bound students and fewer overall drop-outs. North Hunterdon/Voorhees Superintendent Charles Michael Shaddow said the district's recipe for success is simple. "We have great kids, instruction staff, support staff and involved parents," he said. "A lot of our success has to deal with the goals we set for student-centered instruction. They are actively involved in their education with hands-on projects and activity-based learning." Reporter Andrea Eilenberger can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at aeilenberger@express-times.com. Reporter Michelle Pittman can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at mpittman@express-times.com. © 2006 The Express-Times. Used by NJ.com with permission.