It is great to see our scholars back on campus again. This is going to be an outstanding school year. I am excited to see so many new students. Our new freshman class is bigger and better than ever. We have some new staff members that have quickly stepped in and become part of the family.
Our focus this year as in the past is High School Graduation. Every student that enters this school should set the same goal of attaining that high school diploma. The value of a high school diploma has been estimated at one half a million dollars. That is nothing to take lightly. Dropping out of high school is not an option in todays economic environment. To compete, our students must have a high school diploma as a minimum and most should be looking for 2 or 4 years of college.
I want to brag on our ACT scores from this past year. Our level of participation went up 32%. At the same time our composite score increased 2.5% with a 3.5 % increase in reading and a 6.8% increase in science. In every area; English, Math, Reading, and Science; our school scores are above the state average. These scores indicate our students are ready for college and ready to compete in the world.
Our fall sports are also ready to compete. This year, we step up the level of competition as we move to 4A. Our players have worked hard all summer conditioning and developing their skills. Over the past month, our football, volleyball, tennis, and cross-country teams have worked collectively to pull together those talents and bring together those teams. I appreciate their efforts to represent our school with pride. I hope that everyone will come out and support our teams as much as possible.
Another group that has worked hard this summer is our marching band. I have been so impressed with their sound. I look forward to seeing a great show. Our band is growing and their talent has improved. I am sure that they will represent our school well this year.
This is going to be a great school year. There will be challenges throughout the year, but I am sure that our students will succeed and our school will prosper.