From staff reports
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Rick Cook, superintendent of the Seneca R-7 School District, seemed to take the news that Seneca High School has received national recognition by U.S. News & World Report magazine in stride.
“It just validates that we’re on the right track,” Cook said. “We would rather have the silver or gold. We’re thrilled with the bronze, but we’re planning on getting the gold.”
The high schools in Seneca, Cassville and Baxter Springs, Kan., were cited with bronze ratings in the magazine’s annual “America’s Best High Schools.”
Larry Cannon, principal at Baxter Springs High School, said he was not aware that the school was even being considered for recognition by U.S. News.
“This came as a surprise,” he said.
But Cannon said the recognition is a reflection of the work done by the faculty and staff to help students succeed. He said many of the district’s high school students must overcome difficult socioeconomic backgrounds while working to succeed at school.
He cited the school’s One-to-One initiative, which provides a laptop computer for each student to use throughout the school year, and said the school offers dual credit courses that allow students to obtain college credit while attending high school. He said students in the school’s building trades class get hands-on experience by building a house each year that is sold in the community. And, he said, a peer-leading program that places high schools students in elementary classrooms has resulted in many students becoming teachers.
“I think those things stand out,” Cannon said. “We’re pretty well-rounded, I think.”
School was not in session Wednesday in the Cassville district, and the Globe’s efforts to obtain comment from officials there were unsuccessful.
Tosha Fox, principal of Seneca High School, said the national recognition is not a signal for her and her staff to take it easy.
“By no means are we saying we’re done,” she said.
Fox said the faculty and staff will work even harder to ensure there is a positive atmosphere at the high school.
“Not just for the students and the staff, but for the entire community,” she said.
In particular, Fox said, she is proud of the school’s Advanced Placement program and the dual credit program with Crowder College that allows students to earn college credits. The high school, Fox said, offers eight dual credit classes on its campus and six at Crowder College.
Fox said the high school is entering the fourth year of a five-year improvement plan written by herself and members of her faculty. She said the school is already working to develop its next five-year improvement plan.
Staff writers Mike Pound and Roger McKinney contributed to this report.
Third year for list
This is the third year that U.S. News & World Report has published the list, which the magazine says was compiled with assistance from consultants. The procedure looks at schools’ work with minority, disadvantaged, so-called “average” and college-bound students. Students’ scores on standardized tests were examined.
