By Steve Mayer
What do Princeton University, NJIT, MIT, RIT, Dartmouth College, TCNJ, Duke University and Boston College have in common? They are just a sampling of the 150-plus colleges and universities that have accepted and are hoping to woo Robbinsville High School graduates by May 1.
As the track record of acceptances at the most competitive colleges and universities increases each year, it certainly seems as if holding a diploma from RHS has some cachet.
One of my favorite things about having an office located in the high school is being able to see the Guidance Department’s Wall of Stars grow and grow. Starting in December with early acceptances, students proudly post yellow stars noting their college acceptances to the wall. This annual rite of passage is an important way to celebrate the work of nearly 13 years of schooling. I love this ritual because it seems to signal that we are getting something right.
When I speak to audiences about Robbinsville Schools, even those predominately comprised of early elementary parents, I typically mention that our best gauge of success can be seen in the variety of acceptances our seniors gain and how well they do once they arrive at college. Given that every senior started his or her journey in Kindergarten, this measure is relevant even to parents of young students. The goals our students attain throughout their years of schooling are a direct reflection of a strong home-school partnership.
As we consider what high school students need to know and be able to do in order to be college ready, we must map backward to set expectations as early as a child’s first year of school. If we expect graduates to be able to think critically and analyze real world problems, we must engage our youngest learners in this work as appropriate to their level. If a graduate is to be able to write an argument with a well-developed and supported thesis, we must engage elementary students in this process throughout their years of schooling. Our work is cumulative. The standards we set during the early years pay dividends that our high school students will carry with them throughout their lives.
We cheer for our seniors as they make their final decisions about what schools they will attend next year, and we are cognizant of the reality that their success is part of all of us—a strong sense of purpose at home, well-articulated and meaningful school experiences from Kindergarten forward, and the hard work of each student.
The impressive list of college acceptances for the Class of 2015 belongs to all of us. We are very proud!
Steve Mayer is superintendent of Robbinsville Schools.
