By Anna Skinner
For the second year, Westfield’s graduation rates are the highest in Central Indiana. With 96.5 percent of the students graduating, Westfield leads in the non-waivered graduate rates.
The Indiana Dept. of Education released the rates, which apply to the class of 2014 graduates.
“We are focused on the day after graduation, as we have really tried to instill necessary post-secondary skills for our students so they understand the importance of getting that diploma so they can go on to the next step,” WHS Principal Stacy McGuire said. “The diploma is just the beginning, not a terminal point.”
When the waivered students were included the percentage raised to 97.8 percent. The non-waivered students met all graduation requirements and passed the Algebra and English ECA, whereas the waivered students met all credit requirements but did not pass one of the exams. However, the waivered students demonstrated mastery of the subject in another way such as showing mastery during a different type of evaluation. Waivered students demonstrated that they were proficient in those skills tested on the ECA that they originally struggled with, they just did not pass the state test.
McGuire praises the teachers, parents and students for all working together to achieve the highest graduation rate in Central Indiana. She also encourages students to keep up the good work.
“I want them to know that they need to keep pushing and stretching themselves,” said McGuire. “It is all about the learning. If they do the work to learn, everything else will fall into place. We have really wonderful students.”
