Avalon ISD recognized as one of the best schools in Region 10 again

Cindy Sutherland Posted December 18, 2009 12:00pm Avalon Independent School District

Image: Avalon ISD — This is the place where lots of learning is going on. — Avalon ISD — This is the place where lots of learning is going on. (Cindy Sutherland)

Once again, Avalon ISD was among the schools from Region 10 that were recognized as the top performers in U.S. News and World Report’s annual listing of the Best High Schools in America.

Working in collaboration with School Evaluation Services, a K-12 education and data research and analysis business that provides parents with education data. U.S. News analyzed academic and enrollment data from more than 21,000 public high schools to find the very best across the country and Avalon ISD was selected as one of the best schools.

The selection methodology is based on the key principles that a great high school must serve all its students well, not just those who are college bound, and that it must be able to produce measurable academic outcomes to show the school is successfully educating its student body across a range of performance indicators.

A three step process determined the best high schools. The first step determined whether each school’s students were performing better than statistically expected for the average student in the state. For those that made it past this first step, the second step determined whether the school’s least advantaged students (black, Hispanic, and low income) were performing better than average for similar students in the state.

Schools that made it through the first two steps became eligible to be judged nationally on the final step, college readiness performance, using Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate test data as the benchmarks for success, depending on which program was largest at the school.

“All of our kids are doing well and succeeding regardless of differences in background, and their economic level. Being recognized as one of the best High Schools tells me we are reaching every kid and not just a certain population. I take a great deal of pride in the fact that we can say that. It doesn’t matter the background of the child, they are learning and they are doing things well and we are just so proud of our kids,” bragged Del Bosque.

Congratulations Avalon ISD! Way to go, and keep up the good work.

Dual Credit Class — Avalon ISD is offering dual credit classes from Navarro College. (Cindy Sutherland)

Proud Faculty — Jody Tennery (assistant principal), Chris Marshall (high school principal) and Superintendent David Del Bosque. Mr. Tennery said, “I am just proud of the kids and all the hard work they have done to make us achieve this goal. It is all because of them. They have done all the work.” Chris Marshall said, “We are proud of all the students and teachers for all the hard work they have put in to achieve this goal.” (Cindy Sutherland)

Coach Davis and Math Class — Coach Davis teaches math and said, “The kids at Avalon work extremely hard. They do everything that we ask. We push them well beyond what the normal students do. I expect the best and I get it.” (Cindy Sutherland)

Avalon Seventh Graders (Cindy Sutherland)

Science Class (Cindy Sutherland)

Denise Campbell — Ms. Campbell said," I teach science for grades 7th through 12th and I am thrilled for the kids and their achievements, they have worked very hard." (Cindy Sutherland)