1985-Annual Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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School Superintendent Reviews, Prepares, Develops In addition to the impressive array of accomplish- ments, projects and awards reviewed here, approxi- mately 200 members of the Lexington school community have been planning for the reorganization of grade levels in 1986 -87. New philosophies for each level have been designed and approved. Curriculum, orga- nization and institutional values and priorities have been examined and in some cases revised. With- out the willingness of staff members to lead and manage this preparation and without the contribution of many parents, the school system could not have developed such a comprehensive planning process. Our students and staff continue to produce impres- sive results in a wide range of programs and activi- ties. Together the school committee, the staff and hundreds of volunteer citizens have worked to im- prove both curricular and extracurricular programs and activities. Here are some benchmarks of recent progress: GENERAL SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT Graduating Class of 1985. Eighty -eight percent of The class went on to further education, as compared with 86 percent in 1984. Plans of the 550 gradu- ating seniors include: Percentage attending: 4 -year college 79% 2 -year college 7 Other schooling 2 Total continuing education 88 Employment, military, other 12 GRAND TOTAL 100% College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) Test Scores: 1984 -85. Ninety percent of Lexington's seniors took the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in contrast with 66 percent of seniors statewide, and 40 percent nationally. This high participation rate may partially explain the decline from last year's average scores: verbal scores fell 15 points to 476 and mathematics dropped eight points from a nine - year high to 523. Meanwhile, national averages rose; the difference between Lexington's and nation- al scores this year is +45 points in verbal and +48 in mathematics. Our students took a total of 1152 Achievement Tests in 11 subject areas, a rise from last year when students took 990 tests in 10 subjects. In the Advanced Placement Test program, 182 students took 223 tests; 93 percent of these test scores qualified students for advanced placement consider- ation by colleges. National Merit Scholarship Program. Fifteen Lexington High School seniors were named semi- finalists; 29 received letters of commendation. Ex- cept for Boston Latin School, once again Lexington had the highest number of semi - finalists of a Massachusetts public school. Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS). By fourth grade, according to the CTBS, our students achieve Lexington High SchooZ Soccer team had plenty to cheer about this year; they won the Eastern Massachu- setts Championship and were State Finalists. better than anticipated in reading, language and reference skills. By eighth grade they achieve better than anticipated in every skill area, in- cluding math. STUDENT AND STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS BY PROGRAM Athletics. The following teams from the high school were Middlesex League Champions for 1984 -85: Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Boys' Basketball, Boys' Swimming, Boys' Lacrosse and Boys' Tennis. The tennis team went on to win the Massachusetts State Boys' Tennis Championship. Overall, Lexington topped all nine high schools in the Middlesex League from which it derives over 95 percent of its interscholastic competition. Clarke Boys' Basketball and Diamond J. V. Girls' Basketball were undefeated. For 1985 -86 the high school Boys' Soccer and Football teams were League Champions. Boys' Soccer went on to win the Division I North Championship and the Eastern Massachusetts Champion- ship, and were state finalists. Clarke Boys' Soccer and Diamond Girls' Soccer were undefeated. Peter Chamberlain was selected as Middlesex League Boys' Swimming Coach of the Year and as Boston Globe Division I Swimming Coach of the Year. Business Education. The department has initiated a word processing course, "Communications and Technol- ogy," using Apple microcomputers. The staff obtained Education 27