Dr. Teresa Prendergast: Garden City is Really a Choice School District

“Garden City is really a choice school district,” explained assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction Dr. Teresa Prendergast at the fifth annual Student Achievement Report held on Nov. 30.

In front of an audience of more than 75 parents and residents, Dr. Prendergast and district administrators shared a review of student learning and accomplishments that included multiple comparative and longitudinal analyses.

Beginning “with the end in mind,” director of guidance Gina Christel focused on the “fantastic” graduation statistics for the 275 members of the Class of 2011: 98.5 percent graduated with a Regents diploma and 90 percent of Garden City graduates went on to attend four-year colleges. She shared SAT and ACT scores, highlighting the 10-point gains achieved in critical reading and writing on the SATs since 2008, and drawing attention to an “ingredient” not readily apparent when comparing student scores among our comparator school district group (a dozen high-achieving districts): 98 percent of Garden City students take the SATs.

“It’s a very difficult exam,” said Ms. Christel, sharing that our aggregate mean scores reflect a significantly higher percentage, in some cases 20 percent more, of students taking the exam. On the ACTs, Garden City has not only had more students take the test since 2008 – a 10 percent increase – but an increase in the average ACT score as well.

SAT subject tests, additional student achievement tests not required by all colleges but encouraged in Garden City as further enhancements to a student’s college application, indicated average score gains in six of eight subject tests administered since 2008.

Dr. Prendergast summarized the 2011 Advanced Placement (AP) results. Not only did the average student score increase since 2008, more students sat for the exams. In fact, Dr. Prendergast reminded the audience that, as uncovered in a recent nationally-aired NBC investigative report, at 61 percent, Garden City High School enrolls the highest percentage of students in AP courses in New York State. Results from the exam indicate that 48 percent of students received a score of 4 or higher and 22 percent a 5, the highest awarded score. These percentages represent gains since just last year (44 percent and 16 percent, respectively).

Dr. Prendergast reported that the total of AP scholars, those students who distinguished themselves with achieving high scores on AP exams, has dramatically increased since 2008. In 2011, a total of 176 students were named AP scholars in the four College Board categories, a gain of 83 scholars since 2008. Of the 501 students tested in May 2011, 86 percent received College Board recognition. Garden City High School also had 77 students named AP scholars (up from 39 in 2008), 41 AP scholars with honor (up from 15 in 2008), 58 scholars with distinction (up from 39 in 2008) and 14 national AP scholars (up from 3 in 2008).

Dr. Prendergast continued the achievement report with a breakdown of the state-reported Regents mastery level scores (a score of 85 or better) for Garden City and our comparator school districts, explaining that Garden City High School students placed first in U.S. history, second in living environment, English and Latin, and third in geometry, global history and physics. As we move forward, she indicated the district will be focusing on increasing mastery rates on the integrated algebra and chemistry Regents exams, where our students ranked 6th.

Each in turn, the curriculum coordinators explained their grades 6-12 student test results, highlighting scores and achievements. For example, in English Language Arts (ELA) at the middle school, sixth graders achieved the highest passing rate in Nassau County, eighth graders had the highest passing rate on Long Island and seventh graders achieved the highest passing rate in Nassau County.

For grades 6, 7, and 8 in mathematics, sixth graders achieved the third highest passing rate in Nassau County, seventh graders achieved the second highest passing rate on Long Island and eighth graders achieved the fourth highest passing rate in Nassau County. 

Stewart principal Linda Norton and Stratford principal Eileen Vota summarized state test scores for the elementary grades emphasizing the difficulty, not only of the test content, but the length of time students were expected to sit for the tests. Ms. Norton also explained to the audience that Garden City students did quite well, ranking in the top three in passing rates in Nassau County in grades 4 and 5 ELA, and grades 4 and 5 mathematics.

In closing, Dr. Prendergast summarized district-wide findings: “The number of Advanced Placement scholars with distinction (58 students) has increased by 55 percent in the last two years. This is the largest number of AP scholars with distinction in Garden City history. At 83 percent, the percentage of students who earned a Regents diploma with advanced designation in 2011 is among the highest on Long Island.”

She emphasized the support the school district provides for students by offering college credit courses through Adelphi University and St. John’s University in accounting, business law, business management, college Italian and college Spanish with college credit opportunities in German, Latin and French starting in the fall of 2012.

Future initiatives include some new opportunities. For example, beginning in January, the high school will offer PowerPrep, an SAT review course, at a reduced rate for Garden City residents. Additionally, through the district’s Continuing Education program, SAT and SAT subject test review classes are offered, with plans to begin ACT review classes this spring. Upcoming plans also include Robotics (fourth and fifth grade) offered through the Winter Program for Kids (January, 2012) and a college essay writing course, geared toward the college application process (summer, 2012).

For more information about the Continuing Education program, the Winter Program for Kids or to review the complete 2011 Student Achievement report, including a link to NBC’s Advanced Placement video, visit the district’s website.