Rich Central:  On its Way (Back) to the Top
February 11, 2008

PTSO Town Hall Meeting Reveals Improved Test Scores 

 Olympia Fields – Change. It is the inevitable current of energy that serves as the catalyst for all things destined to grow. For Rich Central, that current goes by the name of Mr. Maceo Rainey, new Principal of the Rich Township High School; a school once touted as One of the Significant Schools of the Future in a monograph by the Ford Foundation. And with Rainey’s appointment, some say, has come a renewed commitment, and a re-energized and enthusiastic return, to a standard of excellence for which the school was once synonymous.

 At a recent PTSO Town Hall Meeting, the administrative staff of Rich Central presented evidence that the journey toward excellence, may very well be on its way. On ACT Practice Tests, scores improved in both math and reading.  In math, scores increased from 16.2 to 17.8. In reading, they increased from 15.7 to 17.8. And while, on the surface, the increases would appear modest indicators of academic progress, these incremental estimators are much more than that. They are, as some might say, the beginning of a new perception on what can be.  “For the first time in years, there is a feeling of high expectation and a belief that [excellence] will be accomplished,” says Beverly Sokol, member of the Olympia Fields Education Commission. “Mr. Rainey’s dedication and enthusiasm have helped to create a bond of trust between the school and local community.”

But the good news doesn’t stop there. On benchmark exams (tests to determine if students are meeting the state standards) 82% of students in Biology hit the mark second quarter, compared to just 74% in the first quarter. In Geometry, 68% of students achieved their benchmarks in second quarter, compared to only 41% in the first quarter. And in Chemistry, 75% of students achieved benchmark second quarter compared to only 52% in the first quarter.

The increased scores, proponents say, are a signal to junior high school parents that our district can compete with other area high schools. “We’re definitely moving in the right direction and we are looking forward to continued improvement,” says Superintendent Hunigan. “It’s part of our Board-adopted goal of increasing student achievement. Our teachers and administrators are committed to making sure that happens.”

Courtesy of Nikitta Foston, Public Relations Coordinator, School District 227     2-11-08