Lee Pulaski, lpulaski@shawanoleader.com
Two Shawano County schools have been recognized as among the top high schools in the U.S. for 2014 by the U.S. News and World Report.
Gresham Community School and Bonduel High School received bronze awards from the news magazine, which publishes its rankings annually.
Gresham has been ranked as a top school twice previously by the U.S. News and World Report, in 2009 and 2012.
“I think it’s a great honor for our school,” said Keary Mattson, school principal and district administrator. “Just to get it once is an honor, but three times in the last five years, it speaks a lot for our teachers and our school.”
The school was recognized for all students, not just those who are college bound, scoring above average on proficiency tests for reading and math. The school had 66 percent of its high school students proficient in math and 89 percent in reading.
Bonduel also had high percentages of students passing math and reading tests, with 74 percent proficient in math and 82 percent proficient in reading.
The report for Gresham also noted the school’s low student-to-teacher ratio, which was 12-1. The high school population includes 41 percent minorities, and 62 percent of students considered to be economically disadvantaged.
In Bonduel, the student-to-teacher ratio was 15-1. Forth-three percents of the high school students are economically disadvantaged; the minority population is 4 percent.
The magazine’s criteria includes college-readiness performance, as shown in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams, but Gresham does not regularly use the exams, which meant the bronze award was the highest the school could get, according to Mattson.
Bonduel had a 31 percent participation rate on AP exams.
Mattson said having two small schools in the county receive recognition is proof that small schools can succeed.
“I really think it makes such a difference in a school such as ours, where we have such a high percentage of low-income students, Mattson said. “Having small class sizes makes a huge difference in dealing with all of our students.”
Bonduel High School Principal Patrick Rau did not return phone calls Thursday from the Leader seeking comment.
The U.S. News and World Report analyzed 31,242 public high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report recognized 114 Wisconsin schools with either gold, silver or bronze awards.