U.S. News ranks Virginia's "TJ" as America's Best High School for third consecutive year
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va., was named the best High School in America in U.S. News & World Report's America's Best High Schools rankings for 2009. A course load of offerings that include DNA science, neurology, and quantum physics would seem to be more than enough, but students and the faculty felt those classes weren't enough, so they decided to tackle another big question: What are the social responsibilities of educated people?
Over the course of the school year, students are exploring social responsibility through projects of their own design, ranging from getting school supplies for students with cerebral palsy in Shanghai to persuading their classmates to use handkerchiefs to reduce paper waste. The One Question project demonstrates the way "TJ," as it's referred to by students and teachers, encourages the wide-ranging interests of its students.
"None of our students has the same passion," says TJ Principal Evan Glazer. "But having a passion is widely accepted and embraced."
This enthusiasm has placed TJ at the top of the America's Best High Schools ranking for each of the three years that U.S. News has ranked high schools. U.S. News uses a three-step process that analyzes first how schools are educating all of their students, then their minority and disadvantaged students, and finally their collegebound students based on student scores on statewide tests, Advanced Placement tests, and International Baccalaureate tests.
No comments:
Post a Comment