Dear
Parent, Guardian, Stakeholder:
Right now we are experiencing a nationwide call for higher graduation standards
that will better prepare all students for higher education and
the workplace:
"The debate about whether schools should provide students with training
for work or preparation for college is now obsolete… Brainpower is
the manpower of the new millennium. Utility and knowledge have become one
and the same." U.S. Department of Education and the College Board
A recent study from the American Diploma Project* (ADP) sums up what
professional associations, think-tanks, independent researchers, and even
several states are now saying is the key to preparing high school graduates for
the future: a set of rigorous math and English standards for ALL high
school students based on what colleges and employers believe they should
know.
Key Findings from Research
·
The academic preparation for first year college
and the workplace are the same
·
One third of high school graduates need to
take remedial courses in college
·
Most employers complain that high school
graduates lack basic skills
·
Most students do not take challenging
courses in high school
Easy
courses, poor
counseling, and low expectations of students and teachers alike
contribute to the mismatch between high school graduation and college
readiness.
|
Salem’s
Charge: To provide a top-of-the-line college preparatory program to all
students.
|
How Salem arrives at the mission of providing a top-of-the-line college
preparatory education for all students? Isn't this unrealistic? Isn't
it limiting for students? The answer is an emphatic NO!
Fortunately for Salem students; Salem High School is now an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.
The nearest school that offers this prestigious program is the
exceptional tuition based $23,000 a year private school, Wilmington Friends
School of Delaware.
To that
end, if you have any questions or thoughts regarding our district, please do
not hesitate to contact me at (856) 935-3800 ext. 4220.
Educationally yours,
Amiot P. Michel, Ed. D.,
Superintendent
You must be the change you want to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi