January 2012
Each year at this time our thoughts are often centered on resolutions on how to improve personally or professionally. In the field of education, we are afforded two opportunities to reflect and adjust per year: the start of the school year in September and the beginning of a new calendar year. We are certainly fortunate to have a second ‘fresh start’ coupled with the opportunities it presents.
We have yet to hit the mid-point of the 2011-12 school year and we are already in the middle of preparing a budget for the 2012-2013 school year. It seems like yesterday that we were talking about how the entire Y2K scenario would unfold. It does not seem possible that the budget that we are developing includes providing educational services to the incoming class of students who were born in 2000.
We fully expect that our past record of success will be a preamble of our future. Clearview’s success and pride continues to be displayed in several venues. Recently, our High school Vocal Ensemble, comprised of 36 incredibly talented students and one dynamic director, rallied the support of the entire Clearview community. The district and students were rewarded with $5,000 and an opportunity to sing with the Holiday Pops at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. That experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the students, and they performed at a professional level, as expected! However; the real upside to that entire B101 competition was the pride it instilled in the entire Clearview community. To say we’re officially ‘on the map’ would be an understatement.
Our students continue to excel in the classroom as well as in the co-curricular areas. The college applications have been sent out and the acceptance letters have started to come in. It appears that the efforts of our teaching staff coupled with the ongoing parental support have paid off once again. Our students are clearly well-prepared as evidenced by the high-level of acceptance letters to academically challenging colleges and universities.
Another example of our students’ success is referenced in a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article (click here for full article) regarding Advanced Placement exams. We were awarded ‘AP District Honor Roll’ status by the College Board. The AP District Honor Roll status nationally recognizes districts that expand the AP offerings to a broader pool of students, while maintain or improving the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher (1-5 scale) on AP exams.
As always, thank you for your support of our district! I genuinely believe that the values of our school community are what set us apart from other schools and communities.
Sincerely,
John Horchak III, Superintendent