It gives me great pleasure to announce that Tappan Zee High School has been named a High Achieving Recognition School by the New York State Education Department. This is the second consecutive year that the high school has earned this designation, which is awarded to exemplary public schools that demonstrate high achievement for all students. The New York State Department of Education identified Tappan Zee High School because we are currently in Good Standing and we are among the top performing schools in the state under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) accountability system for academic performance in the core subjects along with an exceptional rate of graduation. Tappan Zee High School also exceeded the NYS measures of progress relating to College, Career, and Civic Readiness indicators along with reducing chronic absenteeism.
Earning the status of ‘Recognition School’ under the Every Student Succeeds Act accountability system does not happen by accident – it takes hard work, commitment, and focus from our staff and students. Additionally, our strategic planning process promotes high academic performance in the core subjects and addresses those critical areas of student readiness that are not easily measured on standardized testing. Last October, I wrote a blog on how we, as a district, can ensure that our students are “future ready” and I believe that this most recent recognition is evidence that our efforts are paying off. As such, I wish to congratulate our Tappan Zee High School administration and staff, our families, and above all, our students.