VERONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
In partnership with a supportive community, we inspire our students to be creative,
critical thinkers and compassionate global citizens through dynamic teaching,
meaningful curricula, and enriching experiences.
December 6, 2018
Verona High School Recognized on College Board’s 9th Annual AP ® District Honor Roll for Significant Gains in Student Access and Success
For Immediate Release: December 6, 2018

373 School Districts Across the U.S. and Canada Are Honored

Verona, New Jersey — Verona High School is one of 373 school districts in the U.S. and Canada being honored by the College Board with placement on the 9th Annual AP ® District Honor Roll.   To be included on the 9th Annual Honor Roll, Verona High School had to, since 2016, increase the number of students participating in AP while also increasing or maintaining the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or highe r. Reaching these goals shows that this district is successfully identifying motivated, academically prepared students who are ready for AP.

  "Our progress is possible because of the support of our dedicated Board of Education, the visionary leadership of our administrative and supervisory teams, the talent and dedication of our amazing staff, the incredible efforts of our highly motivated and intellectually curious students, and our supportive parental community." Dr. Dionisio, Superintendent of Schools

National data from 2018 show that among American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students with a high degree of readiness for AP, only about half are participating. The first step to getting more of these students to participate is to give them access. Courses must be made available, gatekeeping must stop, and doors must be equitably opened. The Verona Public Schools is committed to expanding the availability of AP courses among prepared and motivated students of all backgrounds.

"We are very proud of the efforts and planning which culminated in Verona High School being recognized for significant gains in student access and success in Advanced Placement coursework. This recognition is the result of the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, counselors, and supervisors." Mr. Cogdill, VHS Principal

“Success in Advanced Placement is a combination of students’ own motivation and the opportunities educators provide for them,” said Trevor Packer, senior vice president of AP and Instruction at the College Board. “I’m inspired by the teachers and administrators in this district who have worked to clear a path for more students of all backgrounds to earn college credit during high school.”
  
Helping more students learn at a higher level and earn higher AP scores is an objective of all members of the AP community, from AP teachers to district and school administrators to college professors. Many districts are experimenting with initiatives and strategies to see how they can expand access and improve student performance at the same time.
 
In 2018, more than 4,000 colleges and universities around the world received AP scores for college credit, advanced placement, or both, and/or consideration in the admissions process. Inclusion in the 9th Annual AP District Honor Roll is based on a review of three years of AP data, from 2016 to 2018, looking across 38 AP Exams, including world language and culture. The following criteria were used.
 
Districts must:
  • Increase participation/access to AP by at least 4% in large districts, at least 6% in medium districts, and at least 11% in small districts;
  • Increased or maintained the percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students taking exams and increased or maintained the percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students scoring 3+ on at least one AP Exam; and
  • Improve or maintain performance levels when comparing the 2018 percentage of students scoring a 3 or higher to the 2016 percentage, unless the district has already attained a performance level at which more than 70% of its AP students earn a 3 or higher.

When these outcomes have been achieved among an AP student population in which 30% or more are underrepresented minority students (American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander) and/or 30% or more are low - income students (students who qualify for free or reduced - price lunch), a symbol has been affixed to the district name to highlight this work.

The complete 9th Annual AP District Honor Roll can be found here : 
The Verona Public Schools is a high academic performing school district with lofty expectations for all of our students. We are deeply committed to maintaining the best interests of ALL of our students, keeping this focus central to every decision we make as we work to cultivate learning environments that enable us to support the individual potential in every child. Verona is a supportive community with highly motivated and intellectually curious students. Our district provides a full range of opportunities for our students, from academics to the fine and performing arts to athletics and extracurricular, where there is something for everyone.

The concerted efforts of our leadership team and teachers, with the support of our dedicated Board of Education, enables us to sustain the development and revision of robust curriculum, a focused effort on staff development, and personalized attention for our students where our counselors and teachers help guide the course selection process. Our persistence is deeply rooted in enhancing opportunities for our students to achieve their full potential. We are an example of what is possible in the pursuit of academic excellence with constant focus and long-term commitment.


Verona Public Schools

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Teaching and learning is a multi-faceted and dynamic process which requires intent, process, perseverance, and heart. As you review our progress, we hope you gain an understanding of what makes Verona so very special. Our goal is to present what we are proud of to our community in a way that is relevant, engaging, and authentic.

We remain steadfast in our belief that all students can achieve at a high level and maximize their individual potential. All of our success is the result of the collective efforts of all of our staff Pre-K through grade 12. Our accomplishments are the fruits of our labor, the dedication of our staff, beginning at the elementary level, progressing through critical transition years in our middle school, and culminating in high school with the commitment and effort of our Verona High School staff.

We continue to pave the way forward to establish a culture of learning that is purposeful and rooted in the idea that with hard work, good strategies, and perseverance, students will achieve greatness. With a highly committed school district and community we can ensure that all students become successful. When we do all of this well in a constructive and productive fashion, the results speak for themselves.