State recognizes two schools in county for graduation rates
By From staff reports
Published in News on October 26, 2016 10:13 AM
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WEMCHS Principal Freda Allen and State Superintendent Dr. June Atkinson pose for a photo after the recognition event.
On Tuesday the N.C. Department of Public Instruction recognized districts and schools with the highest graduation rates in 2016, with two Wayne County Public Schools high schools among them.
The state acknowledged schools with 100 percent graduation rates, with Wayne Early/Middle College High School and Wayne School of Engineering on the list of 73 schools having a 95 percent or higher rate for the 2015-2016 school year.
WEMCH opened on the campus of Wayne Community College in 2006 with just 63 students. Since then enrollment has grown to more than 250. The school's graduation rate last year was 98.5 percent.
WSE opened in 2007 with 84 students. Located on the Goldsboro High School campus, it has since added middle school grades and now has approximately 440 students. The school's graduation rate for 2015-2016 was 96.2 percent.
"These two schools offer innovative instructional programs which are designed to engage students in learning," said Dr. Michael Dunsmore, WCPS superintendent. "We congratulate both schools for this achievement and commend all of the students and staff for their hard work and commitment to education."
Gary Hales has been principal at WSE since the inception.
Freda Allen is the second principal WEMCH has had. She took over the role this past spring from Lee Johnson, who had been at the school since it opened and was named principal at Eastern Wayne High School.
The graduation rate for the district this past year was 83.8 percent. The rate measures the percentage of ninth-graders who graduate from high school within four years.