Kalaheo High Motto: It’s All About College

Kalaheo High School principal Susan Hummel has declared that her school is off to a good start in 2013-2014: Enrollment is up (above 880 students), test scores are up, and the focus on college prep has been validated in two important ways.

As Hummel announced to school parents in recent newsletters, the school was listed in Washington Post‘s 2013 High School Challenge Index, which highlights the top 9 percent of schools that “effectively prepare students for college success.” The index is based on the number of students who achieve a passing score on Advanced Placement exams.

The campus also celebrated its ranking in the state Department of Education’s new Strive Hi standards, which measure student progress in academics, graduation rate, college enrollment rate, and in how well they close the achievement gap between high-need and non-high need students. Hummel stated that its Strive Hi scores “placed Kalaheo as the top performing high school in the DOE system for continuous improvement.

“This great outcome for our school,” she added, “is because of the focused work of our teachers and students.”

The Mustangs’ college and career center, meanwhile, just keeps on ticking for its college-bound teens, with 21 scheduled visits from college speakers in September, October and November. PSAT tickets for the Oct. 16 exam also are on sale through today (Sept. 18) for grades 9, 10 and 11.