Dillard High School leads Broward County public schools improving from “C” school to “A” school

Dillard High School leads Broward County public schools improving from “C” school to “A” school

Dillard High School Principal Robinson (left a podium) beamed with pride as she addressed the community to share the great news that Dillard High School had gone from a “C” to “A” school status for the 2013 academic school year. “We have made history together. We have hit the academic lottery. We have won the education Super Bowl. School Board member Rev. Dr. Osgood (right at podium) shared in the moment as she explained the significance of Dillard’s recent academic achievement. “We have been known at Dillard High School for our marching band, and we’ve been known for our boy’s and girls’ basketball teams who have constantly won state titles, but today we are known for the academic achievement of the children at this school,” said Dr. Osgood.

By Charles Moseley

December 18, 2013 will go down as the day that Dillard High School made history. By moving from a “C” school to an “A” school academically, Dillard joined the ranks as one of the top public schools in Broward County based on its academic performance this school year.

“I am just so excited today. We just got the news that we are an “A” school for the first time in Dillard High School’s history. It is an amazing time here at Dillard. I give all the credit to the students and teachers for working hard, for working together. We have a theme here at Dillard High School that goes, ‘together we make great things happen.’  And truly today is an example of that working together,” said Dillard High School Principal Casandra Robinson.                                            According to Robinson, schools are rated primarily on academics and several other criteria to reach a letter grade by the Florida Department of Education.

“Prior to the grades coming out it was a C school. Last year we started to do some things differently, to insure that we could become an A school. High Schools are graded two ways. They’re graded academically. Fifty percent of the grade comes from that area. The other 50 percent of that grade comes from Senate Bill 1908 which deals with graduation rates. Advance Placement classes, enrollment and that kind of thing. As a result we received 1090 points which means we are an A school.”

“I’d like to give kudos to the academic coaches who worked very hard to ensure that every department in our school was prepared. So I’d like to give a shout out if you will to our academic coaches.”

The Florida Department of Education numbers showed an overall academic improvement by schools in Broward County in 2013. Ninety one percent earned “A” or “B” grades an increase from 81 percent last year. Twenty-eight either increased or remained at their same level in 2013.

Deerfield Beach High School improved from a “B” school to and “A” school. South Broward, Stranahan, and Northeast High Schools all went from “C” schools to “B” schools.

“We are incredibly proud of our high school grades. While we know there is more work to do these results signify that we are on the right path for increasing student academic achievement,” said Superintendent Robert W. Runcie. “I commend our teachers, administrators and students for their hard work and dedication. We will continue to focus on ensuring that our students are college and career ready,” added Runcie.

District 5 Broward County School Board member Rev. Dr. Rosalind Osgood shared in the moment as she explained the significance of Dillard’s recent academic achievement.

“I’m very excited to be here today at Dillard High 6-12 Performing Arts & Technology Magnet School. Under the dynamic leadership of Ms. Casandra Robinson Dillard High has gone from a “C” school to an “A” school. This is majorly significant because Dillard was the first Black school- Black elementary school, first Black school that was K-7, and first Black high school in Fort Lauderdale.”

“We have been known at Dillard High School for our marching band, and we’ve been known for our boy’s and girls’ basketball teams who have constantly won state titles, but today we are known for the academic achievement of the children at this school,” added Dr. Osgood.

Former Dillard High School teacher, coach, and athletic director Robert Green joined other community members and Dillard supporters to celebrate the news of the school’s recent academic achievement.

“I’m very excited about it. This is one of the better things that could ever happen within this community. With this we will continue to move forward to strive to help our kids achieve in school.”

“It proves that some of us who have been around for some time already knew that Dillard had been known for academics in the past and to have some very good students graduate to go on to some very good colleges from this institution. So this just solidifies what we’ve known all the time,” added Green.

Dillard High School freshman English teacher and swim team coach Gainus Wright, also was not surprised at the out-come of the recently released news that Dillard had fared so well academically. He was quite adamant about what he considered a false perception of Dillard shared by some in the community.

“To me it’s pretty much in the face of our community’s parents who have these high achieving kids who would not send them to Dillard because they felt like Dillard couldn’t educate their kids. The education you get at Dillard is as good as or better than anywhere else in this country. And for me it’s quite gratifying for them to be able to look at this and say wait a minute. I might be a little wrong.”