St. Viator High School opens year with high scores

Enthusiasm ran high Wednesday as St. Viator students — iPads in hand — attended their first day of class.

If students were excited, so were administrators: They received word that the average ACT score for last year’s graduating class was 26.5. That’s more than six points higher than the state (20.6) and national (20.9) averages. St. Viator’s score reflects all students, including those with learning disabilities.

This was the second straight year that St. Viator students have averaged a composite score of more than 26, and it continued a trend of raising scores each year. Last year’s average ACT score was 26.2.

Additionally, St. Viator students surpassed all of the benchmarks that indicate college readiness, as set by the ACT. They include scores of 18 in English, 21 in reading, 22 in mathematics and 24 in science.

“We’re thrilled that our average composite score continues to rise,” said Principal Eileen Manno. “But it doesn’t happen overnight. It reflects the rigorous education students receive at St. Viator over the course of four years.”

Manno credited St. Viator’s rigorous course work for the strong performance in college testing. Research published by ACT officials has also indicated that challenging courses - rather than simply the number of core courses — has the greatest impact on ACT performance and college readiness.

Manno expects that commitment to continue. This year, the school begins a new era with iPads and integrated technology in the classroom.

“It is our most progressive learning tool yet,” Manno says. “The use of the iPad in education challenges students to learn by doing and engages them in the learning process in multidimensional, dynamic and creative ways.”

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