Baldwin High School Sees Increased Graduation Rate

Baldwin High School, seeing a huge improvement in graduation rates.

A success they owe to dedicated students, teachers and parents.

In the 2011-2012 school year, the graduation percent was 55 percent.

But just five years later, those numbers have jumped a lot.

Last year, more than 90 percent of seniors took home a diploma.

The staff at Baldwin High School has worked hard this school year to continue the trend.

9&10’s Taylor Jones was at the high school to learn about their secret to success.

“Students have really been kicking it into gear these past couple of years,” says Kendall Phillips, graduating senior.  

You can say that again.

Everyone at Baldwin High School has a right to be thrilled about the graduation numbers for 2015- 2016 school year at 90.91 percent.

A huge jump over five years ago, when it was just 55 percent. Even two years ago it was only 68 percent.

Teachers say a big part of it is their new intercession schedule.

“We’re on a balanced calendar, we have an intercession that allows frequent breaks. We still have off the same amount of days off as everyone else does, we take our break differently, and we will come back a little bit earlier in August. We take the last two weeks of October off, we still have our Christmas break and then we still have our week in February. It allows us to have more access time, instead of after school, we can take a two week session to find and track kids that are struggling,’ says Scott Pedigo, teacher.

Teachers say the new schedule gives kids extra time in the computer lab, and the library. A schedule teachers say helped the graduation rate go up.

“I had a hard time with chemistry, so once a week I would come in and get extra help with my teacher last year. Every year my GPA has gone up. So I am happy about that, I have been improving every time I come back,” says Janay Scales, graduating senior.

Dedicated students leading to proud parents, thankful for the other part of the equation, the teachers who volunteered their time to give the extra help.

“I’m really excited about all Baldwin is doing. The children, I was looking at the SAT scores and they are really high right now and I am just really proud of what Baldwin is doing with the children. I am a proud parent and excited to see her next chapter in life and what she will be doing,” says Tannya Scales, parent.