Celebrate Sandusky Schools

Stay in school. It's a phrase repeated for generations as the advice that will help young people achieve a successful life. Stay in school. It gets repeated for one simple reason: It's true. Those with a high school diploma have greater lifetime earnings than those who drop out of school. They get better jobs, have greater opportunities and are better capable of managing their personal finances. Sandusky High School provided That fact is why graduation rates are one of the factors that public schools are judged upon. How many students stay in school versus how many leave before graduation is one of the standards that impact school district report cards. The good news for district families in the Sandusky Schools is its graduation rate has improved over time to an "A" rating, by anyone's standards. The district's four-year graduation rate increased to 94%, a new record. The rate has steadily improved since 2016, when it was 76%, state data shows. It's the best Sandusky Schools has ever done in this category, and only about 3% of Ohio public high schools reach this level of success, according to officials. Sandusky High School principal Eric Talbot credited teachers in the classrooms as the primary reason for this success. Obviously, we agree with that. Teachers, too often, are undervalued and taken for granted, and we don't ever want that to be the case here. Others deserve credit also, from families who support their students and agree with the notion that staying in school is the best path to success, to the school board and the administration developing new initiatives to help families help their children succeed. Goal-setting, emphasis on state testing, the Senior Parent Summit and offering help through the Digital Learning Center, are some of those initiatives that helped make this achievement possible. The school board, school Superintendent Dr. Eugene "Doc" Sanders and the district's staff have the right attitude about Sandusky and the Sandusky Schools. It's an attitude in which success is expected and the hard work to get there is pursued. * Here's a look at the four-year graduation rates on a yearly basis:2016: 76%2017: 83%2018: 86%2019: 92%2020: 94%Source: Ohio Department of Education