U.S. News & World Report Ranks Mystic Valley Among Best in US
MYSTIC VALLEY REGIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL RANKED AMONG TOP 200 US
HIGH SCHOOLS BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT MAGAZINE
U.S. News & World Report magazine analyzed academic and enrollment data from nearly 22,000 public high schools to find the very best across the country. Once again Mystic Valley scored among the nation’s best. Mystic Valley was ranked as the 172th best public high school in the United States! Mystic Valley was ranked the 31st best charter school in the country and the 8th best public high school of any kind in Massachusetts.“ Mystic Valley’s outstanding performance earned it U.S. News & World Report’s Gold Star.
“It is an honor to once again be nationally ranked by such a prestigious magazine. The ranking is a testament to the faculty, administration and entire staff at Mystic Valley who; maintain high expectations for each child and stay the course with the students and their parents over many years. To be ranked as one of the Top Ten High Schools in the State as well is simply a phenomenal achievement” said Neil Kinnon, the Chairman of the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School Board of Trustees.
The top ranking is the latest in a continually growing stream of high academic praise from national news organizations. This is the third time in recent years that Mystic Valley has been recognized as a top school by U.S. News & World Report. Newsweek has ranked the school among the top 1% of schools in the country for the past three years and last year the Washington Post also ranked Mystic Valley as one of the top high schools in America.
George Benzie, Mystic Valley’s Assistant Director for grades 9-12, was very happy to receive the news and said that: “It is fitting to receive this news during Teacher Appreciation Week. We have an extremely dedicated staff working together with our equally impressive students, joined in fulfilling our mission of providing a world class education. Congratulations to our whole school community for achieving this honor.”
Maggie
12:57 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Didn't I read a story about the author of this story? What was it he did again?
AnnieOMalden
3:20 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
This is the info: http://www.mass.gov/obcbbo/bd07-102.htm
Robert Sullivan
5:22 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
The teachers and instructional staff should be congratulated.
However, the question remains how does a 'public' school in Malden manage to have "O" non English language kids, minimal SPED students, "counsel" the kids out who need extra support, take advantage of Malden taxpayers by using our tax base to buy city buildings, take over public parks, and build a multi million dollar facility with public funds and not open that facility to the "public" who paid for the place.
MVRCS costs Malden taxpayers a lot of money by not educating the neediest students, which includes homeless students which they do not provide bus service for, not providing the most expensive SPED services, and not paying taxes as non-profi on their huge real estate portfolio, Let's not forget conflict of interest between a sitting city council member who also sits as the Chairman of MVRCS. Malden taxpayers are supporting this school which educates children from 5 other communities. Are we going to continue to struggle as taxpayers while this regional school bilks us. I'm getting pretty tired of it myself.
Robert Sullivan
5:34 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
A few other questions. How many of the kids that live in the Section 8 housing in the Granada Highlands and Cliffside attend MVRCS?
Do you think any of the people who clean the MV buildings at night who may be on Section 8 live in the Granada Highlands, Cliffside, or any of the other Section 8 housing?
The Chairman/City Councillor who vigourously supported the former administration wants us to stop offering Section 8. It was the former city leader who had his hand in building all the high rises in Malden.
Anyone knows that these buildings age and are not so attractive anymore. This is the result. You can't have your cake and eat it too. The missteps of the former Mayor are costing all of us. The current Mayor is trying to change the direction of our city and clean up the mess left behind.
Marc Levine
11:55 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
What does Section 8 at Granda Highlands and Cliffside have to do with the charter school being ranked among top 200. FYI....Granda Highlands was here long before Howard became mayor. Welcome on board to Gary's bandwagon. You hummed a different tune during the campaign.
AnnieOMalden
1:27 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Marc: I believe what Robert is referring to is the fact the charter school selects from a pool that does not include those most needy of children in Malden. You and I both know how students get weeded out of the population at the school and only those who are kinnected or those who drink enough of the koolaid (I admit I sipped!) make it to the high school. They lose about 30% of the 8th grade class to other high schools.
BTW: The #1 high school in the state is headed by someone who worked at the charter school as the high school top guy and left because of what was going on there. Many teachers (including the entire Math dept) left soon after because he was no longer there. Several of those teachers told me while working for him they hoped to work the rest of their careers for him! Yes, these are facts and not "mud slinging". The truth is sometimes a bitter pill.
Bill M
1:59 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
A couple of questions, What burden are the other 5 communities bearing? Do they have to give up park time to the charter school? Do they have the charter school buying up all their property and paying $0.00 for taxes?
DannyBoy
2:19 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Bill, my guess is the other 5 communities are not bearing any of the burden that Malden is carrying from the MVCRS. I think the state should seriously consider changing the rules of charter schools to only enroll children from families residing in the cities/towns where they are located, and not discriminate against any particular groups of kids (SPED, section 8, etc.), so that we level the playing field.
Marc Levine
9:00 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I give up. I may not know all my facts, but when I don't I keep quiet. Maybe some of you should follow my lead.
AnnieOMalden
9:26 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I'm sure your friend Kinnon would love that! No, Marc, when you DO know your facts and keep quiet, that is where the problem is. As long as Neil continues to use the school as his personal employment agency and real estate development company while using his influence as a City Councilor, I won't be quiet. This is what corruption is all about. Have you read anything about the Probation Dept or wonder what and why the former Sheriff really took his own life to cover up? We have our own version here in Malden. None of it passes the sniff test. And the more you stir it, the more it stinks. No, I am not following you anywhere.
Marc Levine
7:45 am on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
I don't know "Mr" Kinnon personally but as I said before I'm bowing out of this one. Little to heated for me. If Mr. Kinnon is so horrible why didn't his last contender beat him. Instead from what the election results show it was a landslide. I hope you have a nice summer. Can you explain to me this "kool aid" sipping thing. PS If you are that passionate about the former sheriff maybe you could get a court order to have him dug up and put him on trial? That's how crazy you and your people sound.