Acing the ACT: Providence Student Makes School History

Eric Connelly is one of only 101 students in the state to score a 36 on the ACT this year.

Tinley Park resident Eric Connelly recently made Providence Catholic High School history as their first student ever receive a perfect score on the ACT. “Eric is a young man that commits himself to living up to his full potential every waking second of the challenges that help him grow as a person spiritually and intellectually,” Providence Principal Don Sebestyen said in a press release. “He is an individual who takes encouragement and runs with it towards growth.” Connelly is a member of the National Honor Society, scholastic bowl team and math team at Providence. Beyond his academic pursuits, the honor roll student performs in several bands and is part of the theater club.   Less than one-tenth of 1 percent of students who take the ACT …

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Parenting Parley

Better Test Scores: Guaranteed?

Are pricey standardized exam courses worth the money?

The test prep giant Kaplan boasts better scores, guaranteed. Period. Better scores or your money back, their website says. “Tests are standardized. Your test prep shouldn't be,” imparts the slogan. The Princeton Review's Ultimate Classroom course, according to the Princeton Review, will raise your kid's SAT score by 150 points; also guaranteed. The cost of the course is $850, and the fine print states that after taking the test, if your scores do not improve by 150 points, you must then retake the course and the test and report the results again. None of these are endorsed by or developed with the creators of the ACT or SAT. Lincoln-Way 210 schools provide students with the option of taking an ExcelEdge prep course, if they so choose, for …

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District 210 Officials Say Student Achievement Up, Despite Failure to Make AYP

The Illinois State Board of Education released Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210's annual report card last week.

Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 failed to make adequate yearly progress in reading and math last year despite a graduation rate of 97 percent and high scores overall on state and ACT exams. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, AYP is a benchmark that increases by 7.5 percent each year to represent the annual academic performance targets schools must reach to be considered "on track." The 2009-10 benchmark dictated that 77.5 percent of students had to meet or exceed standards. According to the district's annual report card, 72.3 percent of students met the requirements. None of the ethnic subgroups — including white, black and Hispanic — reached the target in reading, and the Hispanic subgroup was the only one to make AYP in …

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