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Lance Bristol, principal of Andrews High School, knows precisely where to point when explaining his school’s 100 percent graduation rate last year.
“Lisa Fletcher left at Christmas 2020, and our graduation rates are a result of her vision,” he said. “I would love to take all the credit, but it’s largely due to the process she’s had in place for years.”
Bristol said in the past, when Andrews students performed well both academically and in sports, there was a saying floated around their achievements: “Well, that’s good for Andrews.” This kind of pejorative praise did not sit well with Fletcher.
“She made the kids believe they could do anything. She was magnificent at that,” Bristol said. “Her motto of ‘You either overcome it or become it’ became a big motivator for the students, and they bought into that.”
Bristol has proudly continued her legacy, as evidenced by all 53 Andrews seniors earning diplomas in the 2020-21 school year.
Tri-County Early College High School in Peachtree reported a 97.2 percent graduation rate last year.
“One of the great factors that keep people involved in any group is that the people feel that they are a part of the organization and feel valued, appreciated and encouraged,” Principal Jason Forester said.
The Early College clearly values their students, as evidenced by 32 students walking across the platform to receive their degree. And, Forester added, “Two-thirds of our graduating class went on to college.”
However, perhaps the one to watch is Nantahala High School under the leadership of Principal Andrew Pyle. While the school is tiny, with just under 80 students seated in grades K-12, the six graduating seniors matched Andrews High’s 100 percent graduation rate.
Even better, those six students racked up multiple achievements, Pyle said.
“The six kids in our graduating class all completed a program or were accepted into a program,” he added. “Two of the six graduated with an associate of arts degree along with their high school diploma. One of the six already completed their EMT One at Tri-County Community College.”
The students’ achievements do not end when the graduation caps are thrown into the air.
“All six are going onto post-graduate work,” Pyle said. “One is going to study nursing; another is going into the medical field.”
He believes the school’s small population is the secret sauce for their success. Pyle said the low enrollment numbers “enable us to work with them in exceptional and positive ways from early on. We get them ready for high school and life after in middle school. Because we are uniquely small, we are able to monitor them and get them involved in extracurricular activities.”
Pyle’s faculty attempt to “get kids latched onto things, find their interests and work toward it.” He believes the school is lucky to be so small.
“We are blessed to do what we can do because of our unique size,” he said. “We are probably the smallest 1A school, like a private school, and we have all the bells and whistles that the big boys do.”
If a small school population produces success, then Murphy High School must measure their 94.1 percent graduation rate against other factors. And Fletcher, the school’s principal, knows why they are succeeding.
“The success of MHS is attributed to the students, their parents and the staff,” she said. “We put the students first daily and their success is our top priority.”
This creed manifests itself when looking at the achievements of the 113 graduates in 2021. Like at the Early College, Murphy High students took advantage of the dual enrollment offered through Tri-County.
“Nine students graduated with two diplomas – four with an associate of arts, and five with an associate of arts and an associate in science,” Fletcher said.
With 180 students, Hiwassee Dam High School had a graduation rate of 90.9 percent in 2020-21. Counselor Katrina Griggs is proud of her students’ success.
“I feel like we’re just a family down here,” she said. “We have a team approach; we work together to ensure everybody is on board and successful.”
Five of their graduates walked with associate’s degrees along with their high school diplomas.
All of these schools battled distance learning and reintegration in the last two years, making their success notable and the work of the faculty and staff commendable. Leslie Ledford, director of accountability and digital teaching and learning for Cherokee County Schools, puts the district’s triumph in perspective.
“The State of North Carolina requires 22 credit hours to graduate, but our district expects 28 credit hours,” she said.
Ledford added that the steady 95 percent and above graduation rates “exceed national standards. I attend meetings across the state where many schools are happy to hit 80 percent. We would be disappointed to hit 80 percent.
“Cherokee County regularly earns a top 10 spot statewide, reaching 90 percent or higher.”