Academics
Central Catholic is known for its high academic standards and has a high number of students that graduate with degrees beyond the state's core 40 requirement. At least one-fifth of the students have graduated with the Indiana Academic Honors Diploma (AHD) over the past two years. Only one out of 220 students graduated with the Standard Diploma (STD). This may be in large part due to the characteristics of the school community and the city of Lafayette which creates a good environment for high school institutions:
The presence of Purdue University and Ivy Tech not only populate the county with highly educated citizens, but may also keep the community focused on the value of education. They also create a local economy that needs a highly-educated workforce, thus forcing area schools to have high academic standards.
The competition from local schools, like West Lafayette Junior-Senior High School, also demands high academic standards. For Central Catholic to survive and flourish, families must be willing to give up a free education in public schools to send their children to a private school with tuition costs.
Central Catholic has a high college attendance rate—89% over the past four graduating classes.
In 1990, with the lacking support, money, and enrollment, CC threatened to close its doors. Former archbishop William Higi announced in the spring of 1990 that CC's doors would close at the end of the school year. Former CC graduate and principal Dave Worland fought for his school and brought CC out of their struggling state. He generated a support system that would provide funds necessary for the school to stay afloat. Worland has since moved to Indianapolis Cathedral High School where he remains their principal.
Read more about this topic: Lafayette Central Catholic Jr/Sr High School
Famous quotes containing the word academics:
“Our first line of defense in raising children with values is modeling good behavior ourselves. This is critical. How will our kids learn tolerance for others if our hearts are filled with hate? Learn compassion if we are indifferent? Perceive academics as important if soccer practice is a higher priority than homework?”
—Fred G. Gosman (20th century)
“Almost all scholarly research carries practical and political implications. Better that we should spell these out ourselves than leave that task to people with a vested interest in stressing only some of the implications and falsifying others. The idea that academics should remain “above the fray” only gives ideologues license to misuse our work.”
—Stephanie Coontz (b. 1944)