May 28 Pastries & Principals- Academics & Student Growth

🎓 Senior Success

We celebrated the Class of 2025, with more than 75% of graduates pursuing post-secondary education through 4-year colleges, community colleges, or trade programs.

• Over $500,000 in scholarships were self-reported by seniors.

• Top college destinations included GVSU, Davenport, MSU, and GRCC.

• Common fields of study: Healthcare, Business, Psychology, and Engineering.
  
  

📈 MAP Growth & Academic Data

HHS uses NWEA MAP Growth assessments three times per year to measure both proficiency and growth in reading and math.

• This spring, 49.9% of students scored at or above grade level in reading, exceeding our goal.

• Math scores continue to climb toward our 45% target.

• Grade-level trends show increasing proficiency at each benchmark (fall, winter, spring).

• Most notably, HHS students are growing faster than national norms, with an increase in our overall achievement percentile from fall to spring.
  
  

This data helps inform instruction, intervention, and enrichment planning throughout the year.

🧪 SAT, PSAT & Personalized Prep

Students can access their SAT and PSAT scores through the College Board portal. We encourage families to help students link their scores to Khan Academy, which generates personalized practice plans to improve future performance.

🔁 Collaboration & Curriculum Alignment

Our early release Wednesdays have been instrumental in improving instruction across departments and aligning curriculum with Holland Middle School.  

Through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), staff work collaboratively to:

• Identify essential learning targets

• Design assessments and monitor results

• Plan interventions or extensions based on student needs

This work is grounded in real-time data, including MAP Growth, to support every student’s progress.

📚 Academic Supports & Student Initiative

Students can receive extra help through:

• Advisory Intervention: Students may sign up for specific teachers or be assigned based on need. Families are encouraged to help students take initiative in using this time effectively.

• After-school tutoring in core subjects, available to all students.

• Support from community partners like Escape Ministries, Boys & Girls Club, and Upward Bound.

These supports will continue during the 2025–2026 school year.

🚀 Accelerated Learning & Early College

HHS offers a wide range of accelerated academic options, including:

• 13 Advanced Placement (AP) courses

• Honors classes

• Dual Enrollment at local colleges

• Early College, a powerful pathway for students to earn college credit—up to an associate’s degree—while still in high school.

We encourage families to explore Early College, especially for students looking to reduce college costs and get a head start on their post-secondary goals.

🧰 Resources for Families

The HHS Counseling Webpage serves as a central hub for information about:

• The coursebook

• Graduation planning

• 21f and test-out options

• College, career, and scholarship planning

Visit: HHS Counseling Page »

We also emphasized the importance of:

• Daily attendance and punctuality as non-negotiables for academic success

• Our cell phone policy, which has led to fewer classroom disruptions, increased engagement, and a clear drop in behavior referrals

Parents were also introduced to AI tools like ChatGPT, Khanmigo, and Grammarly, which support learning at home. These tools are especially helpful as students take on more advanced coursework, and we encourage families to explore them as a tool to help students at home.

📣 We Want Your Feedback!

Your voice matters. If you couldn’t attend, please take a few minutes to share your thoughts using this Google Feedback Form.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting student growth and success at Holland High School!