NIAGARA CATHOLIC 2017 GRADUATION RATE
SECOND HIGHEST IN ONTARIO’S ENGLISH-LANGUAGE SCHOOL BOARDS FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR
The Ontario Ministry of Education has released the 2017 graduation rates for all publicly funded schools in Ontario. For the fourth consecutive year, Niagara Catholic’s four-year graduation rate of 91.3 per cent has placed second among the 57 English-language school boards in Ontario. Niagara Catholic was sixth out of all 72 Ontario school boards. Niagara Catholic’s five-year graduation rate of 93.2 per cent places the Board third among all English-language District School Boards, and sixth among all 72 Ontario school boards.
The Board’s four-year graduation rate is the 13.3 per cent above provincial averages of 79.8 per cent, and 4.8 per cent above the provincial rate of 86.3 per cent for students who took five years to complete the required number of credits to receive their Ontario Secondary School Graduation Diploma.
Niagara Catholic’s outstanding graduation rates fulfill a strategy laid out in the Board’s Vision 2020 Strategic Plan to consistently exceed the Ministry of Education’s goal of a province-wide graduation rate of 85 per cent. This multi-year trend of top-percentile performance is evidence of the leadership, support and contributions of our Board, staff and partners in Catholic education, which we celebrate every day.
Board Chair Father Paul MacNeil said the results reflect the commitment Niagara Catholic has to student success from a student’s earliest years in school, noting that commitment extends beyond the classroom.
“Once again, I am honoured to comment on such outstanding graduation rates for Niagara Catholic” said Chair MacNeil. “Student success is the result of ongoing commitment not only by the students, but also by parents, staff and parish priests, each of whom strives to positively influence students to strive for their personal bests. This is a good-news story for Niagara Catholic, but it certainly comes as no surprise to all of those who played a hand in guiding students throughout their Catholic educations.”
Director of Education John Crocco described the Board’s 2017 graduation rates as evidence of Niagara Catholic’s continued focus on and commitment to academic achievement and success for all students.
“Parents who choose a Niagara Catholic education for their child have a high expectation that their child will be provided with an exemplary Catholic education, through programs, services, supports and experiences throughout their 14 years of formal education, and that their children will graduate and become successful, contributing members of society wherever their life journey takes them,” said Mr. Crocco. “Graduation rates are a key indicator of student success, and our consistently outstanding graduation rates in the province reflect our commitment to the students and families we serve.
“We will continue to provide a diverse range of innovative pathways, courses, programs, supports and services for all students throughout Niagara Catholic, designed to increase student engagement and voice, enhance student experience and continually improve success for all students who are nurtured in a Catholic learning environment led by our dedicated, knowledgeable and talented staff, to ensure they graduate from our schools fully prepared for the next stage of their lives, whether it is apprenticeship, college, university or the world of work. We are very proud of our students as they become active citizens in our world.”