When our school officially closed on March 17, 2020, we did not realize how the COVID-19 pandemic would impact the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a truly unprecedented time that has affected us all in many ways, especially education.
From the moment we were shut down, we began to develop strategies that would allow for continuous opportunities for our students to learn. Due to our school having a focus on innovative technology, our staff immediately started virtual instruction. Our staff utilized a plethora of instructional strategies, including conducting lessons to students via Zoom, assigning schoolwork and providing feed- back to students via the Schoology software, and conducting virtual class organizational meetings.
Our students maintained their focus on academic achievement during the remote instructional period and continued to earn credits towards graduation. Our students Demanded More, Expected More and Achieved More during this challenging time.
Due to the dedication and persistence of our staff and students, we continued to meet school-wide performance goals.
I am excited to share the following points regarding the Class of 2020:
- our scholarship dollars awarded reached $1,427,740;
- our students will be attending 19 different colleges across the nation;
- our unofficial graduation rate reached 89.3%!
As we begin to plan for next school year, we are excited to increase our Advanced Placement course offerings to six. This will continue to allow our students to be enrolled in college-level courses as we look to challenge our students in class, each and every day.
Our school has been awarded a P-TECH grant, which in total will surpass $2,300,000 over a six-year period. Although we have been awarded the grant, the total amount of the grant may change due to the economic impact of COVID – 19. We will have a planning year during the 2020 – 2021 academic school year, with implementation beginning during the 2021 – 2022 academic school year.
This grant will allow us to implement an Early College High School Program. The P-TECH grant integrates high school and college coursework, enabling students to begin college courses while in high school. Students will also participate in a range of workplace opportunities that include mentoring, site visits and paid internships, which are designed to support students’ academic and professional growth.
We will be welcoming over 100 new Freshmen to our school as we continue to increase student enrollment and our school becomes a destination for students throughout the City of Buffalo.
On behalf of our faculty, staff, and students, I would like to thank the Bennett Alumni Association for their continued support!
Optima Futura! The Best is Yet to Be
Article Headlines
- Principal’s Update
- Esteemed Alumni of Bennett High School
- Working to Support Our Students
- News From Our President
- Mission Statement
- The History of Bennett High School
- Class Notes
- Fun in 1955
- In Memoriam
- Nicole Baker, Our First Enrolled Student
- Annual Meeting
- New Membership Year – Your Dues are Important
- A Gift that Lets Someone Know How Much You Care
- 2020 Major Alumni Donors
- A Time to Get Involved in Your Bennett
- Notes About Our Friends
- 2020-2021 Dues Statement