For the third straight year, Bridgeport High School has the highest WESTEST scores in the state of West Virginia, Bridgeport High School Principal Mark DeFazio confirmed.

 

DeFazio reviewed the compiled score results that were recently submitted to him from a local resident who is proficient in breaking down the posted results from the West Virginia Department of Education’s Web site. He was pleased with what he saw and admitted to expecting it.

 

“It really took some time for those scores to be compiled by a member of our community and it made us aware of what we at least had a feeling about,” said DeFazio. “We thought, based on looking over the results from the Web site that we would be at or near the top again.”

 

West Virginia Depart of Education Communication Office Executive Director Liza Cordeiro could not be reached for further verification, but DeFazio was certain the results were on target. The tests, although often dreaded by students, have shown BHS is able to combine athletics, extracurricular activities and the fine arts along with the key component – getting an education, which the WESTEST (West Virginia Educational Standards Test measures.

 

The WESTEST is a criterion-referenced test measuring a  student's knowledge of West Virginia content standards. Tests are administered in Science, Social Studies, Mathematics, and Reading/Language Arts in grades 3 through 11. This year’s seniors through fourth graders took the test last year, which are reflected in this year’s scores.

 

“I’ve said this before, but when people mention Bridgeport High School I don’t want them to just think of football, cross country, baseball, the band or just one thing. I want people to think this is a school where academics are first and foremost and that success there carries over into other areas,” DeFazio said.

 

DeFazio said there are multiple factors weighing in with just how well Bridgeport is doing on the testing each year. And he said it’s a combination of those things that have allowed BHS to have the top spot for three straight years.

 

“I think a lot of this has to do with our faculty and our community and most importantly the students themselves,” DeFazio said. “Certainly, the parents are very much involved and that’s as critical as anything.”

 

DeFazio said although it’s not a problem, he’s recently noticed a “a little bit of a dip” when it comes to parents being intimately involved with their children’s educational process. He said it’s something that he’s hoping will fade.

 

“Unfortunately, and I’m being honest, you can see that slight change in that parental involvement trend and it concerns me because parents have to be involved 100 percent. They have to make sure their children are doing what’s expected,” said DeFazio. “Even with that, we’re fortunate to have a majority of our parents extremely involved.”

 

So is Bridgeport High School looking to make it four in a row in 2015?

 

“There’s a point where you just can’t do better, and we realize that. At the same time, we’re happy and unsatisfied because I don’t think we’re at that point,” DeFazio said. “I think they can do better and we want to do better. As long as these students don’t become complacent, the sky is the limit for how long they can continue to have strong test scores.

 

Click HERE for the West Virginia Department of Education’s Web site with a breakdown of each school in the state.

 

Editor's Note: Pictured is BHS Principal Mark DeFazio. Photo by Ben Queen of www.benqueenphotography.com.