At Pittsford Central School District, we take great pride in ensuring our students thrive and are prepared to tackle their future endeavors. In my September message I spoke on new strategic initiatives focusing on engaging students in learning through instruction that supports increased rigor, authenticity, and integrative thinking.

We acknowledge that rigor is subjective, varying among students and not confined to specific grades or courses. Every student deserves challenges in thinking and learning, emphasizing a student-centered approach to personalize their education. Rigor involves complex thinking, synthesis of ideas, and application of learning to novel situations. Rigor is not about more homework, increased workload, or working without support. Rigor arises from the dynamic intersection of content, learner, and the instructional environment, resulting in experiences that uniquely challenge each student towards more meaningful understanding.

One indicator of our students being successfully challenged by rigorous learning experiences throughout their educational careers is the success of Pittsford School's Advanced Placement (AP) programs, which stand out among Monroe County schools with a diverse offering of 23 courses. Pittsford Schools has worked towards removing unnecessary barriers to allow more students to enroll in AP courses, such as revising course descriptions, promoting AP courses to underrepresented students, proactively offering financial support to families for exam fees, and fostering heterogeneous high school science classes with rigorous expectations for all. Each year, we have close to 900 students enrolled in one or more AP course, with over 2000 AP exams being written in a typical year. This past spring, 88% of students who took an AP exam scored a 3.0 or higher. Notably, our most enrolled AP course, AP World History, with 242 10th grade students enrolled, saw a remarkable 95% of students scoring 3.0 or higher, with a mean score of 4.0; the mean score of the 52 students taking the AP Calculus BC class was 4.7. Our students and teachers are to be commended for their outstanding success in all of our AP Coursework.

According to post-graduation surveys conducted 18 months after high school, our students commend Pittsford Schools for the exceptional efforts made in developing their knowledge in core academic areas, with high percentages reporting satisfaction with their learning in math, science, English, and social studies. The surveys reveal that more than 90% of alumni feel equally or more equipped for life after high school compared to their peers. This outcome is reinforced by historical data, with previous graduating classes reporting similarly high levels of preparedness. These survey results affirm the District's commitment to delivering a rigorous and comprehensive educational experience, ensuring our graduates are well-prepared for future endeavors.

We are proud of our students' accomplishments and the ongoing efforts to promote rigorous learning experiences for all. As we continue to evolve and improve our educational approach, we are grateful for the unwavering support of our community and staff in preparing our students for success in an ever-changing world.