Quincy High graduates 100% of senior class

QUINCY — All eligible students in the Quincy High School class of 2023 made it to graduation, according to district officials.

“We were at 161 (graduates) of 161 (eligible),” said district superintendent Nik Bergman during the regular Quincy School Board meeting Tuesday.

Bergman said in a report submitted to board members that as of May 23, about 76% of the class was meeting the requirements to graduate. That was a substantial improvement over the previous four years at the same time in May. The percentages ranged from 30% for the class of 2021 qualifying for graduation in late May to 59% for the class of 2022.

Bergman wrote that QHS administrators and teachers have been working on a number of initiatives to help seniors make it to graduation. Counselors and teachers spent time with students and parents reviewing the various options for seniors to get the necessary number of credits. Counselors intervened “early and often” with seniors who looked like they might be lacking some credits, Bergman wrote.

Teachers worked with students through QHS advisory classes to plan schedules to increase their chances of getting enough credits. Teachers also worked with seniors to find the right classes to get them to graduation.

Teachers and counselors increased their use of student results to help seniors plan their schedules. Students and teachers also worked to help them make the most of opportunities for dual credits.

Changes were made to enhance the QHS credit retrieval program, including additional academic support. Students at all grade levels got more information on college costs, post-high school earning potential, and the wages they could expect for different careers, Bergman wrote.

Six students from Quincy Innovation Academy also met the qualifications for graduation. Students from QIA are included in the QHS ceremony.

Bergman said the class of 2023 is smaller than the class of 2024, or any of the classes behind them.

“This is going to be our smallest class for a long time. All the way to kindergarten, even the incoming (kindergarten) are well over 200 (students),” Bergman told board members Tuesday.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.

Editor’s Note: For photos of additional Columbia Basin graduations, see our gallery on pages A4 and A5.