High Marks for LPS

Despite working down to the wire to get power back on at two schools after Tropical Storm Irene, the started the school year on a high note this week. 

Regional glossy Boston Magazine, which released its annual rankings of the region's schools in its September 2011 issue, has recoginzed Lexington as the state's fifth-best public school district.

According to a magazine press release, "Boston magazine crunched the numbers in an exclusive ranking of the best public school districts and biggest values in the area. Rankings were based on data gathered from consulting school officials and websites, as well as the Massachusetts Department of Education."

The high marks for Lexington shouldn't come as a surprise to locals. Last year, BoMag ranked as the third-best in Massachusetts. And, it's no secret that administrators, parents and officials think the district is something special.

In fact, at a , Superintendent of Schools Paul Ash told the incoming educators they joined a school system he considers one of the “best in the world."

For those interested, BoMag's formula for determining district rankings includes test scores from students in 135 districts, per pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, number of AP classes, graduation rate, percentage of students who continue to college, as well as the amount of sports teams and clubs.

"Of course there are many indicators for excellence and Lexington does well by many of them," Mary Ann Stewart, chairwoman of the School Committee, wrote in an email to Patch. "It is important that students feel challenged and engaged, supported, healthy and safe. This ranking marks the fifth year in a row that LHS has had the highest SAT scores. One amazing statistic that struck me is that LHS has so many after-school offerings -- that contributes mightily to a student's sense of identity apart from achievement."