Date:  May 14, 2001
Contact: Irene Cromer
(703) 791-8720

Stonewall Jackson High School has been named Time magazine’s High School of the Year and is featured in the May 21, 2001, issue on newsstands today.  The school is located in Manassas, Virginia and has a student enrollment of 2,140.

Time selected Stonewall Jackson after consulting leading educators and visiting schools around the United States. Winners were judged on their approaches to the most pressing challenges in education; educating children of the poor; consolidating schools in rural areas; making effective use of technology in teaching; and getting parents and communities involved in the education of their children. 

When he became principal of Stonewall Jackson High School six years ago, Steve Constantino was determined to bridge the gap between parents, students, faculty and staff.  He first removed the counter in the main office to welcome parents and make them feel more comfortable. That first step toward better communication led to ParentLink, a website and voice-mail system that provides parents up-to-date information about their child’s grades, attendance, and even the details of the day’s lessons.  Parlant Technology developed ParentLink.

Fostering communication between the parents and staff extends beyond ParentLink to the community.  Stonewall Jackson accommodates working parents’ schedules by holding Saturday morning events, including an orientation for incoming freshmen.  Directional signs throughout the school are presented in English and Spanish.  The school plans to open a newly renovated fitness center to the community.  As a result of these initiatives, parent satisfaction has increased by 25%.  

   Average SAT scores at Stonewall have risen 61 points.  The school has reduced the disparity between minority and non-minority scores by 18% and the dropout rate has decreased to three percent.  The International Baccalaureate Diploma program, a rigorous academic program based on international perspectives, an enriched curriculum, community involvement, and written and oral communication skills, also was a factor in the selection of Stonewall Jackson High School as a School of the Year. About 45% of the students at Stonewall are enrolled in IB courses, with 86% scoring four or better on a five-point scale.

 “We are very pleased that the progress that Stonewall Jackson High School has made has been recognized,” said Edward L. Kelly, Superintendent of Schools for Prince William County Public Schools.  “This validates our belief that specialty programs such as the IB program can raise the performance level of all students.  Improved student academic performance and parent involvement go hand-in-hand.”