COVINGTON, Ga. - All three Newton County School System high schools — Alcovy High School, Eastside High School, and Newton High School — have been named 2018 Advanced Placement Honor Schools by Georgia School Superintendent Richard Woods. 

The 2018 Honor Schools are named in six categories, based on the results of the 2017 AP classes and exams. Those categories are:

• AP Challenge School: Schools of 900 or fewer students testing in four of the core areas (English, math, science, and social studies)
  
• AP Access & Support Schools: Schools with at least 30 percent of their AP exams taken by students who identified themselves as African-American and/or Hispanic and 30 percent of all AP exams earning scores of 3 or higher.
  
• AP Merit Schools: Schools with at least 20 percent of the student population taking AP exams and at least 50 percent of all AP exams earning scores of three or higher.
  
• AP STEM schools: Schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses (AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics B, AP Physics C, AP Computer Science).
  
• AP STEM Achievement Schools: Schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses and at least 40 percent of the exam scores on AP math and AP science exams earning scores of three or higher.
  
• AP Humanities Schools: Schools with student testing in all of the following AP courses: at least one ELA course, two social science courses, one fine arts course and one world language course.
  

Each NCSS high school earned recognition in multiple categories, as follows:

Alcovy: AP Humanities School, AP STEM School, AP Access and Support School

Eastside: AP Humanities School, AP STEM School, AP STEM Achievement School

Newton: AP Humanities School, AP STEM School

Alcovy High School earned recognition as an AP Humanities, AP STEM, and AP Access and Support School based on their 2017 AP classes and exams.

“I am so proud of the dedication and hard work of our students, faculty, and staff to make this honor possible,” Dr. Sandra Owens, principal of Alcovy, said. “Our teachers truly love our students and go the extra mile to guide them to excellence. Once provided with this guidance, our students take those opportunities and become successful in their academic endeavors.”

Eastside High School earned recognition as an AP STEM School, AP STEM Achievement School, and an AP Humanities School.

“We are extremely proud of our students who continue to challenge and prepare themselves for success after graduation by taking AP courses,”  Jeff Cher, principal of Eastside, said. “Our staff members work extremely hard to ensure that each of the 20 AP courses offered at EHS are rigorous, worthwhile learning experiences.”

Newton High School earned recognition as both an AP STEM School and an AP Humanities Schools as a result of their successful AP program in 2017.

“I am very proud of our AP students and all that they have accomplished,”  Dr. Shannon Buff, principal of Newton, said. “The rigor of the AP program helps to prepare students for college and beyond. I also appreciate the hard work of the teachers who make preparing students for AP exams a priority.”

“Georgia’s schools continue to expand opportunities for their students, including through their AP offerings,” Georgia School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “We know the AP program produces strong results – for example, the graduation rate for students who complete just one AP course is 98 percent. I commend the school leaders who are expanding access for their students, and the students and teachers in each of these schools who continue to pursue high-level learning.”

AP classes and exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP classes offer rigorous college-level learning options to students in high school. Students who receive a 3, 4, or 5 on AP exams may receive college credit.