The 2020-2021 school year began and ended with highlights amid the pandemic for Northwestern High School. Our school is steeped in tradition, and as we worked through our plan to meet students at their level of need, we adapted and overcame several obstacles throughout the year. Our faculty's expectations for high levels of instructional delivery are embedded in the culture of our school. With high standards as our goal, Northwestern forged forward to deliver in-person and remote instruction to over 1700 students throughout the year.
Northwestern began the year in a hybrid model with students coming to school in alternating groups. Our administrative team, teachers, and staff went through intricate details with parents and students as we opened our doors for students and began to provide instruction in our newly formed Virtual Academy. Our school made instructional videos for parents on a safe return to school, athletic event protocols and spent hours on zoom meetings with our parents and students reviewing the changes as decisions were made.
We were pleased with our efforts and how quickly students adapted to their "New Normal" as they learned remotely and engaged in school activities within the new guidelines we all were forced to institute. Our school provided a high level of instruction and support for students in both environments and continued to meet with students via zoom in small groups to provide feedback for them as we made it through the year.
Our athletic and fine arts programs were able to complete their event seasons using social distancing and other safety guidelines as Northwestern continued to lead the way in both of these areas for Rock Hill and the surrounding areas.
In the 2021 graduating class, 55 seniors graduated with Highest Honors, and 41 graduated with Honors. Six seniors earned the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma. Twenty-seven seniors graduated with the esteemed status of AP Scholar. Of these 24 AP Scholars, there was 1 AP Scholar with Honors, 9 AP Scholars with Distinction. The number of Gold Seal Diploma students was 128, and the number of Palmetto Fellows was 22. Due to our 2020 graduates' hard work, our combined monetary value of all scholarships awarded exceeded ten million dollars.
Northwestern takes extreme pride in helping all students develop the world-class skills identified in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. Dedication to targeted instruction has earned our faculty members local, state, and national honors and awards. Our Programs of Studies include CATE, Dual Credit, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Project Lead the Way.
As an accredited institution and flag-ship school, Northwestern continues to meet learners at their levels of need. Northwestern's approach to creating a Multi-Tiered Support System (MTSS) affords students remediation and enrichment opportunities that address both academic and social/emotional needs. Additionally, we have created PLCs to focus on student achievement and success. Our Senior Success PLC involves counselors, administrators, teachers, and other support staff who monitor progress and guide seniors through their march towards graduation and obtainment of 24 Carnegie units of credit. Our Freshman Focus PLC consists of students, teachers, community mentors, support staff, and administrators who all work tirelessly to provide a seamless transition for our 9th-grade students even before they arrive on our campus. Doing things the "Trojan Way," we have embedded an MTSS system, using the acronym of "TORCH," representing the five tenants of our school culture. Tenacity, Ownership, Respect, Community, and Honor represent traits we have identified as key for students' success in life and at Northwestern.
Our school prides itself on the relationships students build outside of the classroom and their connections through our various extracurricular programs. Northwestern High School's performing and visual arts program produces many South Carolina All-State performers. Our students routinely exhibit artwork in local and state competitions, with many pieces receiving top honors. For the last few years, our students' artworks have been placed in the United States Capitol due to winning first place in the 5th Congressional District competition. Unfortunately, our 2020-2021 Spring competitions were canceled due to COVID-19, and our students were unable to participate for further recognition and honor.
Northwestern High School's numerous student-athletes and 20 varsity teams set the bar high for competition on the field, with All-Region, All-Area, and All-State recognition. Not only do our students succeed on the athletics fields, but they also experience success in the classroom and are recognized as Scholar-Athletes.
Northwestern High School's mission is to provide the most excellent educational experience for its students, staff, and community. It is evident from our students' accomplishments that they have met that mark!
Hezekiah Massey III, Principal Kathryn Castillo - SIC Chair
