For the second year in a row, every Avon Grove High School senior is leaving the school armed with a diploma. Graduation took place on June 4 at the Bob Carpenter Center, a 5000-seat multi-purpose arena on the University of Delaware’s campus.

A perfect graduation rate is quite an achievement, given that the nationwide graduation rate, as of 2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, is 87 percent. It is a testament to the hard work of students, but also to the hard work of parents, teachers, and school administrators who encouraged and supported student efforts. 

“Every single action taken by every single school employee and school board member – from administrators to custodial staff to cafeteria staff and everybody in between really led to this moment – to have a 100 percent graduation rate is really amazing,” said Bill Wood, an Avon Grove School Board member.

All board members were in attendance at the Avon Grove School Board meeting, held June 6, to hear the presentation on the profile of the 2024 graduates. Superintendent of Schools M. Christopher Marchese, Ed.D., introduced the presenters: Avon Grove High School assistant principal Gary Benasutti and assistant principal of Academics Angela Houghton. The high school’s principal, Christie Snead, Ed.D., was unavailable to present at the meeting. 

Benasutti informed listeners about the recent Avon Grove High School graduates’ post-secondary plans. Eighty-two percent of the graduates will go on to attain more education, including at four-year and two-year colleges or technical schools. This percentage represents that Avon Grove students again outdid the national averages for post-secondary education attendance. The rate of students who graduated in the first nine months of 2022 and enrolled in college was 62 percent in 2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

The remaining 18 percent of graduates are going into the workforce, many in careers they lined up through gaining skills at Technical College High School at Pennock’s Bridge, a half-day vocational program run by Chester County Intermediate Unit. These careers include welding, cosmetology, barbering, and collision and auto tech positions, to name a few. Some who participated in the Homeland Security program will be working as EMTs and firefighters or pursuing military or law enforcement.

Penn State leads the list of schools to which students are heading. About 75 percent of this year’s graduates from Avon Grove High School are staying in Pennsylvania, and many of those going out of state are traveling down south to institutions in South Carolina and Florida. Benasutti said warm weather was certainly a factor in those students’ decision-making.

Five students are on the way to Ivy League schools. In fact, Avon Grove School Board Student Representative Tyler Dalton is off to Harvard. 

Dalton received kudos from board members at the meeting for his achievement, and Avon Grove School Board President Bonnie Wolff voiced her gratitude to Tyler for serving as student representative for two years in a row and for taking on every challenge with grace. 

Dalton responded, “I really enjoyed attending these meetings. I have a deeper understanding and appreciation for the work that you all do.”

Houghton outlined the career pathways the college-bound students are pursuing: arts, audio/visual technology, communications - 14 percent; business management and administration – 30 percent; health sciences – 20 percent; human services - 10 percent; STEM - 26 percent. She said students received $164,100 in local scholarships, and over $6 million total in education scholarships. 

At the close of their presentation, Dr. Marchese went on to commend Benasutti and Houghton for their years of service in the Avon Grove School District. Both school administrators are retiring – Benasutti after 25 years of service and Houghton after 23 years. 

Dr. Marchese said, “They have positively impacted thousands of students throughout the years.”

The board got down to business following the graduate-profile presentation starting with the business report delivered by Dan Carsley, the district’s director of business administration/CFO. He stated that the school district’s general fund budget expenditures for the 2024-2025 school year are expected to be $115,148,651, and the board went on to unanimously approve this budget amount. The board is delivering a budget that includes no tax increase to the community this year.

The agenda included public commentary. Parents and members of the community asked the Avon Grove School Board to make a determination and publicly announce its policy on students using opposite-sex bathrooms and locker rooms. They said school administrators have been allowing gender dysphoric youths to use the facilities of their choice, and this action has made many students uncomfortable. They stated that school board members must be transparent about their decision-making on this issue because it represents safety and privacy concerns for the majority of students and their parents. 

Dr. Marchese, in his superintendent’s report, announced that student enrollment for Avon Grove School District is 4,997 students, and the number of cyber charter and charter school students who reside in the district is 630.

He also announced that the district schools have a new director of safety and security, Chrissy Simpkins, and a new safety and security specialist/police officer, Bill Donahue. Donahue will be the first police officer to serve in the Avon Grove School District. He worked for the Pennsylvania State Police in a variety of leadership roles for 26 years.

At the end of his report, Dr. Marchese delivered congratulations. He said, “As we close the chapter on another school year, I would be remiss if I did not recognize the tremendous work and commitment of our teachers, support staff, and administration. These individuals serve our students each and every day to the best of their abilities with a common goal – to ensure that all students feel connected, accepted, and valued.”

He also thanked parents and caregivers for entrusting their children to the school district and for their unwavering support. And he thanked the school board, saying, “Our district is strong because of your commitment to public education.” 

Finally, he recognized the students. Marchese said, “You are why we are here. So thank you for doing your best so your dreams can come true someday. And to our Class of 2024, a sincere congratulations on a job well done. Thank you for being model students and representing Avon Grove with pride. Avon Grove is your home, and take what you’ve learned here into the complex world, and use it to spread good.”

School board members President Bonnie Wolff, Vice President Dorothy Linn, Ed.D., Rick Dumont, Ruchira Singh, Ken Roark, Nick Taylor, Herman Engel, Bill Wood, and Mike Woodin closed the meeting for the 2023-2024 school year. The board, including student representative Abbey Hood, a junior who will continue working with the board next year, will resume meeting in the Intermediate School Audion starting in August. 

School will resume for students on Monday, Aug. 26.