The 2011-2012 school year offered the Camden County Schools much to celebrate. As in previous years, academic excellence was illustrated at each school. Overall, Camden had the highest proficiency rating in the state with 89.7% proficient on all state tests taken and meeting growth status. Each of the schools met growth status as well with Camden County High School reaching high growth and the overall graduation rate was over 85%. The school year posed several challenges and opportunities as each year does. Our staff was vigorously preparing for the upcoming curriculum changes of the Common Core and Essential Standards that will be in place with the 2012-2013 school year while teaching the existing state standards. This year will see several changes with the most noticeable being in the classroom. Our students and staff will be asked to perform at a standard higher than in previous years. This year will offer some growing pains as our students will be asked to design, prove and analyze on a regular basis. This will be more challenging than the previous years where students were asked to match, recall and define. There have been additional computer and technological resources added throughout the schools to prepare for the changes in curriculum and associated assessments. I encourage our parents, students and staff to reach out into the community and for our community to embrace the opportunities of working with our schools. We could all point at financial or other reasons as to why we cannot do things, but my hope for the school year is that we look at what we can do to help. The district can use volunteers who are committed to working in our schools on a constant and regular basis. This year will be a challenging one with many unknowns for our staff. I have often seen this community does not accept defeat and is willing to rally for a cause. I feel very confident Camden will accept the challenge and continue to be the school district others want to emulate.

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