Oyster Bay High School achieves 100% graduation rate

The Oyster Bay High School Class of 2024 achieved a rare feat – a 100% graduation rate.

Supervisor of Guidance Joy-Anne D’Anca announced the accomplishments of the class of 109 students at a recent presentation to the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Board of Education. 

Just a few years ago, the school’s graduation rate was 88%, compared to the 2023 New York State average of 86%.

In addition to increased graduation rates, the school saw a 9% increase in college commitments, advancing from 82% to 91%. 

Oyster Bay-East Norwich Superintendent Francesco Ianni and Oyster Bay High School principal Melissa Argaman said the high school’s success was due to implementing additional programming, initiatives, and extracurriculars, which increased student involvement and attendance. 

Ianni said this was achieved by “caring about [the students] and focusing on every child.”

Argaman attributed the school’s success to not treating students as “just a number.”

Argaman worked in the guidance center for 20 years before stepping into her role as principal. In guidance, she said she was involved in conversations about school testing, graduation requirements, and the school environment. That, she said, is where she learned the importance of cultivating relationships with each student.

She said Oyster Bay High School tries to cater to every student to help them succeed.

Ianni and Argaman said this includes calling home, changing course schedules, and allowing test accommodations when necessary.  They said that every child faces a unique set of obstacles, and the school hopes to help each child overcome these challenges individually. 

The administration, they said, tries to make the school a second home for students.

They said school culture has become inviting and engaging by implementing new social events, like school-wide color wars, multiple pep rallies, and annual homecoming dances. Student participation has grown in recent years, reflecting this shift.

Ianni and Argaman said they also hosted academic programming to assist students through the college application process as well. Guidance counselors at the high school meet with every 11th- and 12th-grader to discuss their future plans and support them through each step of the college application process.

Mini-college pairs provide students with direct access to higher education.

The student will attend over 100 universities-  90% of these institutions are four-year colleges. At college fairs, students can speak one-on-one with representatives and admissions staff. During SUNY Free Application Week in the fall semester, counselors met with students individually and in groups to identify and apply to the best-fit schools for them.

This year, 81 out of the class’s 109 students applied to at least one college by Nov. 1, the early action application deadline. The school said that this was due to the additional support provided by the guidance center. 

Some 89% of the student body was accepted into college (an increase from 83% in previous years), and 91% of those students committed to pursuing a four-year degree (compared to the school’s previous 82%).

Ianni said that the Class of 2024’s accomplishments represent the hard work and dedication of students, faculty members, and administration.

Because Oyster Bay High School has such a small graduating class, each student’s success is reflected. In a class of 109, Ianni said, each student is almost an entire percentage point. Individual success is represented on a large scale in the school district.

“We are empowering students to achieve excellence,” said Ianni. 

The recent graduates are attending an array of universities, including Columbia University, Princeton University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Michigan State University, Hofstra University and Stony Brook University.