Sue Sitter/PCT RHS Principal Jared Blikre with the letter he received from the N.D. Department of Public Instruction.

The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction recently announced Rugby High School placed among the top 10 percent of schools graduating “Choice Ready” seniors.

In a letter dated February 19, Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler congratulated RHS Principal Jared Blikre for helping the school to meet and exceed the standards of accountability for the 2017-18 graduating senior class.

Baesler wrote, “Choice Ready is a new element in the North Dakota accountability system to measure whether our high schools prepare students to be ready for success upon graduation.”

Baesler’s letter said the Choice Ready distinction was given to students meeting standards in two of three areas within the framework: Post-Secondary, or College Ready, Workforce Ready, and Military Ready.

“Obviously,” Blikre noted, “with Post-Secondary Ready, they’re meeting certain ACT scores, taking dual credit courses and advanced courses in high school, along with Workforce Ready the kids are maybe going on the CTE (career and technical education) track, and they’re taking advanced course work as well.”

“And the same for Military Ready,” he added. “All of our students take the ASVAB here, so that component has a score that they would need to reach, but all of our students do that.”

The Choice Ready designation means students have what Blikre said are “essential skills” for success.

“And that includes community service being involved in extra-curriculars and co-curriculars, and workplace experiences,” Blikre noted. “Then, to be Choice Ready, they have to hit two or more of these indicators. Those indicators are Post Secondary, Workforce and Military Ready. And they have to hit two of these to be Choice Ready.”

“And a very high percentage of our students are Choice Ready,” Blikre added.

“That puts us in the top 10 percent in the state.”

“We want all students to be Choice Ready and lifelong learners,” Blikre said of Rugby High. “We have excellent teachers who go above and beyond to help our students succeed.”