Globe – A Cape Cod charter school is the best place to get a public high school education in Massachusetts, according to the latest rankings from US News and World Report.
The publication released its findings this week, placing Sturgis Charter Public School in Hyannis atop the list for the state. Sturgis ranked 32d nationally.
US News and World Report’s findings are based on student proficiency in English and mathematics, as well as college readiness. Student-teacher ratios for each school are also factored into the findings.
What the hell is going on around here? A high school on Main St. in Hyannis is the best in Massachusetts? A street that is so infamous that they had to create a curfew because of it?
I have to profess that I know nothing about Sturgis. I did some quick research to find out why this school is running circles around every other Cape school and it seems there are two HUGE factors. First off, there are more kids on the waiting list to get into Sturgis than there are students enrolled. When you have that pool to pick from and less than 50% make it in, that seems like a slight advantage.
Second, there is a 10-1 student to teacher ratio. That is way above public school averages and even beats private school averages. Of course the school is thriving, they only accept less than half the applicants and then put them in ten person classes, plus they don’t have to worry about getting stuffed into lockers by the “average” kids.
I’m not knocking it, good for Sturgis and good for its students, it just seems like if we can do this for these kids, we should be able to do it for all of them. Kids shouldn’t be punished with giant classrooms just because they like sports, or girls, or not going to Main St. in Hyannis.
So my point is this, if your kid is in another public school on the Cape and you’re pissed at the school for not making this list, don’t be. Just remember that a school that lets less than half of the applicants in shouldn’t really be classified as “public”. Your kids high school would rank pretty high if they just chopped the bottom half of the students right out of it too. Seems to me that Sturgis should be atop the list of “exclusive” high schools in the state instead of the “public” list. As far as I’m concerned if not everyone can use it, you can’t call it “public”.
Again, not knocking Sturgis, sounds like it’s a great school, we just think if we can provide such a great education for those kids, we should be able to do it for all of them.
Facebook: The Real CapeTwitter: Hippie - Insane Tony
Ruh-roh. Queue the line of angry Stugis people on the left.
In their defense, the waiting list has nothing to do with preselection. It's a lottery drawing for entrance
Yeah it's done by lottery so you don't really have an argument here beyond that it isn't "public".
Sturgis teaches to the International Baccalaureate, which is a program that institutes a culture of higher learning. The International Baccalaureate program is taught around the world. and universities worldwide recognize the strength of it Diploma Program. They receive the same amount of money per child as a district or regional public school. It shows you how a privately run institute can put out a better product with the same amount of fund as our town schools. Maybe we need to look at our local schools and learn from a school like Sturgis.
Also, as some other previous responses had stated, Sturgis does not hand pick their students, it is a lottery. Though I am sure that the parents who put the time in to apply to Sturgis, are proactive parents, who invest their free time to follow up with their child and making sure that they are understanding and completing their assignments. These are also parents who are looking to put their children in the best position to succeed, and give them a solid platform for college and life after high school. I am not knocking parents who don't apply to Sturgis, but with national rankings like Sturgis, why wouldn't you want your child to attend such a great program. For the record, my two children are too young for Sturgis, but, when the time comes, I will be applying also!
Also, all siblings of students already attending Sturgis have an automatic in. So if sis is a sophmore and little bro is going to be a freshman he is in like Flynn. No lottery for them.
I don't know when that was a rule, but my brother attended and I still didn't get in.
Admission is by lottery, there is no selection going on. It's completely random, though students/parents NOT interested in the rigorous program that the IB curriculum offers likely wouldn't apply.
Allison, was he still attending school when you were applying. He would have to be still in the school in order for you to go. When was this?
As a Sturgis student, let me tell you I've heard some funny things in my time about my school, but this has to be hands down the funniest thing I think I've ever read.
The content on this website becomes less and less credible and respectable by the week, jesus christ. Aren't news articles supposed to involve research? Maybe if you did any of that you'd know that Sturgis isn't some elitist school that handpicks the top applicants. Students get in by lottery. anyone can get in, not just the top of the class, so your argument there is completely invalid. We have plenty of students who are far from what most would call the top of any class, as well as the fact that nearly a quarter of the students have a 404 or any other kind of IEP. You know there's a problem when you have to start your article with "I have to profess that I know nothing about Sturgis." Yeah, don't worry, you've made that pretty clear.
Also, your statement – "Kids shouldn’t be punished with giant classrooms just because they like sports, or girls, or not going to Main St. in Hyannis." – really?? First you say you know nothing about the school then you make this cliche sort of assumptions about the student body that we're all nerds who don't like girls or sports? Grow the fuck up and treat your work with some sort of professionalism before posting literal slander about something that you know nothing about.
You obviously did "0" research. Try getting your facts straight before you write yet another discriminatory article about Sturgis.
You obviously did "0" research. Try getting your facts straight before you write yet another discriminatory article about Sturgis.
Also, learn what a student-teacher ratio actually is. Just because we have a teacher for every ten students doesn't mean we have 10 person classes. Not every teacher is always teaching a class you know, we do have part-time teachers. In fact, most of our classes have at least 15 students. So seriously, do some research before you get all bitter about the fact that your kids go to an inferior school and decide to publish a hate speech about it on your "news" website.
>I have to profess that I know nothing about Sturgis.
…then why the fuck are you writing an article about it?
Not all siblings want to go to Sturgis. Why do people always have to pick on this school? It's really getting boring!
Thank you!
It's like the Cape's own personal BuzzFeed or Drudge Report.
I hope your children get in, you won't regret the choice!!
Barnstable High is much better anyway.
It's a lottery. U could have had all Ds in middle school and still get in. Their the best because the teachers they hire actually care about their students. All the students create a culture that is friendly and educational. This can happen because the students that all go there want an education. Their a public school. So you finialy don't have to pay to go to a good high school. Stop trash talking a school that you obviously know nothing about.
You lack basic facts as well as any sort of understanding. If you aren't educated about Sturgis do not write about it. This article is out of jealousy of Sturgis' success. As a student of Sturgis, I would never want to attend another school. It gives anyone the opportunity to succeed even if a student is on an IEP or a student who previously had bad grades. The teachers are dedicated and the students are motivated. Sturgis accepts as many applicants as possible, but there is just more demand. Because of the lottery, anyone chosen can attend. There is only a large wait list due to the success. Sturgis is fair to everyone who applies with the lottery process, therefore there is everyone from all academic levels. Also our class sizes are never 10, usually between 15-20. Learn your facts & keep ignorant opinions to yourself.
You lack basic facts as well as any sort of understanding. If you aren't educated about Sturgis do not write about it. This article is out of jealousy of Sturgis' success. As a student of Sturgis, I would never want to attend another school. It gives anyone the opportunity to succeed even if a student is on an IEP or a student who previously had bad grades. The teachers are dedicated and the students are motivated. Sturgis accepts as many applicants as possible, but there is just more demand. Because of the lottery, anyone chosen can attend. There is only a large wait list due to the success. Sturgis is fair to everyone who applies with the lottery process, therefore there is everyone from all academic levels. Also our class sizes are never 10, usually between 15-20. Learn your facts & keep ignorant opinions to yourself.
My son applied himself. He did the research and pursued it I supported him 100% but it was his choice. He would not be the successful student he is if he was in a public school. I am not knocking the public schools at all but for him it was the best decision.
Very well written Tess!!!
Very well written Tess!!!
Your first line is the key. You know NOTHING about Sturgis. The rest of your "article" is a rant from what looks like a disgruntle uneducated with the facts small minded individual. Yet another reason why "the real cape" isn't really the real cape. I've tried numerous times to read articles on this website and over and over its negative and lacking facts. I'm all about freedom of speech but fact checking before you publish something is also rather important. Try doing research before you publish something's I completely inaccurate and maybe say congratulations to Sturgis for being such a great school and to have it available in the area in which I call home. The real cape needs real fact based information. How many people read this website thinking it is truly the real cape I hope people aren't buying into the personal opinions you are calling journalism and believing this really is the real cape. Good for you stufgis for stepping it up and proving the common core isn't the best for our kids and there is a better way. one that exceeds the standards set and the kids are happy to be there, engaged and getting a great education. I wish more schools adopted their teaching methods for the students and the teachers.
i'm 30 years old and i'm still on the waiting list. There's two things i like about Sturgis. One I'm a gambler ( you can win if you don't play) and i'm playing the lottery. I've been gambling illegally since a freshman in high school and I appreciate the school for opening up that loophole for me. I love the pride that comes with the school. Shit you can have intelligent arguments to a joke article/blog….Now that's school spirit! I wonder what it would be like if all "public" schools had a lottery to get in? A famous dead singer once sang " I believe the children are our future …teach them well and let them lead the way". She's dead now. and so's my chance to get into this school.
This is the most pathetic article I have even read. Sturgis is a great school and it ranks so high due to the hard work students put in to their education and from the support the teachers provide everyone. I have an IEP, a processing disorder. My grades were never great in middle school but at sturgis I'm getting better grades each and every year. There is never a time where I'm not challenged and progressing. The fact that you are making steriotypical opinions about sturgis pisses me off! We have plenty of people who attend sturgis and have about 20 people to each class and like sports and a lot of them "like girls" (wtf) . People who apply to sturgis know that there is a lottery to get in. But guess what they still take there chances And you know why? Not because they "don't like sports" or "don't like girls" but because the education and the environment of the school! We are ranked number one because we deserve to be so maybe the real problem is that PUBLIC schools can do better. Sturgis is awesome and any of your hateful words won't stop us from being number one!
As many others have pointed out, there is a straight blind lottery system for admission, with preference given only to siblings of current students. The Cape's Voc Tech high schools have MUCH stricter admissions criteria, based on testing, GPA, attendance, recommendations, and disciplinary record. Sturgis is actually PROHIBITED from selecting based on academics in order to give all students equal opportunity to attend, and to protect the local high schools from their fears and objections that Sturgis might siphon off the cream of their crop.
Charter schools have always existed to inspire innovation in public education and to break the "one size fits all" mold, allowing for creativity in programming (art/music charters, math/science charters) and the structure of the model (small size, single gender schools). Rather than seeing charter successes as a threat to the public dinosaurs, perhaps public schools should consider lessons they could learn from the charter models and try to keep up. Clearly, the alternative model is a great fit for the kids who choose it. It's wonderful that we have options to fit different kinds of students, including those bright, motivated young learners who want to pursue academic excellence and have ambitions in their lives.
The smartest thing you wrote was "I have to profess I know nothing about Sturgis." If that indeed is the case, why write an article? The article did succeed in one area, it should you're ignorance. Sturgis is a lottery school, anyone can apply and if you get lucky in the lottery, you're in. No entrance exam, no tuition, no interview, no nothing. Just apply and hope you get in. Gifted, learning disabilities, middle of the road student, doesn't matter. "Kids shouldn't be punished with giant classrooms just because they like sports." Well, guess what? The Sturgis golf and girls volleyball teams won The Cape and Islands League title this year and advanced to the MIAA tournament, the girls advanced to the semi finals. The boys soccer team also made it to the MIAA tourney. The boys baseball teams record the last three years? 14-4, 9-8, and they currently sit at 9-7, with 4 to play, one win away from 4 MIAA tourney vists in a row. Again, it's a lottery, not an "exclusive" high school as you so wrongly stated. You did however get one thing right, you really do know nothing about Sturgis.
I laughed, for about twenty minutes, my favorite part is when he/she said, and I quote "I have to profess that I know nothing about Sturgis".
Marrianne Woodell Yes, it was years ago, though.
It was my understanding this and other entries are supposed to be comical, not serious enough to be upset over. Just shrug it off? :
<3
This "article" is such a hilarious representation of the many bitter, ignorant people in this world. Well written Hippie, well written.
SNERT
SNERT
To the author of this article…
1. Great job on the click-bait title, you got me there.
2. A better bunch of well rounded and respectful students, I have yet to meet.
3. As others in the comment section have stated, the school is by lottery and transcripts aren't even sent to Sturgis until AFTER the student has been accepted in. (So there is no cherry picking)
4. There are two types of people who apply to Sturgis. Those who have a serious interest in their own education and those whose parents do.
5. The reason these kids do so well is because of the environment they're in. Teachers respect the students. They can leave for lunch. They have a focus on the arts. The faculty are very worldly and have taught students, many even IB students, in everywhere from Istanbul to Hong Kong.
6. You need to stop writing articles because this isn't even close to journalism, it's not even tabloid journalism, it's just junk writing and you should be ashamed. You even stated yourself you know nothing about this topic or this school, so why speak as if you do? Just to get clicks on your site? PATHETIC!
Signed A VERY PROUD STURGIS PARENT
To the author of this article…
1. Great job on the click-bait title, you got me there.
2. A better bunch of well rounded and respectful students, I have yet to meet.
3. As others in the comment section have stated, the school is by lottery and transcripts aren't even sent to Sturgis until AFTER the student has been accepted in. (So there is no cherry picking)
4. There are two types of people who apply to Sturgis. Those who have a serious interest in their own education and those whose parents do.
5. The reason these kids do so well is because of the environment they're in. Teachers respect the students. They can leave for lunch. They have a focus on the arts. The faculty are very worldly and have taught students, many even IB students, in everywhere from Istanbul to Hong Kong.
6. You need to stop writing articles because this isn't even close to journalism, it's not even tabloid journalism, it's just junk writing and you should be ashamed. You even stated yourself you know nothing about this topic or this school, so why speak as if you do? Just to get clicks on your site? PATHETIC!
Signed A VERY PROUD STURGIS PARENT
-Said nobody ever.
Says me.
Says me.
Preach it JLeather!
Using the correct form of there, their, and they're would help your argument's credibility.
No it's not. I was in Barnstable before I went to Sturgis. If I was still in Barnstable I don't even think that I would be a person right now. Every single person at Sturgis that went to Barnstable thanks God every single day for it. At Barnstable, you're bullied, judged and unnoticed. At Sturgis, your loved, understood and special. It is not better. Yes, you may have a child who had a good experience, but you don't know Sturgis.
Unfortunately, I have first hand experience regarding Sturgis.
The only reason they do this is that it makes it easier on the families. If both kids want to attend Sturgis and they are going to be attending simultaneously, the administration isn't going to say "oooo yeah no, sorry your kids have to attend two different schools because we want your life to be more difficult."
That's what happens in public schools all the time Alia. I still see it as unfair to those who apply.
The waiting list was long in 2004! Everyone wants to go there! Graduated in 2008 and it changed my life! Love everything about the school!
This article is a joke, what is pathetic is that you people can't figure that out.
You are 100% correct about number 6. This is a SATIRE website.
For a bunch of allegedly smart kids, I find it rather surprising that the majority of you cannot seem to figure out that this is not a news website, but a satirical one.
So, I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a joke article or not, but I'm going to post my opinion anyway. I'm going to give you some credit where credit is due. Sturgis can be a bit hoity-toity about it's whole IB stuff. Lot's of people have already mentioned how wrong you are about the lottery, so I'm not going to go into that, but point being Sturgis is a PUBLIC school, and we do really well, and I have fun going to school there, but I don't go to school everyday thinking "Oh boy, time to get my proper High-class education which will give me free ride into Yale so I may crumple my underlings underneath my beautiful, well-educated feet". It's a totally regular school, just with teachers that have fun with their job and with kids that sometimes do really well on tests. We aren't above you, ok?
This entire website is a joke.
MattyB The problem is, MattyB, that it isn't remotely funny or clever. So, yeah, people know it is supposed to be a joke, but it was poorly done. Satire should at least be funny or clever. This was neither.
Dee O'Regan *In your opinion.
Donna Wright I disagree, in every way possible, respectfully of course, those words should not be used in a sentence. Ever. Again, respectfully disagreeing with your horribly wrong statement. Of course this is my opinion, my respectful opinion, but I think many others, or everyone, will respectfully agree with me. That Barnstable Highschool, is not better than Sturgis Charter Public School. Respectfully. Of course. Because who loves a hater. Why can't there be respectable haters. Hating with respect, that is my new cause. "Hate, respectfully, of course"
-Almost all of Sturgis class of 18'
Of course I can't speak for everyone, that would mean I have made assumptions, but why not assume respectfully. By respecting others opinions but also assuming a response… Incredibly rude, I know. Let me re word it
-Those of Sturgis class of 18' who respectfully agree with me
There. I have finished my respectable argument stating that Barnstable isn't a very good high school. Wait. That wasn't my argument. I said it wasn't as good as Sturgis, well whatever, I'm tired, its late. Sturgis is respectfully the best high school, that is my respectable opinion
From yours truly (respectfully)
-Anthony Quinn
Donna Wright I disagree, in every way possible, respectfully of course, those words should not be used in a sentence. Ever. Again, respectfully disagreeing with your horribly wrong statement. Of course this is my opinion, my respectful opinion, but I think many others, or everyone, will respectfully agree with me. That Barnstable Highschool, is not better than Sturgis Charter Public School. Respectfully. Of course. Because who loves a hater. Why can't there be respectable haters. Hating with respect, that is my new cause. "Hate, respectfully, of course"
-Almost all of Sturgis class of 18'
Of course I can't speak for everyone, that would mean I have made assumptions, but why not assume respectfully. By respecting others opinions but also assuming a response… Incredibly rude, I know. Let me re word it
-Those of Sturgis class of 18' who respectfully agree with me
There. I have finished my respectable argument stating that Barnstable isn't a very good high school. Wait. That wasn't my argument. I said it wasn't as good as Sturgis, well whatever, I'm tired, its late. Sturgis is respectfully the best high school, that is my respectable opinion
From yours truly (respectfully)
-Anthony Quinn
You are right about one thing…you don't know anything about Sturgis. It's also very obvious that you went to one of the other schools that didn't make the list. Next time you want to write about a topic you should do your homework first…but then again you probably never did homework when you were in high school either.
You are right about one thing…you don't know anything about Sturgis. It's also very obvious that you went to one of the other schools that didn't make the list. Next time you want to write about a topic you should do your homework first…but then again you probably never did homework when you were in high school either.
Sturgis is a school that is great for students who wish to excel in academics. Be warned though, the school is unwilling to make changes and the current administration (Paul Marble and Eric Heiser) are unwilling to change "tradition". They are set in their ways and will not change for anything. That being said, it is impossible for the school to progress and gain access to new modern styles of teaching or courses. They only do what profits them and do not really care about the students. They claim for this to be a school for the students but really the administration do not care whatsoever about anyone except themselves unless it benefits them. It's their way or the highway.