Gateway Regional High School District 775 Tanyard Road Woodbury Heights, NJ 08096-6218 (856) 848-8200



For Immediate Release: April 13, 2018 Gateway Regional High School among the first to join the new College Board Pre-AP Program New Pre-AP program offers instructional resources and classroom-based assessments to improve college readiness for all students Woodbury Heights, New Jersey— Gateway Regional High School was selected from over 1,000 schools worldwide that will participate in the new Pre-AP Program next school year. Pre-AP is designed to give all students the opportunity to learn the foundational knowledge and skills they need to be successful in Advanced Placement and other college-level coursework. The College Board selected Gateway Regional High School as a partner who is committed to college readiness for all students. “Gateway is excited for this unique opportunity. We are committed to make sure that every future opportunity is open to our students. Whether Gateway students go on to a two or four year college, trade school, the military, or the workforce, our goals are the same; that students can think deeply, ask hard questions, communicate effectively, and support their arguments with evidence. These are the skills required to be successful in the 21st century,” said Amy Mount, Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Gateway Regional. “Gateway’s Board of Education and Strategic Planning Committee have set a goal to increase the number of Gateway graduates prepared for post-secondary education. We are confident that the resources and support from the College Board will help us achieve our goals.” Participation in challenging coursework helps prepare students for success in high school and beyond. However, less than 50% of U.S. high school students are ready for college. And more than 300,000 high school students aren’t taking AP courses and exams that they’ve demonstrated the potential to succeed on, based on their scores on an SAT Suite assessment. With this data in mind – along with feedback from teachers who’ve said they’d like to help shape a curriculum that prepares students before they enter an AP class – the College Board has developed the PreAP Program. Pre-AP courses are open to all students. The Pre-AP Program objectives are to:

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Significantly increase the number of students who are able to access and complete college-level work—like AP—before leaving high school. Improve the college readiness of all students.

Gateway Regional High School will receive an official Pre-AP designation for each course and the chance to bring engaging coursework to all their students. This designation signals consistent, high standards in focused courses that help build, strengthen, and reinforce student’s content knowledge and skills. The eight new 9th grade courses provide teachers and students with instructional resources, classroom-based assessments, high-quality professional learning, and focused practice. “We applaud the educators and administrators in Gateway Regional High School who have worked to clear a path for all of their students,” said Auditi Chakravarty, Vice President of SpringBoard and Pre-AP Programs. “They are fostering a culture in their schools and classrooms that allows all students to learn the foundational knowledge and skills they need to be successful.” Each Pre-AP course has been developed by committees of expert educators, including middle school, high school, and college faculty. These development committees work with the College Board to design effective instructional resources that emphasize and prioritize the content and skills that matter most for later high school coursework and college and career readiness. Pre-AP will continue to evolve through educator involvement, and Gateway Regional High School will be a critical partner. Throughout the initial cohort experience, Pre-AP course teachers will be encouraged to share feedback that will help shape the program in years to come.

More information on the College Board Pre-AP Program can be found here: Preap.collegeboard.org **** About Gateway Regionl High School www.gatewayhs.com Gateway Regional High School is located in Woodbury Heights. It is comprised of four sending districts - Wenonah, Woodbury Heights, Westville, and National Park. Gateway believes that the educational program should create an environment that values children through the promotion of a student-centered atmosphere whereby individuals are in a safe, caring, respectful, and academically focused learning institution. Gateway is currently a choice district which allows students from outside our district to attend without any charge to the parents. Our signature program, Gateway to Careers, is a comprehensive approach to developing career pathways, connecting learning, and making school more relevant for students. We achieve this through an integrated system of career guidance, curriculum support, early college, career technical education, internships, and certifications. Gateway offers a variety of honors and Advanced Placement courses in all content areas. All Gateway students are provided with a Chromebook as part of the 1:1 technology initative to promote 21st century learning. Additionally, Gateway

offers athletic opportunities for students in grades 7-12 through interscholastic competition at the middle school, junior varsity, and varsity levels. Gateway offers 23 varsity programs that compete in the highly competitive Colonial Conference. Gateway provides students with a diverse variety of extracurricular and co-curricular opportunities to explore and develop their recreational, service, social, career and wellness interests and talents. Student activities and clubs reflect the interests of our students and staff and provide opportunities for students of all grades and of all interests and abilities to participate in clubs and activities.