NCSS High Schools Named 2025 Advanced Placement Honor Schools

All three Newton County School System (NCSS) high schools—Alcovy, Eastside, and Newton—have been named 2025 Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Schools by Georgia School Superintendent Richard Woods. The 2025 Honor Schools are named in six categories, based on the results of the 2016 AP classes and exams. Those categories are:

• AP Challenge School: Schools of 900 or fewer students testing in four of the core areas (English, math, science, and social studies)

• AP Access & Support Schools: Schools with at least 30% of their AP exams taken by students who identified themselves as African-American and/or Hispanic and 30% of all AP exams earning scores of 3 or higher.

• AP Merit Schools: Schools with at least 20% of the student population taking AP exams and at least 50% of all AP exams earning scores of three (3) or higher.

• AP STEM Schools: Schools with students testing in at least two (2) AP math courses and two (2) AP science courses (AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics B, AP Physics C, AP Computer Science).

• AP STEM Achievement Schools: Schools with students testing in at least two (2) AP math courses and two (2) AP science courses and at least 40% of the exam scores on AP math and AP science exams earning scores of three (3) or higher.

• AP Humanities Schools: Schools with student testing in all of the following AP courses: at least one (1) ELA course, two (2) social science courses, one (1) fine arts course and one (1) world language course.

Each NCSS high school earned recognition as AP Honor Schools in multiple categories, as follows:

Alcovy High School earned recognition as AP Honor Schools in Humanities, AP STEM, and AP Access and Support based on their 2016 AP classes and exams.

“I am extremely proud of the hard work done by the students and teachers that allowed us to be an AP Honor School,” said Dr. Sandra Owens, principal of Alcovy High School. “This is part of our mission to prepare, enable, and equip our students for excellence. The AP Program provides those opportunities to enhance our students’ educational experience for excellence.”

Eastside High School earned recognition as an AP STEM School, AP STEM Achievement School, and an AP Humanities School.

“We are proud of these AP Honor School designations as they reflect an intentional and consistent effort to maintain a rigorous environment where students are challenged to reach their fullest potential at Eastside High School,” said Jeff Cher, principal of Eastside High School. “Our staff members are passionate about AP courses which prepare and equip our students to succeed at any endeavor after graduation.”

Newton High School earned recognition as both an AP STEM School and an AP Humanities Schools as a result of their successful AP program in 2016.

“Our students and teachers are to be commended,” said John Ellenberg, principal of Newton High School. “They strive for excellence each and every day and that has resulted in Newton High School receiving the AP Honor School designation once again. Their hard work does not go unnoticed and I am extremely proud them.”

“Congratulations to each of our high schools,” said NCCS Superintendent Samantha Fuhrey. “This is a fantastic accomplishment and a testament to the hard work and commitment of both the students and teachers.  Our rigorous Advanced Placement program exposes and prepares our students for the types of experiences they will face in college.  In addition, taking these courses in high school has additional academic and financial advantages for students who score a three or higher on their AP exams, as many colleges accept those scores in lieu of comparable college courses. I encourage students who plan on attending college to consider taking AP courses in high school.”

Advanced Placement (AP) classes and exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP classes offer rigorous college-level learning options to students in high school. Students who receive a 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams may receive college credit.

For more information, contact Ms. Sherri Davis-Viniard, Director of Public Relations for Newton County Schools, at [email protected].