High scores on last school year’s round of state tests prompted Santa Maria High School administrators to shave their heads during a school carnival on Oct. 11.
Students were promised that if state standardized test scores increased to more than 700 on the Academic Performance Index, school principal Joe Domingues and three assistant principals would shave their heads. The performance index is a ranking system used to rate schools in the state. Scores are based on a special formula and can run from 200 to 1,000.
A celebration of the school’s accomplishment included live music, games, and activities.
“My bald head will represent pride, and I am very proud of my students and staff as they work hard on the school’s return to prominence,” Domingues said in a press release sent out before the festivities.
Santa Maria High has had an Academic Performance Score of less than 700 for several years in a row, making it the only high school in the valley below that mark. But the Saints have worked hard to bring that score up, making their school one of the most improved schools in the county.
This article appears in Oct 17-24, 2013.