Posted by Alec Johnson, Now News Group
 

Being named the best school district in the state is an honor, and the Whitefish Bay School District has been named just that. 

Whitefish Bay was listed as the top school district in the state by Business Insider, as well as Niche, which researches schools and ranks them based on academics, teachers, college prep, clubs and activities and health and safety, 

From Business Insider, Whitefish Bay received an A+ in academics, teachers, administration, college prep, clubs and activities, and sports; an A in health and safety, and resources and facilities, a B in food and a B- in diversity.

According to Niche's profile on Whitefish Bay, the district has 3,084 students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 with a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1. Seventy-five percent of the district's students are at least proficient in reading and 72 percent are at least proficient in math, according to its state test scores.

"We believe this recognition is a reflection of our entire school community's collective commitment to ensure an exceptional learning experience for all," said Superintendent John Thomsen. "Our team members partner with families and mentor students in the pursuit of educational excellence. Fostering student 21st-century skills and addressing the whole child in a safe and supportive learning environment remains vital to our success. We remain committed to this mission."

 

Other Now News Group coverage area districts also made Niche's top 10 list, including Elmbrook, Cedarburg, Mequon-Thiensville, Greendale, Shorewood and Franklin. 

Elmbrook

Elmbrook Schools came in second, receiving A+'s in the academics, teachers, clubs and activities, administration, food, college prep, health and safety, and sports categories. It received an A in resources and facilities and a B- in diversity to receive an overall A+ grade.

Elmbrook has 6,988 students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 with a 15 to 1 student-teacher ratio. Its test scores show 74 percent of its students are at least proficient in reading, and that 71 percent of students are at least proficient in math.

Cedarburg

The Cedarburg School District received a third-place ranking from Niche. It received A+'s in academics, teachers, college prep, health and safety, and sports. Clubs and activities, administration, and resources and facilities received an A; food an A- and diversity a C- for an overall grade of A+. 

Cedarburg has 3,001 students in pre-kindergarten through 12 with a 16 to 1 student-teacher ratio. Seventy-eight percent of its students are at least proficient in reading, and 70 percent of students are at least proficient in math, according to the district's test scores. 

Mequon-Thiensville

With an overall grade of A+, the Mequon-Thiensville School District sits fourth in Niche's rankings. Helping it reach the high mark were A+ grades in academics, college prep and sports; along with A grades in teachers, clubs and activities, and health and safety. Along with an A- in resources and facilities, it received B's in administration and food and a C+ in diversity.

With 3,580 students in pre-kindergarten through 12, and a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1, the school has seen 76 percent of its students score at least proficient in reading, with 69 percent of its students score at least proficient in math.

Greendale

The Greendale School District rounds out the top half of the top 10 in fifth, receiving an overall grade of A+. It scored four A+'s in the teachers, college prep, clubs and activities, and health and safety categories; an A in resources and facilities; an A- in sports and a B- in diversity.

Greendale has 2,636 students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12, and a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1. State test scores for the district show that 72 percent of its students were at least proficient in reading and 64 percent were at least proficient in math.

Shorewood

The second-best district in the North Shore area, Shorewood ranked seventh statewide, and received an A+ overall grade. Shorewood's A+ grades were in teachers and college prep; A's in academics, administration, clubs and activities, and resources and facilities, along with A-'s in food, health and safety, sports and diversity.

With 2,118 students and a 15 to 1 student-teacher ratio, 66 percent of its students are at least proficient in reading and 63 percent at least proficient in math.

Franklin

Franklin took the eighth spot in the top 10, and received an overall grade of an A. It received A+ marks in teachers and health and safety; A's in academics, college prep, clubs and activities, sports and food; an A- in resources and facilities, a B+ in administration and a B in diversity.

The district has 4,396 students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 with a 17 to 1 student-teacher ratio. Seventy-one percent of its students are at least proficient in reading, and 65 percent of its students are at least proficient in math.

To see a complete list of the state rankings, visit www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/s/wisconsin/. Check out the top schools in each state at www.businessinsider.com/best-school-district-every-us-state-2018-1.