PCHS ranked in top 10 percent nationally

Polk County High School recently placed 2,190 in a ranking of the nation’s roughly 21,000 public high schools, according to rankings listed in U.S. News & World Report. In North Carolina, PCHS outranks 94 percent of the state’s 591 high schools, taking the spot of 36. High schools were judged by a process that measures their performance among surrounding schools as well as their College Readiness Index. CRI quantifies the school’s AP (advanced placement) participation rate among seniors. PCHS’ CRI value of 22.8 earned it the silver medal. In order to qualify for the silver medal, the school must have a CRI value above the national median of 19.42. PCHS was also praised for having an above average student to teacher ratio at 13:1. “We’re very proud of our ranking,” said Polk County Superintendent of Schools Bill Miller. “It says a lot about our community and its support of the school.”

 

Local government offices closed for Memorial Day

Local government offices will be closed on Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day. The Town of Tryon and Columbus, Cities of Saluda and Landrum and Polk County government offices will all be closed, including the Polk County Courthouse.

 

Memorial Day events

Memorial Day events begin today, Saturday, May 23 in the area. Flags will be placed on the gravesites of veterans at Polk Memorial Gardens in Columbus on Saturday at 9 a.m. The community is invited to help place the flags.

On Monday, there is a ceremony at Polk Memorial Gardens hosted by the VFW Post 9116 at 11 a.m.; at 3 p.m. a ceremony at Saluda Veterans Park begins and at 5 p.m., Singing for Soldiers begins at the Columbus Veterans Park, with the Honor Guard, food, music and a fundraiser for active Armed Services. The community is invited to all events.

 

Tryon schedules budget workshops for June 5-6.

Tryon Town Council has scheduled budget workshops for the upcoming 2015-2016 budget on Friday, June 5 from 1-5 p.m. and Saturday, June 6 beginning at 9 a.m. The town has invited the TDDA, the TTDA and the town’s parks committee to join in discussions. The workshops are open to the public.