PMHS Ranks 284th in Nation for the 2019 School Year

Julia Kaplansky, Senior, Staff Reporter

In the recent publication of Jay Matthews 2018 Most Challenging High School Rankings, PMHS was ranked 284 among the most challenging schools in the nation, putting it in the top two percent of all schools. The Challenge Index is the oldest school ranking system in the country, beginning in both Newsweek and The Washington Post back in 1998. Their rankings are based upon data collected on “Equity & Excellence,” including the percentage of students who receive free or reduced lunch subsidies, the number of AP tests the school issues, and the number of seniors who graduate. PMHS has come a long way — only six years ago, the Pelicans were ranked 663. In addition to the national ranking PMHS received, this was the second year that the school was ranked 18 in New York state.

Reflecting upon the ranking, Principal Mrs. Clark said, “I’m incredibly proud of our students and staff, as well as the parents, because they’ve supported our school community.”

PMHS ranking this highly in the state speaks volumes about the Pelican motto: “P.R.I.D.E.” To be a Pelican is to be a part of a school that has worked on not only improvement, but becoming the best it possibly can.

“I think the [main factor that set PMHS apart from other schools] is the student body and the supportive Pelham community. Our students are incredibly respectful, they are conscientious, and they are hardworking,” Clark said. “It’s a very special place.”