Scores for the class of 2008, released last week, showed gains in most high schools in Johnston for the first time since 2005. And for the first time ever, every high school in the county rose above the 1,000 mark in average SAT scores.

“We’re certainly pleased with the results,” said Keith Beamon, associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction. “The state and the nation have been experiencing a drop in the last couple of years, but now everyone seems to be trending back upward. I’m glad we’re heading back in the right direction.”

The average score in Johnston for the class of 2008 rose to 1019, up from 1012 the prior year. That number exceeded both the statewide average, 1007, and the national average, 1017.

In a reversal from 2007, North Johnston (1023), South Johnston (1017) and West Johnston (1033) all posted slightly lower scores in 2008. Clayton (1017), Johnston County Middle College (1063), Princeton (1001) and Smithfield-Selma (1000) all raised their scores from 2007.

Ed Holmes, principal of Johnston County Middle College, said he relished the fact that students at his school led their peers around the county with the highest average score. But he was quick to point out that the numbers at his school can easily fluctuate from year to year because of its small size.

That notion is reflected in the numbers from prior years. In 2006, the Middle College’s inaugural year, students posted an average SAT score of 1108, again the highest in Johnston that year. But in 2007, students scored an average of 977; that number tied Princeton High, which also boasts smaller numbers of test-takers, for the lowest score in the county.

“The bottom line,” Holmes said, “is that I don’t think we’re doing anything all that different than the other high schools. But we are definitely concentrating on the writing element because research has shown that students who write well have a better understanding of the overall test content.”

To bolster students’ chances on the SAT, Holmes said teachers at the Middle College emphasize writing throughout the curriculum. In English classes, teachers are working more closely with students on mechanics, including diagramming sentences and practicing proper grammar. And in math, teachers are asking students to explain in paragraph form how they would solve mathematical problems.

“The county also has a plan for preparing students for the SAT,” Holmes said. “So we definitely want to still work on those same things that we’re asked to focus on. But we want to do whatever we can to help our students.”

At North Johnston, which saw a 17-point dip in scores this year, principal Ross Renfrow said he wasn’t particularly worried. His school’s average SAT score of 1023 still marked the third-highest score out of the county’s seven high schools.

Renfrow said that in addition to following the county’s guidelines for preparing students for the SAT, his staff also holds special workshops for students and their parents. He said teachers also regularly set aside time on certain school days for SAT-prep sessions.

“We’re doing things on a monthly basis to help our students feel confident going into the test date that they have worked with teachers to develop the strategies they’ll need to be successful,” he said.

“But there is also only so much we can do during the school day,” Renfrow added. “It’s equally important that the students continue working to prepare outside of school. If students will work at home to prepare and their parents will supervise them in doing that, I feel that their chances will increase.”