Coventry High School, located in Coventry, Rhode Island, is a suburban school located in Kent County which is approximately nineteen miles southwest of Rhode Island’s capital, Providence. Coventry is bordered on the north by Foster, Scituate, and Cranston, on the east by West Warwick, on the south by East Greenwich and West Greenwich, and on the west by the state of Connecticut. The town of Coventry occupies an area of 59.5 square miles, thus comprising the largest land area of any community in Rhode Island.
Coventry is very rural in the western section that borders Connecticut, and suburban in the eastern section. The Pawtuxet River runs through the eastern part of Coventry into neighboring West Warwick, and on through parts of Cranston, eventually emptying into Narragansett Bay. Johnson’s Pond and Lake Tiogue, which are primarily used for recreation purposes are Coventry’s largest fresh-water lakes, although Coventry also has two reservoirs, Quidnick and Flat River. Coventry is easily accessible from Interstate 95-via three exchanges.
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the total population in the town of Coventry is 34,819. The population of Coventry is economically, racially, culturally, and ethnically similar, with no minority group comprising any more than 0.8% of the population, resulting in a total ethnic diversity of roughly 4%, and English is the primary language spoken at home. The median household income is $65,507, the unemployment rate is 7.9%, and those living below the poverty level is 7.1%.
Coventry High School is the largest public high school in the state of Rhode Island. In addition to the high school with a population of 1,486, Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School (6-8) includes 1,116. Coventry also has five elementary (K-5) schools: Blackrock (371 students), Hopkins Hill (393 students), Tiogue (423 students), Washington Oak (585 students), and Western Coventry (367 students). Coventry Public Schools' total student population (Pre-K through 21) is 4,902.
The Coventry School District is ranked 32nd out of the 36 school districts in the state in terms of per-pupil expenditures and expended $15,320 per pupil compared to a state average expenditure of $$16,558 per pupil in the 2015- 2016 school year. The town of Coventry allocates 62% of the local property taxes in support of schools. In 2018, state, federal, and other resources accounted for 36 % of all funds received in the district, leaving 64% of funding to be obtained through local resources. Forty-seven students paid nonresident tuition fees of $17,382 each to attend Coventry High School in 2017.
Coventry High School includes students in grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1486 students divided between 763 males and 723 females. The ethnic, racial, and cultural composition has remained constant with 1% African-American students, 1% Asian students, and 3% Hispanic students. 1% multiracial during the 2016-2017 school year. The average dropout rate for the 2015-2016 school year was 3.2% and for the 2016-2017 school year was 3.5%. The average daily student attendance is 93% and the average attendance rate among teachers is 73.21%. The graduation rate for the 2016-2017 school year was 90%. The percentage of students who enrolled in a four-year college was 56%, in a two-year college 24%, entered the military 4%, directly into the workforce 16%.
There are 154.4 full-time equivalent teachers at Coventry High School, creating a ratio of 9.6:1. Individual teachers carry an average load of 105 students with an average class size of 23. In those classes required for graduation, the average class size is 23 students. Students attend school for 181 days and for for a minimum of 1,357 hours.
All students may select from two levels of college preparatory, honors, or Advanced Placement (where offered). During the 2017-2018 school year, the total enrollment in the honors program is 1,344 and 251 in the Advanced Placement courses. Approximately 211 students receive special education support. All students are required to take four years of English, fours years of math or three years of math and one year of a math-related course, three years of social studies and science, four years of physical education, two years of a language or literacy, one semester each of art and technology, with the remainder of students’ programs filled from a variety of elective courses. Students are offered a choice of three world languages including Spanish, French, and Italian. Coventry High School offers a variety of co-curricular activities for its students including twenty-four athletic programs for boys and girls and an extensive music program including courses in concert band, jazz band, advanced band, select choir, concert chorus, and marching band. In addition, there are twenty different clubs, including student government opportunities and NAVY JROTC. In excess of 34% of students participate in at least one of the sports or clubs here at Coventry High School.
Coventry High School has established partnerships with local businesses through the Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce, our school-based coordinator, our proficiency-based graduation coordinators, our career and technical center, and our alumni outreach. Students also participate in numerous food drives and fundraising events for local charities; blood drives; performances by music groups at local schools and nursing homes and for the elderly.
Coventry High School has also established effective partnerships with local institutions of higher education including Rhode Island College, the University of Rhode Island, New England Institute of Technology, Roger Williams University, the Community College of Rhode Island and Johnson and Wales University.
Coventry High students are recognized annually in a variety of ways with over sixty-five academic and non-academic awards. The school awards are given annually at a school-wide awards night for athletics, academics, and some extracurricular activities. Students are recognized for their accomplishments through academic departments, book awards, athletic achievements, memorial scholarships, sponsored scholarships, and outstanding student accomplishments. In addition, financial scholarships totaling $100,000 were given to 115 students in 2017 by the Coventry Teachers’ Alliance Scholarship Fund to assist students enrolling in post-secondary schools. These financial awards are random drawings and will follow each student through his or her post-secondary education. Cumulatively, hundreds of students receive some form of award be it financial or for achievements in athletics or academics. Coventry High School also recognizes all students in a school-wide honors night where administration, curriculum coordinators, and local dignitaries present students with awards acknowledging their accomplishments.
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