IOWA CITY: St. Francis de Sales High School in Toledo has been awarded a Red Quill Award for 2007-2008 by ACT’s Midwest Regional Office. The award was established last year to recognize schools in the Midwest that are taking an innovative approach to improve their curriculum and have shown consistent growth in student ACT scores over time.

St. Francis de Sales is one of only three Ohio schools—in addition to Solon High School in Solon and St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati—to receive the award this year and one of only 17 schools recognized across the Midwest.

“St. Francis de Sales High School students, parents, faculty, and administration can be very proud of this award,” said Galen Johnson, ACT’s assistant vice president and Midwest regional manager. “Winning the Red Quill signifies that a school is working hard and succeeding in its efforts to improve student preparation for college and the workforce.”

Schools that use ACT’s EXPLORE and PLAN assessment programs for 8^th and 10^th grade students were qualified to apply for the Red Quill award. To earn the award, schools had to demonstrate that they effectively used the results of these programs to improve the education they provide to students through curriculum and/or instruction. They also had to show consistent improvement in ACT scores over the past five years.

Recipients of the Red Quill award receive a plaque from ACT that commemorates their accomplishment.