The Bears hit the books and scored big in the classroom.

And that’s why Education Ministry officials visited Port Colborne High School on Monday — to learn how the English department is helping more and more students pass the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test with consistently higher marks.

Assessment policy representative Jenni Donohoo said the ministry looked at literacy test score progress over a five-year period for more than 600 schools to figure out how many had incremental progress.

The ministry only found three schools in the province to accomplish that.

“We looked deeper to see if there was a story here and we found the success or pass rate for English credits was improving with literacy scores,” Donohoo said.

In 2008 only 50% of Port High students passed the literacy test; this year 74% passed — 22 percentage points higher than the provincial average. The ministry wants to know why.

“The reason students succeed is because we have a fantastic teaching staff with a plan they follow, combined with a supportive parent group and group of students who are always ready to learn,” said principal Nigel Evans.

Three representatives from the ministry spent Monday interviewing English teachers and administration to see what techniques used at Port High could be replicated at schools throughout the province.

Evans said he doesn’t know what other schools do, so he couldn’t comment on exactly what the school could share.

“We’re here to identify all elements of the plan and what’s worked so well for our students,” he said.

Port Colborne High School is currently part of a accommodation review study with Fort Erie Secondary School and Ridgeway-Crystal Beach High School. One or more of the schools could close, but Evans refused to comment on the impact student success at Port High could have on District School Board of Niagara’s decision regarding its fate.

(VICTORIA GRAY QMI Agency Niagara)