Exeter Township SD highlights AP, dual-enrollment, biology remediation and internships in senior-high academic update

Exeter Township School District leaders told the Board of School Directors on Oct. 7 that the district has increased Advanced Placement and dual-enrollment participation, expanded supports for biology Keystone retesters and substantially grown internship placements for senior-high students.

District administrators said the changes stem from a multi-year comprehensive plan and a cycle-of-improvement process the district adopted after reviewing student outcomes. Dr. Christy Heller, the district superintendent, and Dr. Josh Hoyt, director of teaching and learning, framed the presentation and turned the detailed updates over to Tom Campbell, the high school administrative team, and Dr. Alcaro, the district AP/dual-enrollment lead.

The presentation detailed four linked strands: Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exam preparation, dual-enrollment partnerships, targeted supports for the biology Keystone retake, and a rapid expansion of internship opportunities. Dr. Alcaro said the district has increased AP enrollments and seen stronger exam performance; “we've obviously seen an increase in the amount of students who have been taking exams, but more importantly, we've seen an increase in the success of the students who are taking those exams,” he said. He reported that the high school had 62 AP Scholars last year and that AP honor recognitions (lagging indicators) are expected in January.

On dual enrollment, administrators described a larger program of college-level courses delivered through agreements with Reading Area Community College (RACC) and Immaculata University. Dr. Alcaro said certified district teachers teach many of the dual-enrollment sections as adjuncts for the partner colleges. “We had 165 students earn over a thousand credits” through dual-enrollment last year, he said, and the district estimates roughly 30% of the current high-school student body are enrolled in at least one dual-enrollment course.

Tom Campbell outlined steps the district has taken to raise biology achievement on the Keystone exam, where Exeter historically lagged county peers. Campbell said the district revised vertical articulation with ninth-grade Earth science, changed some course scheduling, expanded use of the online practice platform Albert.io and assigned targeted supported study halls pairing biology teachers with students who need retesting. “The biology teachers really stepped up,” Campbell said, and preliminary data show improvement on recent Keystone administrations.

Administrators also described a major expansion in internship placements coordinated by Mark Ricketts. Campbell credited the internship coordinator’s outreach to local employers and said the program has roughly tripled in size over the past four years. “There’s no such thing as a bad internship opportunity because it helps you learn about what you don’t want to do,” Campbell said, noting several students have returned from college to work summers or accept jobs with host employers.

Board members voiced broad praise and asked for follow-up materials. Board member Timothy Morgan said the results demonstrate progress: “Whatever we’re doing, it’s working.” Several directors asked the administration to bring lead teachers and student voices to a future presentation so the board and the public can hear classroom and internship experiences firsthand.

The board did not take final votes on curricular changes at this meeting. Administrators said many items discussed—contracts, personnel appointments, an athletic feasibility study and the parcel sale discussion—will be placed on the Oct. 21 voting agenda for formal action. The athletic feasibility work (a turf-field site study offered in-kind by a vendor) was described as having zero cost to the district if the board approves moving the item forward to the voting meeting.

Votes at a glance - Approval/ratification of resignations, appointments, transfers, leaves and course requests: motion made and approved by voice vote during the special voting session preceding the committee meeting (motion carried). - PSBA officer slate (2026 president-elect Holly Arnold; vice president Matt Vinoj; section adviser Andrew Klein): motion approved by voice vote (motion carried). - PSBA Insurance trustees (seat 1 Cathy Schwoop; seat 2 Roberta Marcus): motion approved by voice vote (motion carried). - Straw poll on reposting district-owned parcel across from Rifton School for auction: straw poll recorded 5 yes, 2 no; board instructed administration/solicitor to bring a formal authorization for posting the property to the Oct. 21 voting meeting.

What’s next The board scheduled the items discussed—specific contracts, personnel approvals, the feasibility study and the property-sale authorization—for the Oct. 21 voting meeting. Administrators said they will return with the formal motions, documentation and any cost estimates required for board action.

Ending Administrators said the district will continue building out presentations for other buildings and curricular areas in coming months and will bring teachers and students to future meetings when feasible. The board adjourned the committee meeting and scheduled an executive session to follow the Oct. 21 voting meeting to discuss active litigation.