Dryden High School has been ranked No. 156 in Michigan among the 2025 Best Middle School rankings by U.S. News & World Report.
The rankings include more than 79,000 public elementary and middle schools across the country. Schools are ranked at the state and district level, with Best Charter Schools ranked as a stand-alone category. Dryden High School serves grades 7-12 and has a student population of 239.
“We are incredibly honored and humbled to have been recognized as one of the best schools in the state,” reflected Dryden High School Principal and Dryden Community Schools Superintendent Mary Finnigan. “This achievement is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and passion that our students, teachers, and staff bring to our school community every day.”
Finnigan continued, “Our teachers are the heart of our success. Their commitment to excellence, innovation, and personalized support helps foster a learning environment where every student can thrive. Our staff, both in and outside the classroom, work tirelessly to ensure that our students not only succeed academically but also grow as confident, compassionate individuals ready to contribute to the world around them.”
“Most of all, we celebrate our students,” she added. “Their enthusiasm, resilience, and drive to do their best inspire all of us to continually improve and strive for greatness. It is their determination and curiosity that make this recognition possible.”
The methodology focuses on state assessments of students who were proficient or above proficient in mathematics and reading/language arts while accounting for student backgrounds, achievement in core subjects, and how well schools are educating their students. Student-teacher ratios are applied to break ties in the overall score.
The 2025 Best Elementary and Best Middle Schools rankings are based on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education. For district-level rankings, at least two of the top-performing schools must rank in the top 75% of the overall elementary or middle school rankings to qualify for district-level recognition.
“Schools play a vital role in our communities. Parents want to ensure that the schools their child attends provide a high-quality learning environment,” LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News. “The 2025 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings not only offer accessible data but also provide a valuable insight into how well elementary and middle schools are supporting and preparing students for high school.”
Parents, educators, and students can see how Dryden High School compares to other institutions and how the rankings are calculated on USNews.com.
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders, and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions on USNews.com monthly. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers, and consumer products and services.
Liberty Arquette
by Claire Wright
Liberty Arquette is a 7th grader, has been a student at Dryden for 8 years, and is currently involved in the student council. Her favorite thing about Dryden is that there’s always something fun to do. Outside of school, Liberty enjoys drawing, a passion she’s had since first grade. She loves the process of creating art and seeing the finished product. Her dream career is to become an artist, and she’s excited to start high school to see what classes and teachers she’ll have. Liberty is also eager to start posting her artwork for more people to see.
The Team
Faculty Advisor:
Ms. Sheryl Czerwinski
Editors:
Caila Fitchett & Cara Prusakiewicz
Reporters:
Logan Romain & Claire Wright
Email: Cardinal@drydenschools.org
Website: https://www.drydenschools.org/
Location: Dryden High School, Rochester Road, Dryden, MI, USA
Phone: (810) 796-2266
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drydencommunityschools