The dropout rate at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School remains lower than the state average, with 1.2 per cent of the school’s students failing to complete high school.

According to data presented at this week’s high school committee meeting, the school’s dropout rate in the 2010-2011 school year was unchanged from the 2009-2010 school year. Guidance director Michael McCarthy said eight out of 676 students dropped out last school year.

The high school’s 2010 rate of students who graduated within four years was 96.2 per cent, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The remaining students either dropped out, were “non-graduating completers” or earned their GEDs.

In the 2010-2011 school year, the statewide high school dropout rate was 7.2 per cent and the graduation rate was 83.4 per cent.

“I think we have a very low dropout rate,” Mr. McCarthy said, “and I think we should be very happy about that.”

“We’re definitely below the state dropout rate,” he added. “But each of these eight kids are important kids to us at this school, and we don’t want to lose those kids . . . unfortunately it’s a reality that some kids just don’t make it through their four years of education at a high school level.”

He said the eight students included one student who is being tutored to receive a GED, and that one student left to get married. Out of the eight students who dropped out, he said, six came from another country or transferred into the district.

For the 2010-2011 year, the school’s drop out rate was 1.6 per cent among female students and 1.1 per cent among male students. The drop-out rate was 0.6 per cent among white students, 4.8 per cent among black students, and 6.7 per cent among Latino and Native American students.

In other high school committee business, principal Steve Nixon announced that students will present 15 science projects at the South Shore Regional Science Fair this Saturday at the Bridgewater State College. He praised the students who participated in this year’s fair, noting that it has grown to take over three rooms at the high school.

He also honored senior Amalie Tinus for her numerous activities, including nannying, filming at the special olympics and volunteering at the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living. A musician and songwriter who plays violin, guitar and piano, Amalie also participates in the Minnesingers and teaches violin lessons.

Mr. Nixon announced that nine student athletes were voted All Stars by the Eastern Athletic Conference. Senior Peter Keaney, junior Izak Browne and junior Jack Roberts got the honor for boys’ basketball, and junior Jennie Lindland was named for girls’ basketball. For boys’ ice hockey, senior Tyler Araujo, senior Colby Gouldrup and sophomore Tyson Araujo also received the honor. In the Southeastern Mass Girls’ Hockey League, seniors Celia Mercier and Maggie Johnson received the award.

Senior hockey player Nelson Dickson received the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association league sportsman award.