Is Central High a good school?

Yes! Central High is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 10 th of 329 Virginia high schools.

How many students attend Central High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 663 students attended Central High.

What is the racial makeup of Central High?

Students at Central High are 95% White, 2% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What schools feed into Central High?

Central High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Coeburn Primary Elementary : J.W. Adams Combined Elementary : St. Paul Elementary Elementary : Union Primary Elementary : Wise Primary Middle : Coeburn Middle Middle : L.F. Addington Middle Middle : Union Middle

Central High

Summary:

Central High is a public high school located in Norton, Virginia, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 674 students. The school is part of the Wise County Public Schools district, which is ranked 2 out of 130 districts in Virginia and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Central High consistently ranks among the top high schools in Virginia, with a statewide ranking between 4 and 30 over the past several years. The school has maintained a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating exceptional academic performance. Central High students consistently outperform the state and district averages on various SOL (Standards of Learning) assessments, including writing, algebra, biology, and English reading. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 94.66% of Central High's 11th-grade students were proficient or better in SOL Writing, compared to 93.49% for the Wise County Public Schools district and 79.32% for the state of Virginia. Additionally, Central High ranks highly among various student subgroups, including female students, male students, white students, low socioeconomic status students, and disabled students.

However, Central High has a significantly higher percentage of white students (94.21%) compared to the surrounding schools, which have more diverse student populations. This may warrant further investigation into the factors contributing to this demographic composition and its potential implications for the school's educational environment and outcomes. Furthermore, the school has seen a sharp increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 39.56% in 2021-2022 to 80.71% in 2022-2023, suggesting that Central High is serving a growing population of students from lower-income households. This may have implications for the school's resource allocation, support services, and strategies to address the unique needs of this student population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

5000 Warrior Drive
Norton, VA 24273

(276) 328-8015

District: Wise County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
10^th of 329 Virginia High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $5,947

Feeder schools for Central High:

Elementary:	Coeburn Primary
	J.W. Adams Combined
	St. Paul Elementary
	Union Primary
	More...
	Wise Primary
Middle:	Coeburn Middle
	L.F. Addington Middle
	Union Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 16.5

Number of students: 663

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.9%

Hispanic:

1.5%

Two or more races:

1.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 87.8%

See top rated Virginia high schools

Compare Central High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Central High ranks better than 97% of high schools in Virginia. It also ranks first among 3 ranked high schools in the Wise County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 83.27. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Central High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Central High has the largest high school student body size in the Wise County Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (94.9%), Hispanic (1.5%), two or more races (1.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 87.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Wise County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central High is 16.5, which is the highest among 3 high schools in the Wise County Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Central High employs 39.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central High is $5,947, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the Wise County Public Schools District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Central High:

SchoolDigger ranks Central High 10^th of 329 Virginia public high schools. (See Central High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

White students:

Wise County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Wise County Public Schools 2^nd of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Central High?

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Rank History for Central High

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Rank History for all students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	VA State Percentile
2005	59.72	80^th	308	74.0%
2006	69.14	39^th	314	87.6%
2007	47.98	160^th	313	48.9%
2008	57.67	108^th	316	65.8%
2009	59.90	96^th	313	69.3%
2010	61.37	85^th	317	73.2%
2011	63.27	79^th	320	75.3%
2012	64.65	63^rd	321	80.4%
2013	72.39	44^th	321	86.3%
2014	76.73	25^th	322	92.2%
2015	81.43	4^th	322	98.8%
2016	80.60	6^th	321	98.1%
2017	78.48	9^th	324	97.2%
2018	76.67	12^th	326	96.3%
2019	73.05	28^th	327	91.4%
2021	79.85	9^th	327	97.2%
2022	73.44	30^th	325	90.8%
2023	80.95	16^th	326	95.1%
2024	83.27	10^th	329	97.0%

See the entire list of Virginia High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	87.28	12^th	320	96.3%

See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	86.81	4^th	320	98.8%
2024	84.96	7^th	322	97.8%

See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	83.81	15^th	249	94.0%
2024	85.89	16^th	253	93.7%

See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	73.09	66^th	321	79.4%
2024	82.93	17^th	322	94.7%

See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Central High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	71.10	51^st	315	83.8%
2024	75.36	29^th	314	90.8%

See the entire list of Best Virginia High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Virginia Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Central High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	857	857
1990	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	862	862
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	848	848
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	857	857
1993	837	0	8	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	846
1994	862	0	7	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	871
1995	776	2	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	781
1996	776	2	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	781
1997	786	2	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	793
1998	804	3	5	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	816
1999	744	1	5	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	753
2000	709	2	5	6	0	n/a	n/a	-4	718
2001	574	2	5	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	586
2002	524	1	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	534
2003	524	1	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	534
2004	507	2	6	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	520
2005	494	1	6	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	505
2006	490	1	10	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	506
2007	499	2	7	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	513
2008	491	3	4	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	503
2009	464	1	3	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	476
2010	461	0	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	471
2011	463	0	3	7	0	0	1	0	474
2012	658	3	2	10	0	0	2	0	675
2013	646	4	3	10	0	0	6	0	669
2014	641	5	4	7	0	0	10	0	667
2015	676	5	3	8	0	0	5	0	697
2016	724	5	5	6	0	0	8	0	748
2017	663	1	5	8	0	0	7	0	684
2018	644	1	4	5	0	0	5	0	659
2019	613	7	7	4	0	0	2	0	633
2020	592	5	8	7	0	0	10	0	622
2021	575	8	7	8	0	0	8	0	606
2022	649	8	6	9	0	1	7	0	680
2023	635	10	5	9	0	1	14	0	674
2024	629	9	4	10	0	1	10	0	663

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Central High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	857	45.7	18.7	n/a
1990	862	45.8	18.8	n/a
1991	848	45.4	18.6	n/a
1992	857	46.2	18.5	n/a
1993	846	44.0	19.2	n/a
1994	871	69.0	n/a	14.2
1995	781	n/a	0.0	18.4
1996	781	n/a	0.0	18.4
1997	793	n/a	0.0	13.5
1998	816	n/a	0.0	16.1
1999	753	47.0	16.0	21.6
2000	718	n/a	0.0	24.7
2001	586	37.6	15.6	22.9
2002	534	41.7	12.8	33.7
2003	534	41.7	12.8	33.7
2004	520	37.8	13.8	20.4
2005	505	35.8	14.1	18.6
2006	506	38.0	13.3	18.8
2007	513	31.4	16.3	20.3
2008	503	30.7	16.4	18.7
2009	476	29.7	16.0	15.8
2010	471	29.4	16.0	23.4
2011	474	27.1	17.4	43.2
2012	675	46.8	14.4	43.3
2013	669	40.9	16.3	47.8
2014	667	42.3	15.7	53.7
2015	697	40.0	17.4	48.2
2016	748	40.0	18.7	46
2017	684	39.7	17.2	44.9
2018	659	38.1	17.2	46.9
2019	633	35.5	17.8	42
2020	622	38.0	16.3	43.2
2021	606	38.5	15.7	n/a
2022	680	43.3	15.6	39.6
2023	674	41.7	16.1	80.7
2024	663	39.9	16.5	87.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Central High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	857	45.7	18.7	n/a
1990	862	45.8	18.8	n/a
1991	848	45.4	18.6	n/a
1992	857	46.2	18.5	n/a
1993	846	44.0	19.2	n/a
1994	871	69.0	n/a	14.2
1995	781	n/a	0.0	18.4
1996	781	n/a	0.0	18.4
1997	793	n/a	0.0	13.5
1998	816	n/a	0.0	16.1
1999	753	47.0	16.0	21.6
2000	718	n/a	0.0	24.7
2001	586	37.6	15.6	22.9
2002	534	41.7	12.8	33.7
2003	534	41.7	12.8	33.7
2004	520	37.8	13.8	20.4
2005	505	35.8	14.1	18.6
2006	506	38.0	13.3	18.8
2007	513	31.4	16.3	20.3
2008	503	30.7	16.4	18.7
2009	476	29.7	16.0	15.8
2010	471	29.4	16.0	23.4
2011	474	27.1	17.4	43.2
2012	675	46.8	14.4	43.3
2013	669	40.9	16.3	47.8
2014	667	42.3	15.7	53.7
2015	697	40.0	17.4	48.2
2016	748	40.0	18.7	46
2017	684	39.7	17.2	44.9
2018	659	38.1	17.2	46.9
2019	633	35.5	17.8	42
2020	622	38.0	16.3	43.2
2021	606	38.5	15.7	n/a
2022	680	43.3	15.6	39.6
2023	674	41.7	16.1	80.7
2024	663	39.9	16.5	87.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Central High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$00 (0.0%)	$5,768 (100.0%)	$5,768
2020	$131 (1.9%)	$6,780 (98.1%)	$6,911
2021	$118 (2.0%)	$5,829 (98.0%)	$5,947

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 28^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 16^th of 326 High schools	3.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Geometry (Central High)	97	93	4%
End of Course Geometry (Wise County Public Schools)	92	94	2%
End of Course Geometry (Virginia)	83	80	3%
End of Course Algebra I (Central High)	88	94	6%
End of Course Algebra I (Wise County Public Schools)	94	94
End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)	86	80	6%
End of Course Algebra II (Central High)	99	96	3%
End of Course Algebra II (Wise County Public Schools)	99	97	2%
End of Course Algebra II (Virginia)	91	86	5%
End of Course Biology (Central High)	93	88	5%
End of Course Biology (Wise County Public Schools)	91	81	10%
End of Course Biology (Virginia)	83	70	13%
End of Course English Reading (Central High)	86	89	3%
End of Course English Reading (Wise County Public Schools)	85	88	3%
End of Course English Reading (Virginia)	86	85	1%
End of Course VA and US History (Central High)	79	36	43%
End of Course VA and US History (Wise County Public Schools)	75	45	30%
End of Course VA and US History (Virginia)	68	38	30%
End of Course World History I (Central High)	92	83	9%
End of Course World History I (Wise County Public Schools)	91	78	13%
End of Course World History I (Virginia)	80	66	14%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	633	674	6.5%
African American	7	10	42.9%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	7	5	28.6%
Hispanic	4	9	125%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	613	635	3.6%
Two or More Races	2	14	600%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	42%	80.7%	38.7%

Schools Near Central High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SOL Writing (2024)	SOL Geometry (2024)	SOL Algebra I (2024)			SOL Algebra II (2024)	SOL Mathematics (2024)	SOL Biology (2024)		SOL Science (2024)	SOL Earth Science (2024)	SOL English Reading (2024)			SOL Geography (2024)		SOL VA and US History (2024)	SOL World History I (2024)		SOL World History II (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Writing 11th Grade	SOL Geometry 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 9th Grade	SOL Algebra I 10th Grade	SOL Algebra II 9th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Biology 10th Grade	SOL Biology 11th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL Earth Science 9th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 11th Grade	SOL English Reading 12th Grade	SOL Geography 8th Grade	SOL Geography 9th Grade	SOL VA and US History 11th Grade	SOL World History I 9th Grade	SOL World History I 10th Grade	SOL World History II 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central High	Public	9-12	5000 Warrior Drive	Norton	24273	Norton city	Wise County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 328-8015	663	40	16.5	87.8%	629 (94.9%)	9 (1.4%)	10 (1.5%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (1.5%)	83.3	10^th of 329 public high schools	97.0%		80.9	16^th of 326 public high schools	95.1%	6	94.7			96.7	90.0	98.0		90.5					93.2	61.5				84.4			$5,947	$118	$5,829
J.I. Burton High	Public	8-12	109 11th St	Norton	24273	Norton city	Norton City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 679-2554	316	24	13.1	98.4%	271 (85.8%)	17 (5.4%)	9 (2.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.7%)	73.4	62^nd of 329 public high schools	81.2%		72.4	68^th of 326 public high schools	79.1%	6	94.4	84.6	100.0	94.3		92.3	63.6	89.5		70.8	76.2	84.9	95.7		96.3	61.1					$8,421	$00	$8,421
Eastside High	Public	9-12	314 School House Hill Dr	Coeburn	24230	Wise County	Wise County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 395-3389	394	25	15.5	87.8%	377 (95.7%)	4 (1.0%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.3%)	75.8	49^th of 329 public high schools	85.1%		76.1	45^th of 326 public high schools	86.2%	4	93.1	100.0		89.8	72.7			86.3					96.6					64.0	62.5		$7,288	$03	$7,286
Union High	Public	9-12	322 Powell Valley Road	Big Stone Gap	24219	Wise County	Wise County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 523-1290	567	38	15.1	88.4%	509 (89.8%)	26 (4.6%)	13 (2.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.0%)	74.8	55^th of 329 public high schools	83.3%		72.9	66^th of 326 public high schools	79.8%	11	92.2			92.7		100.0		86.1					86.5				18.2	86.6			$6,464	$01	$6,462
Twin Springs High	Public	8-12	273 Titan Lane	Nickelsville	24271	Scott County	Scott County Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(276) 479-2185	242	24	10.2	77.3%	223 (92.1%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	69.1	93^rd of 329 public high schools	71.7%		64.2	123^rd of 326 public high schools	62.3%	30				95.1			66.7	80.4		61.4	100.0	70.5	88.2			61.0					$10,755	$158	$10,598
Rye Cove High	Public	8-12	164 Eagles Nest Lane	Duffield	24244	Scott County	Scott County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 940-2701	308	23	13.2	77.9%	287 (93.2%)	1 (0.3%)	16 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	73.4	63^rd of 329 public high schools	80.9%		57.9	154^th of 326 public high schools	52.8%	91				93.2			79.3	76.1		71.0		70.7	93.3			76.9	58.3				$8,818	$788	$8,030
Ridgeview High	Public	9-12	310 Wolfpack Way	Clintwood	24228	Dickenson County	Dickenson County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 835-1600	580	58	10.0	95.0%	563 (97.1%)	7 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.0%)	64.6	121^st of 329 public high schools	63.2%		62.5	139^th of 326 public high schools	57.4%	18		100.0		92.2	90.9			76.3					85.0			42.3	50.0	80.4		70.0	$10,699	$00	$10,699
Castlewood High	Public	8-12	304 Blue Devil Circle	Castlewood	24224	Russell County	Russell County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(276) 762-9449	295	21	14.0	90.5%	291 (98.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	46.3	220^th of 329 public high schools	33.1%		43	228^th of 326 public high schools	30.1%	8		57.9	95.7					53.1	71.4	81.3	93.9	68.8	88.3		49.1						$8,213	$579	$7,635

Central High

Central High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Wise County Public Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Central High

Rank History for all students at Central High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central High

Rank History for Female students at Central High

Rank History for Disabled students at Central High

Rank History for Male students at Central High

Rank History for White students at Central High

Enrollment information for Central High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Central High

Student/Teacher Ratio Central High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Central High

Impact of COVID-19 on Central High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Central High

Central High

J.I. Burton High

Eastside High

Union High

Twin Springs High

Rye Cove High

Ridgeview High

Castlewood High

Frequently Asked Questions about Central High

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