Education

H-F board gives green light to new graduation honors system

The District 233 board voted Jan. 21 to change the honors recognition program at Homewood- Flossmoor High School. The change, which also impacts the grading system, comes after nearly two years of study. 

Administrators argue that colleges and universities aren’t necessarily interested in ranking because each high school has its own way of measuring student achievement.

Starting with the Class of 2028, the current freshmen, recognition at graduation will be given to students whose grade point average (GPA) is 3.75 or higher. Students will be recognized (in Latin terms) in three categories:

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  • Cum Laude (with praise) to students with weighted GPAs between 3.75 and 3.99.
  • Magna Cum Laude (with great praise) to students with GPAs 4.0 to 4.24.
  • Summa Cum Laude (with highest praise) to students with GPAs 4.25 and above.

Currently recognition at graduation is only to Viking Scholars, generally the top 10 students. Superintendent Scott Wakeley said the top students’ grades are “being decided to the third decimal point. We’re slicing student achievement very granularly.” 

H-F does not have a class valedictorian or salutatorian. This switch will give more students a chance to be recognized for their outstanding efforts. Students will be able to learn their rank, but it will not be part of their transcript.

School board member Nate Legardy agreed to the change, but said he had some reservations.  

“I’m reluctantly supporting this,” he said, adding: “I remain skeptical.” Legardy is concerned that eliminating class rank will reduce students’ drive for excellence. The notion that students should no longer be exposed to competition was unsettling for him. “This is the real world.”

But other board members believe the change is necessary as a way to eliminate the stresses students put upon themselves to get into the top ranks. Protecting the social/emotional well-being of students and giving them a chance to explore the H-F curriculum was behind their decision.

“The pressures the kids were putting on themselves were absolutely shocking,” board member Steve Anderson said. “The stress and the pressure just because you’re number 11; social/emotional needs are high right now.” 

H-F will use a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) scale, but students earn higher GPAs when a course is worth more — classified as weighted — because of its difficulty.  These weighted courses are primarily Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Dual Credit courses, according to Jennifer Hester, director of curriculum.

One student in the IB program spoke at the board meeting against the grade change. He said it was unfair to give honors, AP and IB the same weight for a grade when IB students have a much more demanding schedule and workload.

Jennifer Rudan, director of student supports, said her research these past months reinforced the understanding about rankings. 

“We know in our hearts that this is the best thing to do for kids. Students won’t understand it right away, but in speaking to schools that have done this (dropped ranking) that it does turn out the best for kids and all we ever wanted was what’s best for kids,” she said.

Administrators say students game the system — they don’t want to take courses that wouldn’t carry as much GPA weight because doing so could lead to a lower class rank. 

The grade change is meant to free students to explore the H-F curriculum for courses that may not be weighted but could prove interesting and helpful in their knowledge base. School board member Chris Riedel said, “It is incumbent on us in the district to give our kids a ton of opportunities, but we need to take away the barriers (of ranking and weighted grades).”

He said it used to be that students worked for the best grades and highest rank to get into college. That’s not the way it is today. Students need the opportunity to explore the path that they may take in their college goals and career goals.

“Giving kids the freedom to explore what their pathway might be,” was what convinced Reidel this proposal was a good thing.

Parent Troy O’Quin, whose daughters are freshmen, asked if there could be a compromise for the Class of 2028 to keep both the rank and the new honors.

Rudan said some faculty wonder why H-F doesn’t implement the change immediately, but she thought upper classmen should follow the current plan.

“We feel like freshmen haven’t played that (GPA/rank) game yet. A lot of freshmen classes are set (as required courses). We feel like this will give them the best possible path forward to take classes that will impact their future and their future goals,” she said.

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