High schoolers can be named to the same three levels of honor roll at all Howard public schools beginning next school year.
“I support the new honor roll. I think it?s great,” said Dominic Cross, Oakland Mills High School Student Government Association president, during a recent meeting of the county Association of Student Councils.
School administrators consulted with students and principals before making the honor roll consistent throughout the school system.
Earlier this year, student leaders complained about how each high school determined its own honor roll.
Theresa McKay, a Wilde Lake High School SGA member, said she supported an honor roll based on earning GPAs between 3.0 and 4.0.
“We shouldn?t have the different tiers because all the colleges care about is if you made honor roll,” she said.
The student leaders also discussed whether students who improve their GPAs should be recognized, with suggestions including honoring students who show improvement on a monthly basis and providing tangible rewards.
“I do think that students who are putting forth an effort should be recognized,” Cross said.
“It gives them a chance to let everyone know that they?ve improved their GPA,” McKay said.
Students should be recognized for improvement, said Geoffrey Burgan, president of the SGA at Atholton High School, who also cautioned against always honoring overachievers.
“We?ve got to get away from this elitism and move more toward inclusion of all students,” he said.
Linda Wise, assistant superintendent for the school system, said she would discuss the students? suggestions with administrators and report back to them next year.
“Your involvement is really important to us,” she told the students.
The county student association is the umbrella organization for the middle and high school councils.
AT A GLANCE
The qualifying GPAs and honor levels, which take effect in the 2007-08 school year, are:
» 3.0 to 3.39, silver honor roll
» 3.4 to 3.9, gold honor roll
» 4.0, principal?s honor roll
Source: Howard County Public Schools
