Some changes will be made to how grades are computed at Waterville High School in the Fall.
WCS Board of Education members approved some changes at last week’s BOE meeting, while others will be reviewed after more data is collected.
WCS Superintendent led a year- long look with a Grading committee and collected student input for recommendations to the Board.
As of September all Honors, Dual Credit and Advanced Placement classes will carry more weight than other others toward a student’s grade point average.
Board members agreed with moving the class ranking mark for students from the second marking period, but urged that it go beyond the third marking period recommended.
Board members said ranking should be as close to graduation as possible.
There is, Board member Justin Barth said, a big benefit to waiting until the end of the year, including accuracy and keeping students motivated.
That led to Board members asking why graduation for WCS comes before some Regents exams are taken.
They said they want to look at moving the ceremony until all Regents are done.
Had the third quarter been used for the Class of 2024, Spring said, while the top two spots would not have changed, one student would have fallen out of the Top 10.
She will talk with faculty about the later graduation idea.
The recommendation to include Music, Band and Physical Education into the GPA found disagreement with both students and Board members.
Phys Ed, both groups said, is biased toward athletes.
As for Music and Band, students said they are punished if they decide to stay in a core class and skip a lesson or practice.
Students who miss a lesson or practice are assigned a detention study hall.
Stanton said even when students give notice they need to miss a Music or Band lesson because of the importance of a core class, they are still put in detention.
“No one in their right mind should say a music lesson takes priority over a core class,’’ he said. “They should not be punished.’’
Stanton said that practice is also why a number of students drop Music and Band as they go through High School.
Barth said giving Music and Band a spot in the GPA could cause problems; he and other Board members said further discussion on the matter ...
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