10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
This is the time of year when families, students, teachers (and yes, even principals) are doing a little countdown. As the days continue to dwindle to under 10 in the 2021-22 school year, it got me thinking–how many things are there in our lives to which we attach to schedules? For Ryan Fong, Colin Hickman and their fellow eight classmates (Benjamin Cubberly, Eric Fox, James Kleshinski, Sara Wong, Samuel Cubberly, Tiffany Zhou, Jonah Vercellotti and Zachary Sheehy) who have achieved the status as the “Top 10” in the Springfield High School Class of 2022, the answer is pretty clear. These top scholars have worked their entire high school careers to stay on a schedule–never receiving any grade lower than an A–and most often, receiving scores above the typical 4.0 weights associated with an A. They’ve taken on the challenges of our rigorous curriculum and most have coupled their heavy class loads with extracurricular activities with their own sets of demands–whether sports, the performing arts, community service–all that add-up (I couldn’t resist that) to a very satisfying high school career.
Folks, the grade point average of this class is only eclipsed by the character of its young leaders. I look forward to shaking hands, bumping fists and sharing every one of the traditions that accompany graduation. Joining them for a “Top 10” photo was just one of the more entertaining–I am confident that you will crack a smile when you check these out.
Talking about the Top 10 also reminded me that there is change in the air when it comes to how my fellow building administrators and Springfield teachers will soon address class rank. Some may not remember that before I came back to SHS as principal (the policy was adopted in April, 2016), the board of education passed a motion to enact a new system of class ranking that becomes effective for the Class of 2024 (our current sophomore class). The language in the policy states, “The board of education acknowledges the usefulness of a system of computing grade point averages and class ranking for high school students, both to inform students of their relative academic placement among their peers and to provide students, prospective employers and institutions of higher learning with a predictive device so that each student is more likely to be placed in an environment conducive to success.” Currently, recognition is given to those students whose cumulative grade point averages (GPA) place them numerically from 1-10 with the student possessing the highest GPA being considered as the class valedictorian and the next as salutatorian. It was the high school administration that proposed the new system, known to us as the Latin Honor System: summa cum laude, 4.25 and above; magna cum laude, 4.0 to 4.24; cumlaude, 3.75 to 3.99, and honors, 3.25 to 3.74.
There are many students in the Class of 2022 who have cumulative GPAs well above 4.0. They have never received a grade lower than an A. It is our desire to celebrate deserving scholars whose significant four year commitment to academics is reflected in one of these four categories. I look forward to continuing to communicate how this new structure will roll out, and for the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the academic excellence of many more deserving Springfield High School students. In the meantime, indulge me as I, too, count down the days and pack as much into each day as I possibly can. I’m proud to be a Blue Devil alumni; I’m proud to celebrate each soon to be alumni and I’m proud to help every other student at this school achieve their scholastic hopes and dreams as they, too, become future alumni.
