A new policy to determine class rank at Columbia High School beginning with the incoming freshman class was presented to the school board June 25 and was received favorably.
Superintendent Jason Harris said he has had weekly meetings for four weeks with a committee tasked with reevaluating the policy following student and parent complaints and called it a fulfilling learning process. He added that the committee looked at policies throughout Mississippi, which led it to form a “well-rounded policy.”
The board will reconvene at a later date to pass the policy after some verbiage is adjusted. The new policy will have no effect on students who will be sophomores, juniors and seniors when school resumes in the fall; their rank will still be determined using the existing policy.
The school board formed the committee during a May 7 meeting when CHS junior Leah Nolan addressed the board. Students had been informed they could count up to three dual-enrollment courses into their 22-credit curriculum, which is used to determine class rankings, but in reality they could only count one course. Nolan informed the board that herself and other CHS students had taken courses believing what proved to be incorrect information.
The new policy, which will begin with the incoming freshman class (class of 2024), will apply to the valedictorian, salutatorian, Top 10 and a potential class orator. Grade point averages will be rounded to the ten-thousandths, i.e. 4.4321, which should prevent any ties, according to Harris. He added that in the event of a tie where no tiebreaker could be established, both students would be recognized as valedictorian.
At the end of each semester, class rank will be released. Harris said one of the complaints among students was they never really knew where they stood so the new policy will keep them informed throughout their high school years.
Phase 4 courses (advanced placement and dual-enrollment) will receive a 20-point bump, and Phase 3 classes (honors and pre-AP) will get 10 extra points. Those courses already carried that extra weight, but it wasn’t publicized and students often had questions about them. All remaining courses will be counted but not have any additional points.
In the current policy, only one dual-enrollment course would carry the extra 20-point weight, but the new policy would allow each dual-enrollment course a student takes to carry that weight. CHS Principal Braxton Stowe said he isn’t sure why that was the case, but he said he believes it was put in place by the previous administration to maintain a level playing field for student athletes who couldn’t fit more than one dual-enrollment course into the their schedules and for students who couldn’t financially afford to take dual-enrollment classes.
“When those classes first came out, students were having to pay $150 when they first started. Dual-enrollment was very expensive when it first came out, but they have reduced their prices because more high schools can do it now,” he said. “I think it was a way that kids, regardless of their background, wouldn’t be hindered for only dual-enrollment course.”
School board Vice President Eric Lucas asked Stowe whether student athletes would then be at a disadvantage if they weren’t able to take AP or dual-enrollment courses during the fourth block of the school day because they are in practice. Stowe said they would not because those courses aren’t offered during that time of the school day.
Harris said through discussion with teachers, parents and students, it was decided to include all courses for credit into the weighted numerical average.
The class orator would be a case-by-case basis and would be used to highlight a prestigious student who transferred in from another school district. Students who don’t begin high school in the Columbia School District are not eligible to be the valedictorian or salutatorian.
“If someone came in and had a very high rank but weren’t here for all four years, they would still receive a recognition,” Harris said.
Personnel moves
The resignations of Keri Armstrong, CHS guidance counselor, and James (Derek) Bracey, maintenance worker, were approved by the board. The board also approved the following hires:
Tiffany Porter, CHS math teacher (replacing Ashley Allen, who is transferring to a special education teacher position)
Alyssa Pendergrass, Jefferson Middle School teacher
Carol Warren, Columbia Elementary School teacher
Mary (Katie) Broom, Columbia Primary School teacher
Mary Seller, JMS clerical assistant
In athletics, Andrew (Drew) Granger was approved as an assistant coach for boys and girls soccer, high school and middle school track. Pendergrass will be the new assistant softball coach. Craig Cluff was promoted from high school football offensive coach to associate head coach, and Mason Woodrow was promoted to offensive coach.
