The valedictorian and salutatorian are gone from future graduating classes of Salem Community High School as the district creates three top level of graduates.
The plan was placed into the student handbook at Monday night’s school board meeting.
Superintendent Dr. Brad Detering says the recommendation first came from the Parent Advisory Committee in 2020, with university studies confirming issues with how class rank is calculated.
“It didn’t allow us to do some things with the curriculum and it forced kids to take all weighted classes even if that wasn’t their career path. And so the committee that’s in charge of that thought that was in the best interest of the students at SCHS moving forward to remove that system.”
Detering says those who earn a 4.0 or higher grade point average, which would require some advanced classes, would graduate summa cum laude. Those who graduate with a 3.7 to 3.99 grade point average would be magna cum laude. Those with a 3.6 or above grade point average would graduate cum laude.
Detering says there would still be student speakers at graduation.
“Speakers will be chosen from the top group. They will have to apply and submit a draft of the speech and then there will be a selection process that will select 2 speakers, similar to the address that the valedictorian and salutatorian have been giving, but will be chosen by a committee.”
Detering says university studies also found that class rank didn’t matter when seeking scholarships.
Salem Community High School is the first area school to move away from the valedictorian and salutatorian class rank system.
