Bedford schools keep designations ... for this year

By Christa Desrets

Published: October 9, 2008

The valedictorian, salutatorian and top 10 students of this school year’s graduating classes will be recognized, the Bedford County School Board unofficially decided Thursday, but perhaps not for subsequent classes.

The board did not vote on the matter, but generally agreed that the division’s current system for deciding the top 10 students should remain in place through the end of the school year.

“I think for 2009, the rules are written,” said board member Mickey VanDerwerker.

This year, the division adopted a new rule for calculating a student’s GPA.

The system now offers many different types of advanced classes that carry higher weights than others. So this year’s senior class will choose which 24 classes count toward their GPA for the calculation of the top 10.

School board members worried, however, that the system may not be fair. They still plan to discuss how to handle future graduating classes.

“There are as many different ranking systems as there are school divisions,” Assistant Superintendent Bobbi Johnson said at the meeting. “There’s a weakness in every system.”

She recommended the removal of the top 10 designation for future years. Instead, the system could recognize all students who met specific GPA marks as either “honors” or “high honors.”

Chairman Gary Hostutler suggested that this year, the board still recognize the top 10, but also give awards for students who met those honor levels.

“It would be a way to transition into it,” he said.

In other business:

ä Hostutler said at the meeting that the renovation projects at Jefferson Forest and Staunton River high schools are expected to come in at a combined $2.1 million under budget.

No decision has been made on how to use those funds, but Hostutler suggested possibly replacing bleachers at the three high schools, or using the money for previously delayed projects at other schools.