A Change to Graduation

I sent this letter out to students and parents ta the beginning of the year, but wanted to re-send...

Dear Parents,

I hope this letter finds you enjoying your summer! I wanted to make you aware of a change we are making to the graduation ceremony beginning with the class of 2022.  I’m excited about this change and feel it is beneficial to many students at PPHS.Beginning with the class of 2022, we will no longer recognize Valedictorian, Salutatorian, and top ten during our graduation ceremony. In its place will be Latin honors recognition that includes Summa Cum Laude (with greatest honor), Magna Cum Laude (great honor), and Cum Laude (with honor). The top 5% of students in a graduating class will receive the Summa Cum Laude distinction, the top 10% of students will receive Magna Cum Laude distinction, and the top 20% will receive Cum Laude distinction.

There are several reasons for making this change. Largely, I hope to eliminate some of the unhealthy competition for Valedictorian and Salutatorian which seems to happen from time to time. Competing for the top two spots leads to students more interested in a GPA than taking courses they enjoy or will seek a future in.  In short, the focus is not on learning, but rather competing for a spot. Beginning their freshman year, students can calculate courses and weigh options to position themselves for a top spot. Additionally, the difference between the top 3-4 students is often statistically insignificant. It becomes hard to decipher exactly what separates 2-3 students when the difference is only thousandths of a point. That issue is exacerbated when you factor in scheduling conflicts that don’t allow students to take certain courses that would impact top spots.  By transitioning to the Latin honors system, we also recognize students who achieved academic excellence in non weighted courses. Human intelligence is more than one prescribed academic criteria, and I believe this system better reflects that. For all the above reasons, I believe this is a productive and positive change for PPHS that encompasses a more holistic approach to academic recognition.

I want to be clear that we are not doing away with class rank. Every student at PPHS will still have their class rank on their transcript and will receive that distinction if it applies to the college admissions or scholarship process. The only change that is being made is to our graduation ceremony. Speaking roles for students will still be present in the form of class president, NHS President, Student council, etc.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Luke Brooks
Principal, PPHS