Thursday, June 15, 2000 Older Editions

Are honors an honor?

By Rebecca Piro

It is unclear whether inflated grades, too-easy classes, or honor roll requirements themselves are the reason why so many students are making honor roll at Andover High School in recent years. But even some students agree that 60 percent is way too much.

"I'm on the honor roll -- that's why there's got to be a problem with it," said Nicholas O'Neill, a sophomore. O'Neill, who recently transferred from an Ohio school system, says he's found school here to be significantly less challenging. "I think it's too easy."

Too many students making honors too easily resurfaced as an issue at the most recent School Committee meeting. This issue has been brought to the committee's attention before, according to Chairwoman Tina Girdwood, and is on a schedule of items to be reevaluated.

The heart of the problem may lie within the actual grading and course difficulty, said AHS math teacher Jay Darrin, who feels the honor-roll percentages may be an indicator of a larger issue.

"I'm not as concerned with the honor roll as I am with (what it might indicate)," said Darrin, who agreed that the number of students achieving honors is particularly high. "I think it's always helpful to take a look at courses and make sure they are sufficiently rigorous. In general, we should always be thinking of how classes can move students to work harder."

But Superintendent of Schools Claudia Bach says honor-roll inspired concerns about grade inflation and a possible lack of challenges in the classroom are not burning issues in Andover.

"Nobody's ever really looked at that," she said. "(The honor roll) is a good topic to explore, but it's one of several, and I think other topics have more people concerned. I'm not sure the interest is there."

The requirements to achieve honors have changed while Darrin has taught at AHS, he said, and the current system may make it easier for students to make the roll.

Whereas before students were required to make all A's and B's to achieve honors, now the policy looks at a student's overall average per term. Therefore, even if a student gets a C in one class, enough A's in other classes can still help them make honors.

"(A student's) average only has to be the equivalent of A's and B's," Darrin said. "It allows people to play their strengths against their weaknesses. To that extent it's a diminished honor."

Darrin pointed to grade inflation as a driving force behind students' too-easily-acquired honors. "I suspect that in many classes, the average (grade) is closer to a B-minus than a C," he said. "Part of that is hopefully students choosing the right courses, but some of that is grade inflation."

Many students, however, feel strongly that course demands are more than rigorous. "The teachers here definitely don't grade too easily," said sophomore Robyn Ginsberg. "If you don't try, then you definitely don't do well."

Several AHS students feel it is hard work in class that earns most of honor recipients their place on the honor roll.

"I think kids deserve to be on the honor roll if they do the work," said sophomore Kaitlin Hyde. Upping the standards, or even eliminating the honor roll, would have a negative impact on kids who already work hard to earn their spot, she said. "(Many students') parents expect them to be on the honor roll," she said. "If the standards were raised, I think a lot of students would just give up. And if they took the honor roll away, I don't think (students) would strive for anything."

But, for kids to whom honors comes too easily each and every term, the honor roll would not necessarily be missed, said recent graduate Matthew Konjoian. "For some kids who always get the honor roll, it doesn't mean as much," he said.

All that is needed to achieve honors is a 3.0 grade point average each term, said Konjoian, who has always made A's and B's. "Maybe they should beef up the GPAs a little bit."

But those steps have already been taken, said Bach. Only months ago, AHS altered the GPA system, eliminating A-pluses and lowering the equivalent of 100 points to a solid A. This change "makes (the grading system) a little more standard," she said.

In addition, this year students were required to take up to seven and a half credits in order to graduate -- an increase of two credits from last year.

Girdwood was unsure of exactly how much the topic has been mentioned among school administrators, because Andover High has dealt with several other challenges that have demanded immediate attention, such as the juggling of principals.

"We've made progress at the school, but maybe not as much as we'd like," she said. Girdwood added that she does not have enough information to judge whether classes are challenging enough for students, or whether teachers might feel pressured to give high grades.

Despite so many concerns, several graduated students report that they excel in college as a result of their AHS education. "Many kids come back to say they feel well prepared for college," said Darrin. "That speaks to the fact that there is some rigor (in classes)."

Further discussion among administrators concerning the honor roll and the problems it may point to will not be revisited at least until mid-fall, said Bach. And it is not certain that school administrators will take up the cause; she might recommend it next year as a topic for the town-wide Parent Teacher Organization, which meets once a month. However, because the honor roll has never surfaced at previous PTO meetings, Bach considers it another clue that the honor roll implications are not that hot.

"I'm really not sure this is a big issue," she said.