DCI Middle School Class Ranking

[Anonymous]

I have heard that DCI has a class ranking in middle school and then number 1 is the valedictorian and 2 is the salutatorian at the middle school graduation. Is this true or just rumor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have heard that DCI has a class ranking in middle school and then number 1 is the valedictorian and 2 is the salutatorian at the middle school graduation. Is this true or just rumor?

I don’t know since our kid will just be starting in the fall but think that’s great.

Good motivation for kids who are motivated by these things Also good to recognize those who work hard and do well.

Real world life lessons not this equity BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have heard that DCI has a class ranking in middle school and then number 1 is the valedictorian and 2 is the salutatorian at the middle school graduation. Is this true or just rumor?

Isn't this how class rank works?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know what are the DCPS class ranking in middle school? Is there a link for the policy?

[Anonymous]

dear god I hope not. ridiculous in middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard that DCI has a class ranking in middle school and then number 1 is the valedictorian and 2 is the salutatorian at the middle school graduation. Is this true or just rumor?

Isn't this how class rank works?

It’s just unusual for a middle school to rank. DCPS middle schools don’t. And in fact it is increasingly unusual for high schools to rank. Most private schools don't rank. Most good suburban public high schools don't rank. Walls doesn’t rank. With ranking so out of fashion among the schools DCI surely sees as its peers, it’s interesting and surprising that the school has decided to rank even middle schoolers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:dear god I hope not. ridiculous in middle school.

Let's see what all the schools do.

BASIS identifies and honors the students in the top 5 percent (every year a couple times a year.)

They also honor all the A students, which is a much larger group.

[Anonymous]

Starting in 8th grade, my middle/high school posted in a common area a print-out of everyone’s GPA sorted high to low. Very motivating; occasionally depressing. The school was a good mix of support, camaraderie, and competition.

DCI posts the names of all the kids on high honor role (I think it’s the “principal’s list”). I’m happy the school does so. It’s a small step from that to identifying no 1 and 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard that DCI has a class ranking in middle school and then number 1 is the valedictorian and 2 is the salutatorian at the middle school graduation. Is this true or just rumor?

Isn't this how class rank works?

It’s just unusual for a middle school to rank. DCPS middle schools don’t. And in fact it is increasingly unusual for high schools to rank. Most private schools don't rank. Most good suburban public high schools don't rank. Walls doesn’t rank. With ranking so out of fashion among the schools DCI surely sees as its peers, it’s interesting and surprising that the school has decided to rank even middle schoolers.

Yes and it’s contributing to the wrong way education is going. Great students and hard work should be acknowledged. Goals can be set and it can be motivating for some students to work harder, do better. Some students don’t care and that’s fine, they won’t be at the top.

This everyone should be the same, everyone gets a trophy is not helping anyone. Standards these days are so watered down, expectations lowered that kids go out to college and beyond woefully unprepared for the next higher level playing field.

Best to face reality early. There is always going to be someone smarter and better than you. What you do with that information dictates your successes in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard that DCI has a class ranking in middle school and then number 1 is the valedictorian and 2 is the salutatorian at the middle school graduation. Is this true or just rumor?

Isn't this how class rank works?

It’s just unusual for a middle school to rank. DCPS middle schools don’t. And in fact it is increasingly unusual for high schools to rank. Most private schools don't rank. Most good suburban public high schools don't rank. Walls doesn’t rank. With ranking so out of fashion among the schools DCI surely sees as its peers, it’s interesting and surprising that the school has decided to rank even middle schoolers.

Yes and it’s contributing to the wrong way education is going. Great students and hard work should be acknowledged. Goals can be set and it can be motivating for some students to work harder, do better. Some students don’t care and that’s fine, they won’t be at the top.

This everyone should be the same, everyone gets a trophy is not helping anyone. Standards these days are so watered down, expectations lowered that kids go out to college and beyond woefully unprepared for the next higher level playing field.

Best to face reality early. There is always going to be someone smarter and better than you. What you do with that information dictates your successes in life.

I also think grades acknowledge hard work rather than smarts, and that's a good thing. (I know in my graduating class, the valedictorian was not the smartest person -- a handful had higher SAT scores and were just more brilliant. But she was smart and the hardest worker, and that should be recognized, and is motivating for others in a different way.)

We came from a DCPS elementary school where everyone got an award and the standards were kind of low and the kids CONSTANTLY talked about who the "smartest" was, and the parents always thought their kids were gifted, but I don't know what they were basing any of that on. Now at BASIS where the students with the best grades are very clearly communicated, and no one seems to be as obsessed with who is the "smartest" and "gifted". I think reality is a really good thing in these situations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard that DCI has a class ranking in middle school and then number 1 is the valedictorian and 2 is the salutatorian at the middle school graduation. Is this true or just rumor?

I don’t know since our kid will just be starting in the fall but think that’s great.

Good motivation for kids who are motivated by these things Also good to recognize those who work hard and do well.

Real world life lessons not this equity BS.

Ha ha with your way of thinking good luck at DCI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard that DCI has a class ranking in middle school and then number 1 is the valedictorian and 2 is the salutatorian at the middle school graduation. Is this true or just rumor?

Isn't this how class rank works?

It’s just unusual for a middle school to rank. DCPS middle schools don’t. And in fact it is increasingly unusual for high schools to rank. Most private schools don't rank. Most good suburban public high schools don't rank. Walls doesn’t rank. With ranking so out of fashion among the schools DCI surely sees as its peers, it’s interesting and surprising that the school has decided to rank even middle schoolers.

Yes and it’s contributing to the wrong way education is going. Great students and hard work should be acknowledged. Goals can be set and it can be motivating for some students to work harder, do better. Some students don’t care and that’s fine, they won’t be at the top.

This everyone should be the same, everyone gets a trophy is not helping anyone. Standards these days are so watered down, expectations lowered that kids go out to college and beyond woefully unprepared for the next higher level playing field.

Best to face reality early. There is always going to be someone smarter and better than you. What you do with that information dictates your successes in life.

I also think grades acknowledge hard work rather than smarts, and that's a good thing. (I know in my graduating class, the valedictorian was not the smartest person -- a handful had higher SAT scores and were just more brilliant. But she was smart and the hardest worker, and that should be recognized, and is motivating for others in a different way.)

We came from a DCPS elementary school where everyone got an award and the standards were kind of low and the kids CONSTANTLY talked about who the "smartest" was, and the parents always thought their kids were gifted, but I don't know what they were basing any of that on. Now at BASIS where the students with the best grades are very clearly communicated, and no one seems to be as obsessed with who is the "smartest" and "gifted". I think reality is a really good thing in these situations.

+1. Yep, kids talk and know who the smart kids are starting in upper elementary. Also agree that smartest may not be at the top, could be the hardest one who is also smart.

Objective data is also good and helps kids from guessing and talking.

[Anonymous]

I believe they valedictorian and the salutatorian had the highest GPAs. I don't know if the other students were ranked--I didn't see that information for my kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe they valedictorian and the salutatorian had the highest GPAs. I don't know if the other students were ranked--I didn't see that information for my kid.

This actually seems like a fairly sensible way to do this for middle school. But in practice, aren’t there at least 20 kids who have straight As all through middle school? Why don’t they wind up with a ton of co-valedictorians?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe they valedictorian and the salutatorian had the highest GPAs. I don't know if the other students were ranked--I didn't see that information for my kid.

This actually seems like a fairly sensible way to do this for middle school. But in practice, aren’t there at least 20 kids who have straight As all through middle school? Why don’t they wind up with a ton of co-valedictorians?

I think it has something to do with IB grading system, and fewer people getting all 7s (both 6s and 7s are equivalent to A).