I know this isn’t a big deal, but they really should be clear on the criteria. DD worked really hard this year, got all 4s and advanced on all SOLs. Her grades and SOLs have steadily increased since 4th grade. I’m sure that’s why she didn’t get it, but she would have felt better knowing why.

Agree that we won’t miss having one signed by the current president.

Our school did not do this. We had promotion yesterday.

Never heard of awards at our ES. Maybe it’s just that my kids never got them. They always get passed advanced on sols and 4’s. Never seen an award.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in another state and never heard of the Presidential Award.

It’s just a certificate signed by the president based on good grades and high scores on SOL’s

I remember getting one of these in fifth grade and debating with my classmates whether President Clinton had really signed it himself...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school calls them up at graduation (FCPS ES) a separate time from “diploma” to get this award. A lot of students get it.

Our ES had only one child get it.

Usually, there are three awards: the presidential silver, the presidential gold, and the principal’s award. It would be virtually impossible for only one student to get the presidential award. Essentially the requirement is 3s and 4s on your progress report and pass advance on SOLs. You may be thinking of the principal award which is commonly 1-2 students and decided on by the sixth grade teachers.

Anonymous wrote:Our school calls them up at graduation (FCPS ES) a separate time from “diploma” to get this award. A lot of students get it.

Our ES had only one child get it.

We've been through this twice and both times it was a "popular" girl in AAP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Girls.

That was the case at my son’s ES graduation at least. Almost no boys.

Is behavior a category that these kids are graded on like it is in the younger years? Are the boys who get 3-4's in the academic categories, and pass-advance, also getting 2's for behavior?

Yes, they could get 2s, but probably not very many would be allowed because it’s an average of all of the progress report scores from grades 4-6.

Anonymous wrote:Not a fan of schools sharing these awards at the elementary graduation ceremony. It’s just a way for parents and kids to brag that their child got a pass advanced on an SOL.

My kid got one in 6th. This is the first time I've ever mentioned it to anyone outside family. Why would I?

Anonymous wrote:Girls.

That was the case at my son’s ES graduation at least. Almost no boys.

Is behavior a category that these kids are graded on like it is in the younger years? Are the boys who get 3-4's in the academic categories, and pass-advance, also getting 2's for behavior?

Our school calls them up at graduation (FCPS ES) a separate time from “diploma” to get this award. A lot of students get it.

Anonymous wrote:Our MS gave the Presidential Award to students who earned a 3.5 or higher. Out of about 700 students, roughly 400 qualified.

+1. For those complaining. Why shouldn't academic excellence be recognized? They didn't have the kids come up but they had a special notation on their slide when their name was called.

Maybe 25% of the kids in my sons class were awarded the Presidential Award last year. Most people had no clue what it was. A few kids who had earned it were not called for some reason.

Anonymous wrote:Not a fan of schools sharing these awards at the elementary graduation ceremony. It’s just a way for parents and kids to brag that their child got a pass advanced on an SOL.

It's like you can't ever reward a kid for their hard work without some parent with sour grapes calling it bragging. Kids deserve some recognition for doing what they're supposed to be doing at school and doing a good job on their tests.

Our MS gave the Presidential Award to students who earned a 3.5 or higher. Out of about 700 students, roughly 400 qualified.