FARMINGTON — RSU 9 directors are expected to hold a second reading Tuesday on a policy that would amend graduation requirements to target students in the top 10 that graduate in January.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, March 25, in the conference room at Mt. Blue Middle School.

Chairwoman of the board’s Policy Committee, Claire Andrews, told fellow directors on March 12 that a paragraph is proposed to be added to the Graduation Requirement policy. The wording to be added is “Any student graduating in January whose rank in class is in the top 10 students will be recognized as such at graduation in the spring. Additionally, he or she will not displace any other student who is ranked in the top 10 at the end of the third quarter.”

Concerns were raised previously that students graduating in January were not allowed to be part of the top 10 because they graduated in January, Andrews said. It has happened before, she said.

The committee wants to make sure people who are graduating in the top 10 are recognized if they complete the requirements in 3½ years.

Students need 24 credits to graduate from Mt. Blue High School.

No one is going to displace students in the top 10 as of the end of third quarter, Andrews said, so effectively there may be a top 11.

People who graduate in January whose grades put them in the top student place would be valedictorian of the class as of January, she said. But they would not be considered valedictorian at the end of the school year when they graduate, Andrews said.

The valedictorian and salutatorian are chosen at the end of the school year, Ben Milster, director of guidance, said.

Director Bob Flick of Farmington said he didn’t consider it fair that someone graduating early and in the top of the class could not be considered for valedictorian or salutatorian for the whole senior graduation class.

Superintendent Mike Cormier said there could be one valedictorian for January and one for June.

Those graduating in January just walk with other graduates in June, Andrews said.

Milster said the policy has been in place for a long time. He did some research and historically this never happened before 2007, which is as far back as records are available for review.

Milster said that one student graduated early in each of 2007, 2008, 2009, two in 2010, one in 2011, five in 2012 and seven in 2013.

“This year we have two students in top 10 that graduated in January,” Milster said.

There are seven students who graduated early this year.

There will be a top 12 this year, he said.

This is not the best solution but it is better than what the board has, Director Nancy Crosby of Weld said.

Flick said he agreed it was a good step but does not go far enough.

Andrews said she would be voting in favor of the amendment because it is a compromise.

“If we don’t take action it will directly affect two students graduating in the top 10,” she said.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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