4 Students Recognized at Graduation

Valedictorian

Valedictorian Overview

Recognition in graduation program & deliver a message/speech to graduating seniors

The Valedictorian Committee will evaluate all students with an average of 4.5 and above, or the top three percent of the class, whichever is greater in number.

Valedictorian eligibility found in Student Handbook

1. Grade point average: grade point average ranking including grades 9 through 12 up to and including the final progress report of the final grading period prior to graduation. Weighted grade points will only be given to courses approved for weighted credit at Helix Charter High School.
2. Total quality point rankings including grades 9 through 12 up to and including the first progress report of the final grading period prior to graduation (quality points will be determined by calculating the grade point times the number of credits earned in each course) weighted grade points will only be given to courses approved for weighted credit at Helix Charter High School.
3. College Aptitude Ranking by performance on Advanced Placement (AP), College Courses and Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC’s) tests: SBAC’s taken in grade 11, students will receive fifteen (15) points for exams completed at the Exceeded Standards level. AP exams taken in grades 9 through 12, students will receive one (1) point for completing the exam at a level two, two (2) points for exams that are completed at a level three , (3) points for exams completed at a level four and four (4) points for exams completed at a level five. Senior Year students will receive 1 point per AP exam registered. College Courses taken in grades 10 through 12 will earn two (2) points for courses that are completed with a ‘C,’ three (3) points for courses that are completed with a ‘B’ and four (4) points for courses that are completed with an ‘A.’ Senior Year students will receive one (1) point per Spring College course enrolled. Exception to AP points:If a student earned points for the equivalent college course, then they cannot earn points again for the AP exam.

The Valedictorian Committee will evaluate all students with an average of 4.5 and above, or the top three percent of the class, whichever is greater in number.

Earning a high GPA will make you eligible to be EVALUATED for Valedictorian

• The Weighted GPA is what is taken into consideration when evaluating potential valedictorians
• Earning the highest GPA will not guarantee you one of the 4 valedictorian spots
• GPA is NOT the only thing considered when determining valedictorians
• Pass/No Mark grades might help you earn a high GPA, but they might not help your quality points criteria
• It is important to consider all sections of the valedictorian criteria before playing the “GPA game”

Grade point average: grade point average ranking including grades 9 through 12 up to and including the final progress report of the final grading period prior to graduation. Weighted grade points will only be given to courses approved for weighted credit at Helix Charter High School.

As mentioned, GPA is one of the criteria used to determine a valedictorian

• The weighted overall GPA is what is used to determine the highest GPA
• ALL classes on your Helix transcript make up your overall GPA. College Prep, Honors, AP and Dual Enrollment classes are part of the GPA calculation
• Pass/No Mark Grades (P/NM) grades do NOT have a positive/negative impact on your GPA
• 12th grade final progress report (Q4/Spring Semester 2) of the final grading period prior to graduation
• ONLY classes that get a progress report grade will be considered when calculating the final progress report card GPA
• Dual/Concurrent Enrollment classes DO NOT have progress report grades. Therefore, these classes are not considered when evaluating the final progress report GPA

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Pass/No Mark Grades

• Pass/No Mark grades might help you earn a high GPA, but they might not help your quality points criteria
• Pass/No Mark Grades (P/NM) grades do NOT have a positive/negative impact on your GPA
• The Pass/No Mark option must be requested prior to the end of the second week of the semester.
• Any class used to meet Helix graduation requirements will not be considered.
• Pass/No Mark grades do not meet A-G requirements for UCs/CSUs or NCAA eligibility.
• Students performing below expectations may be dropped. The Class Change Deadlines will determine if the withdrawal grade must appear on the transcript.

Total quality point rankings including grades 9 through 12 up to and including the first progress report of the final grading period prior to graduation (quality points will be determined by calculating the grade point times the number of credits earned in each course) weighted grade points will only be given to courses approved for weighted credit at Helix Charter High School.

Students earn points for EVERY class taken while at Helix

College Aptitude Ranking by performance on Advanced Placement (AP), College Courses and Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC’s) tests: SBAC’s taken in grade 11, students will receive fifteen (15) points for exams completed at the Exceeded Standards level. AP exams taken in grades 9 through 12, students will receive one (1) point for completing the exam at a level two, two (2) points for exams that are completed at a level three , (3) points for exams completed at a level four and four (4) points for exams completed at a level five. Senior Year students will receive 1 point per AP exam registered. College Courses taken in grades 10 through 12 will earn two (2) points for courses that are completed with a ‘C,’ three (3) points for courses that are completed with a ‘B’ and four (4) points for courses that are completed with an ‘A.’ Senior Year students will receive one (1) point per Spring College course enrolled. Exception to AP points:If a student earned points for the equivalent college course, then they cannot earn points again for the AP exam.

Valedictorian

Valedictorian Selection Policy- Found in Student Handbook (accessible through Helix website)

• Valedictorians are recognized for outstanding academic achievement in high school. As such, academic integrity is an important component of the valedictorian selection. Any student with documented academic dishonesty in grades 9 or 10 may be eliminated from consideration. Any student with a serious incident of documented academic dishonesty in grades 11 or 12 will result in elimination.
• A Valedictorian Committee, consisting of the Grade Level Counselor, Academic Advisor, and GLP for the graduating class, will oversee and arbitrate the selection of valedictorians equaling approximately one (1) percent of the graduating class, not to exceed four (4) valedictorians.

If you have any questions, please contact your Grade Level Team