McDonald schools add requirements for valedictorian

McDonald schools add requirements for valedictorian

McDONALD

The board of education Monday approved changes to the high school student handbook, adding in the ACT or SAT scores for a student to be named a valedictorian.

Gary Carkido, high school principal, explained that a committee of teachers and students discussed adding in the college admission test scores and agreed these are a good component to add to requirements for valedictorian.

The criteria, which will go into effect for the graduating class of 2015, will require a minimum composite score of 26 on the ACT, or 1,190 on the SAT.

If no one achieves the score, the decision for valedictorian will be based on the best score.

The current criteria require that a valedictorian have a 4.0 grade point average, or the highest GPA in the senior class, and that a student take four units of English, five units of math, four units of science and four units of social Studies.

Carkido noted one reason the new requirement is being added is to help students obtain more scholarships. He noted that Ohio State University now requires a 28 (or 27 to 31) ACT score for admission, Youngstown State University requires a 27, 25, 26 or 27 for different level scholarships; Ohio University requires a 21 through 26; Kent requires a 20 to 25; and Bowling Green requires a 19 to 24.

“We want to push our students to focus more on those scores and get more college scholarships.”

The board accepted its first donation for the swimming pool fund of $1,000 from Mike Casale, a 1947 McDonald graduate. The board had set up the fund in the general fund, but this will be the first money to go into it.

The board has listed re-opening the high school indoor pool as a priority if it is financially feasible. The pool was shut down while the district was in state fiscal emergency three years ago.