VB School Board Members,

Please vote against removing the designations of Valedictorian and Salutatorian. It is important to recognize academic excellence and award these high achievers for their hard work.

VBCPS currently uses grading practices in many of its schools that do not issue zeros to students for work not done or deduct points for late work. In some schools the lowest grade given is a 50, even if no work is done. Now VBCPS has proposed to abolish the recognition of the highest achievers.

We MUST raise the bar for academic excellence, not continue to lower it.

Please vote NO on April 24 to changing the policy that will remove the Valedictorian and Salutatorian designations.