School Board to decide in May whether to re-instate Valedictorian and Salutatorian graduation awards

Staff Report

The Pulaski County School Board is expected to make a decision at its May meeting whether to re-instate the Valedictorian and Salutatorian honors at Pulaski County High School.

The recognitions are typically awarded to the two students in a graduating class with the highest grade point averages.

A committee, which studied the issue throughout the school year, on Tuesday recommended to the board that the honors should be re-instated for recognition at PCHS Graduation beginning with the Class of 2029.

Dr. Roxanne Souma, PCHS Assistant Principal made a presentation to the board and explained the work of the committee and the process that lead to the re-instatement recommendation.

Souma said the committee included teachers, administrators, parents, central office personnel and school board members.

She said the committee reviewed survey feedback from students and faculty, explored practices from neighboring school divisions and discussed the pros and cons of re-introducing the awards.

A March 2024 survey found 76 percent of students taking the survey and 51 percent of faculty favored recognizing a Valedictorian and Salutatorian for each graduating class. The survey results were similar in February a year later, when 54 percent of faculty and 76 percent of students said they favored the recognition.

It should be noted that 60 percent of faculty and staff and 10 percent of students participated in the surveys.

The committee’s recommendation chose this year’s eighth grade class – the Class of 2029 – as the first to be eligible for the recognition.

The committee reasoned that “while some eighth grade students have already started building their high school GPAs through Algebra I and possibly Geometry, most have not. Weighted courses, which have a significant impact on GPA, do not typically begin until sophomore year.”

Souma’s presentation noted “students will have ample opportunities to learn about programs such as the Southwest Virginia Governor’s School and Cougar Scholars – both of which can greatly influence GPA – before applying.”

Also, the Class of 2029, according to the presentation, will be the first to participate in the newly established governor’s school for art at Radford University providing another opportunity to complete weighted coursework.

Personnel Changes

Some key personnel changes were approved by the board Tuesday.  They include:

Cassie Puckett moves from interim principal to principal at Pulaski Elementary School.

Joshua Fleenor moves from teacher to assistant principal at Pulaski Elementary School.

Bethany Christian moves from school counselor to assistant principal at Pulaski County Middle.

In retirements, special education teacher Beth Donnelly and third grade teacher Teresa Talbert will retire effective June 3.

Membership and Attendance

Through March, membership in Pulaski County Public Schools was 4,179 students.

Membership by school is:

PCHS – 1,131

PCMS – 814

Critzer – 378

Dublin – 354

Pulaski – 453

Riverlawn – 335

Snowville – 187

Virtual (K-12) – 527

Attendance for the school system was at 93.48 percent for the month.