From the November AEA Exchange Meeting: Why do we not acknowledge hard working or high-achieving students with things like Honor Roll anymore? I understand why we don’t reward perfect attendance, because things like attendance are often out of the student’s control. But there used to be public praise and recognition for students who went above and beyond in their academic work — completing assignments on time, taking good notes and studying for tests, getting perfect scores on standardized tests, etc. It seems like the message some students have internalized is that we don’t care about their grades, and therefore they don’t need to either. How do we make working hard at school cool again if we never talk about the kids who are doing it?
When recognizing students at graduation for long-term efforts at the school division level, we introduced the Latin Honor System (similar to collegiate recognition) at the high school level eight years ago to broaden the recognition of students achieving high academic performance. This system celebrates individual accomplishments without fostering unhealthy competition among peers. There are three levels of distinction:
- Cum Laude: Graduating "With Praise" for students with an unweighted grade point average of 3.0 to 3.4.
- Magna Cum Laude: Graduating "With Great Praise" for students with an unweighted grade point average of 3.5 to 3.7.
- Summa Cum Laude: Graduating "With Highest Praise" for students with an unweighted grade point average of 3.8 or higher.
These honors are noted on students' diplomas, serving as a lasting acknowledgment of their achievements.
The emphasis remains on holistic student development at the elementary level rather than formal academic performance awards. For this reason, honor roll awards have not been issued in recent years. However, central office staff will meet with elementary and middle school principals to explore reintroducing honor roll recognition or developing new programs to highlight academic accomplishments meaningfully.
Recognizing student effort and achievement fosters motivation and a positive learning environment. Immediate positive feedback is particularly impactful, reinforcing students’ efforts and building confidence. The most effective feedback comes directly from classroom teachers and other adults who work closely with students. To support this, here are three to four easy-to-implement example strategies teachers can use to recognize students for their hard work and success:
- Personalized Praise Notes: Write a short, encouraging note or comment on a student’s assignment or in their agenda, highlighting a specific effort or improvement.
- Classroom Recognition: Create a “Star of the Week” or “Effort Wall” where students’ hard work and progress are celebrated with their peers.
- Verbal Acknowledgment: Provide specific verbal praise during class, such as, “I noticed how much effort you put into solving that problem—great job staying focused and not giving up!”
- Achievement Tokens: Use small tokens, such as stickers, badges, or certificates, to immediately reward effort, creativity, or perseverance with class activities.
These simple practices, implemented consistently, can make a lasting impact by helping students feel valued and motivated to strive for success.
Answer by Superintendent Dr. Matthew Haas