AMESBURY — As the first semester came to a close, Amesbury High School seniors earned particularly high praise: Almost two out of every three students was named to either the honor roll or high honor roll.
Amesbury's honors numbers are nearly three times higher than other nearby high schools.
While school officials are attributing the success at least in part to a newly renovated high school and additional staff, Amesbury also calculates its honor roll using a formula that other local schools don't embrace.
Using a system that gives more weight to students in Advanced Placement and honors classes, more Amesbury High School seniors made high honor roll than honor roll this semester. Out of a class of 154 students, 49 seniors made high honors, and 43 made honors.
Similar to other schools in the area, finals grades in AP and honors classes are scored higher when calculating students' final grade-point average. Scoring a B or C in an AP class is weighted as an A or B.
But unlike other schools, Amesbury also attributes the weighted grade when calculating the honor roll. Students receiving a C in an AP or honors class will still find themselves placed on the honor roll.
While Les Murray, principal of Amesbury High School, said the school does not track numbers from year to year, he does recognize this year has a high amount of students on high honor roll and honor roll. He credits the numbers to the completion of the school building project and four additional full-time and one new part-time position.
"We are able to offer more electives this year and students are appearing more engaged," Murray said.
Last year in Amesbury, the class of 2009 had 35 on high honor roll and 30 students on honor roll last semester.
At Triton Regional High School 12 seniors made high honor roll. Triton's senior class currently has 208 students enrolled — meaning about five percent of students are on the high honor roll. The school's largest amount of students on high honor roll was the freshman class with 18 students.
At press time Newburyport High School had not released their 2008 first semester honor roll. Last semester of the 2007/2008 school year three seniors made high honor roll, out of 191 students. The school's largest amount of students on high honor roll was the junior class with nine students.
At Pentucket High school, 18 students were named to the honor roll this semester, out of a class of over 200 students.
Direct numbers comparing high schools' grade-point average and honor roll numbers is not an exact science. Each surrounding high school has its own separate grading system with some high schools' grade-point average reaching as high as 6.0 and others hovering around the tradition 4.0.
Amesbury grades on a 6.0 scale, and Murray says the system has not changed in years and reflects each individual class levels' demands on students.
"Students in high-level classes, the work load and time consumed can be much more than other levels," Murray said.
Michael Parent, Newburyport High School principal, said the school has kept their honor roll requirements consistent for several years. He said students who choose to enter a higher level class are making a personal choice.
"Hopefully students that are entering Advanced Placement classes know what the rigor is and they are going into the class for the right reasons," Parent said.
He believes achieving even a C in an advanced placement class is a high achievement. The school does not allow students on honor roll if they receive a C, although the grade goes towards their final grade-point average as a B.
"I do not think if a student gets a C in an Advanced Placement class that it's a negative. I see it as a positive," Parent said.
Over the years a college education has taken on new meaning with a high percentage of students opting for a higher education rather than the traditional high school diploma. Colleges have become increasingly competitive, forcing schools and students to strive for an extra edge over other applicants.
"We decided several years ago it was the decision of the student to take a high-level class," Parent said, "and with the class comes academic rigor and the grade they receive would go towards their placement on the honor roll."
Most Recent High Honor Roll Numbers:
Amesbury: Seniors, 49; Juniors, 36; Sophomores, 20; Freshmen, 15.
Newburyport: Seniors, 4; Juniors, 9; Sophomores, 3; Freshmen, 7.
Triton: Seniors, 12; Juniors, 17; Sophomores, 12; Freshmen, 17.
Pentucket: Seniors, 18; Juniors, 7; Sophomores, 21; Freshmen, 16.
Georgetown: Seniors, 7; Juniors, 3; Sophomores, 7; Freshmen, 9.
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