Policy 550 - Academic Recognition Programs
I. PURPOSE
It is the policy and practice of the School Board to promote academic excellence. Furthermore, the board wishes to recognize those students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement. The recognition program described below is created to award students who meet the identified criteria.
II. DEFINITION
- “Fully enrolled” means attendance during the approved school calendar and for all assigned classes and study halls in the Princeton Public Schools including those enrolled in PHS, POM and ALC. This does include those students enrolled in PSEO after the minimum amount of credits, as stated, have been earned at Princeton Public Schools.
- “Full-time student” means students who are enrolled at Princeton Public Schools for all class periods in the day, or have no more than one study hall or teaching assistant period in the day, or who are enrolled in PSEO. A student who is only attending partial days or is a shared-time student is not a full-time student.
- "PMS" means Princeton Middle School.
- “PHS” means Princeton High School.
- “POM” means Princeton Online Minnesota.
- “ALC” means Princeton Area Learning Center.
- “PSEO” means Post-Secondary Enrollment Options.
- “GPA”, means Grade Point Average.
III. ACADEMIC RECOGNITION PROGRAMS
High School
- School Board Scholars - Fully enrolled students, after completion of eleven (11) trimesters of high school, whose weighted GPA ranks them in the top 5% of their 12th grade class and have earned a minimum of twenty-four (24) credits while fully enrolled at Princeton Public School, will be designated as School Board Scholars. The recipient and the recipient’s parents or guardians will be recognized at a reception sponsored by the school board. Each recipient will receive an appropriate certificate recognizing the student’s status as a School Board Scholar.
- Principal’s List - Full-time students earning only grades of A and/or A+ in any trimester receive a certificate for that trimester.
- A Honor Roll - Full-time students earning a GPA of 3.5 or above in any trimester receive a certificate for that trimester.
- B Honor Roll - Full-time students earning a GPA of 3.0-3.499 in any trimester receive a certificate for that trimester.
- Commencement Ceremony & Graduating with Honors - The following academic recognitions and insignia are awarded to seniors who have met all graduation requirements for earning a high school diploma. No other cords, stoles, or insignia, except those awarded by, and approved by, administration are permitted to be worn during the graduation ceremony.
- Valedictorian
The student having the highest academic achievement of the class, as measured by GPA, will deliver the valedictorian speech at graduation. - Salutatorian
The student that ranks the second highest academic achievement of the class, as measured by GPA, will deliver the salutatorian speech at graduation. - Summa Cum Laude (GPA 3.900 or higher) - Gold Cord
Seniors, after completion of eleven (11) trimesters of high school, whose GPA is 3.900 or higher, and have met all requirements for diploma,, will wear a gold cord at the graduation ceremony.- Magna Cum Laude (GPA 3.7-3.899) - Red Cord
Seniors, after completing of eleven (11) trimesters of high school, whose GPA is 3.7-3.899, and have met all requirements for diploma,, will wear a red cord at the graduation ceremony. - Cum Laude (GPA 3.5-3.699) - White Cord
Seniors, after completion of eleven (11) trimesters of high schools, whose GPA is 3.500-3.699, and have met all requirements for diploma, will wear a white cord at the graduation ceremony. - B Honor Roll (GPA 3.000-3.499) - Gold Tassel
Seniors, after completion of eleven (11) trimesters of high school, whose GPA is 3.000-3.499, and have met all requirements for diploma, will have a gold tassel at the graduation ceremony.
- Magna Cum Laude (GPA 3.7-3.899) - Red Cord
- Valedictorian
- Additional Graduation Recognition
- Military Enlisted - Red, White and Blue cord
Seniors who have met all graduation requirements for diploma, and who are fully enlisted in one of the branches of the United States Military Services will wear a red, white and blue cord at the graduation ceremony. Documentation verifying enlistment status may be required by the principal. - NHS Member - Royal Blue Cord
Seniors who are current National Honor Society members in good standing will wear a royal blue cord at the graduation ceremony. -
Career Academy - Graduates in a career academy have demonstrated competency in a designated area of study. Students graduating in an academy are recognized in the graduation ceremony program and will receive a cord in the color corresponding with their academy.
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Advanced Achievement recognition: Students may choose to pursue the recognition of Advanced Achievement in their chosen academy. Students successfully completing the Advanced Achievement requirements within their academy will receive additional insignia to wear at the graduation ceremony.
- Military Enlisted - Red, White and Blue cord
Middle School
- School Board Scholars - Students, who are fully enrolled at Princeton Middle School, after completion of eight (8) trimesters of middle school, whose academic success places them in the top of their 8th grade class, will be designated as School Board Scholars. The recipient and the recipient’s parents or guardians will be recognized at a reception sponsored by the school board. Each recipient will receive an appropriate certificate recognizing the student’s status as a School Board Scholar.
Adopted: January 27, 1987
Revised: June 10, 1997
Revised: February 22, 2005
Revised: February 16, 2016
Reviewed: February 21, 2017
Revised: September 17, 2019
Revised: April 5, 2022