Sachem elementary schools' honor roll gone
Six members of the Moriches Elementary School honor roll from Cathy Gallo's fifth-grade class: Robert Taiani, 11, Niklas Koutrokois, 10, Alexis Ramdeen, 10 Emily Hatch, 10, Sarah Lotoraco, 11, and Allison Guerrero, 10, with school principal Eileen Filippone. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
What, no student bumper stickers?
The honor roll for fourth- and fifth-graders in three Sachem schools is no more, and that's got some parents angry.
"I think we're sending the wrong message to the students," said Michele Campbell, a PTA volunteer at the district's Chippewa Elementary School, one of three that until last September posted the names of those who excel in academics. "They have kids who run fast on a really big bulletin board - and it's great kids can do that. But as a parent, I think we need to put more emphasis on our academic achievements."
On the other hand, some educators on Long Island - including those in districts with no honor rolls - say such recognition can put pressure on students so young. A spot check by Newsday found that most districts don't post an honor roll until around seventh grade, if at all. But there are exceptions.
All five elementary schools in the William Floyd district sponsor honor rolls, starting in either fourth or fifth grade. Names of high performers are posted in school foyers three times a year, and parents get bumper stickers attesting to their children's achievement.
Three schools in the district also post "merit rolls" of students who show scholastic improvement, even if their work doesn't quite meet honors criteria.
Kevin Coster, the district's assistant superintendent for elementary instruction, says such rolls serve as a healthy balance, in a society that tends to "almost idolize" students' athletic prowess.
"Anytime we can recognize students for their effort and their achievement, we're happy with that," he said.
In Sachem, only three of the district's 12 elementary schools had posted honor rolls in the past, listing students who earned high grade averages. District officials decided to eliminate honor rolls at the Chippewa, Lynwood and Tecumseh schools - largely, they said, for the sake of uniformity.
"As I understand it, the decision was to be consistent," said James J. Nolan, the district superintendent, who added that the policy change was made before he assumed that post.
At the national level, a school-principals' group is seeking to recognize young students in another way, through the National Elementary Honor Society. Established in 2008, the society's program is tailored for students in grades four through six. It is sponsored by the NASSP, formerly known as the National Association of Secondary School Principals, which has long supported local honor-society chapters in high schools and middle schools.
At the elementary level, as in the upper grades, eligibility for honor societies is based on a combination of grades and behavior. This differs from eligibility for local honor rolls, which are generally based on grades alone.
Most public high schools on Long Island maintain honor societies, as do many middle schools. However, the NASSP's national website lists no elementary chapters on the Island.
