• January 2020

    Dear Parent(s)/Guardians of current 8th graders:

    We are excited to share that beginning with the incoming class of 2024 (students who are freshmen in fall 2020), the Lenape Regional High School District (LRHSD) will not automatically publish or release class rank. This decision was made after much research and deliberation on our part to make adjustments that better support our students’ academic achievements, as well as their mental health and overall wellness throughout high school. It grew out of an important goal in our strategic plan to create a learning environment, which anticipates evolving opportunities for students to reach their full potential.

    We found that class rank unnecessarily increased competition within our schools, subsequently increasing stress and anxiety among our students. It also deterred many students from choosing courses based on their interests or those in line with their career aspirations, because they instead chose courses that could improve their rank.

    Furthermore, we found that rank does not always accurately reflect our students’ high levels of achievement. Rather, our students’ levels of achievement are more equitably and fully communicated through multiple measures rather than a single figure transcript statistic. This is supported by data we collected from 90+ college and university admissions officers representing institutions most frequently attended by LRHSD students. Fewer than five of the nearly 100 institutions we reached out to require class rank. The majority of institutions we polled most heavily weigh the following criteria: GPA, rigor of high school courses, SAT/ACT scores, and the holistic scoring of an applicant.

    While there is a movement on the part of both high schools and institutions of higher education to deemphasize class rank, we recognize that there are limited circumstances where a college or university requires class rank. When such a circumstance arises, we will provide a student’s rank to that institution once the student and the parent/guardian complete a waiver. We will provide more information on this topic at the upcoming 8th Grade Parent Night. We encourage parents/guardians to attend 8th Grade Parent Night to learn more about the 9th grade course selection process, graduation requirements, and more important information to support your student’s success in the LRHSD.

    If you have any questions regarding class rank or 8th Grade Parent Night, please contact the Counseling Supervisor at your child’s respective high school.

    Sincerely,

    Heather Xenakis

    Director of Curriculum & Instruction