New AP grade policy approved at Cloverdale Schools

CLOVERDALE — An effort for Advanced Placement (AP) courses to have a greater impact on grade point averages, a new policy for weighing grades as such is being adopted at Cloverdale Schools.

Cloverdale High School Principal Sonny Stoltz advocated to the Cloverdale School Board on Monday that with AP and dual-credit courses not having the same level of difficulty, the changes are to better account for students’ successes taking the former.

Stoltz referenced students opting for dual-credit courses over AP ones to accrue the same GPA points. He provided that this dilutes the ranking of students who commit to the rigors AP courses demand, notwithstanding the final tests which they take.

“This is where we’re starting to see kids, ‘Why do I wanna take AP Physics? I can take this course and get the same amount of points,’” Stoltz said about how they count now. “So we’re seeing that jostling around.”

The new policy, which will come into effect with the class of 2027, denotes that dual-credit courses through Ivy Tech will add half a point to GPAs, while any AP courses and those through the Advance College Project (ACP) program at Indiana University will add one. Meanwhile, summer and online courses would not be weighted.

With him and school counselor Sara Howard wanting the policy flexible, Stolz suggested that much of the impetus is to encourage more students to take AP classes. He noted as such that they sought and have support from the high school’s AP and Leader in Me teachers.

“We know they’re all important, but we’re looking at it in a fair way to really help those students at the top who are really working hard,” Stoltz said. “We also want those students who want the challenge to take those kinds of classes.”

Having been a proctor for these tests, Board President Vivian Whitaker queried whether students who take AP courses online could get the full credit. With acknowledging that being in the class is different, Howard responded that taking final tests has to be approved by the teachers.

“I know it’s really hard on their test to get that 5, to get the credit for it,” Whitaker said. She brought up an anecdote of knowing two “really bright kids” who have taken them online.

“It’s not perfect, but we’re moving in the right direction,” Stoltz said finally for his part before the board’s approval.

“It seems to be a fairly solid plan moving forward, and I just appreciate the time that you guys spent putting that together,” Supt. Greg Linton commented after the approval.

In other business:

• The board heard from Beva Miller and Tia Kirchner of the Putnam County Health Department regarding health and wellness needs for the 2023-24 school year.

As the department’s school liaison, Miller presented new standards which came out May 30 and said she was available to assist with screenings. Meanwhile, as the department’s medical office manager, Kirchner brought up offering its mobile vaccination unit.

“Our vaccination rate at Cloverdale is as high as it’s ever been,” Linton noted with a question from Whitaker about potential resistance to mandatory school vaccines. “We’re in much better shape than just three years ago.”

• The board approved stipends for executive secretaries for next school year. Linton noted that with the resignation of Darlene Bousman as such, the stipends are to be applied instead of filling Bousman’s spot.

“I want to thank you and Mindy and Lynn for stepping up to the plate,” Whitaker said before the vote as to the commitments of Sara Zaring, Mindy Shrout and Lynn Lotz in their duties.

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• Resignations: Alexis Schussler - CHS math teacher; Darlene Bousman - executive secretary; and Rhonda Trueblood - CES instructional assistant;

• Employment: Jill Schreiber - CMS special education teacher; Grace Leonard - CES special education medical instructional assistant; Camille Garcia - CES instructional assistant; Michaela Marcum - Knoy Resource Center; Larry Teall - part-time transportation; Gary Thomas - bus driver; Tyce Jackson - CHS assistant football coach; Mark McCammon - CMS assistant football coach; and Kimmy Schroer - seventh-grade volleyball coach.

With Emily Haltom absent, Zaring joined Linton, Whitaker and the rest of the board at the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Cloverdale School Board is set for Monday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Office near Cloverdale High School.