Students who achieve high As of 98 to 100 will be able to to receive an A-plus in a class. Board member Mark Morris said he would worried this could deter students from taking Advanced Placement classes in hopes of achieving a higher grade in a less academically rigorous class. However, he voted for the new scale after two other recommendations failed.
The new grading scale, the third option presented, barely passed, though all board members agreed the old scale needed to be changed. Sharon Ko and Balena Shorter voted against it, and Jerome Kearns, Mark Morris and Dan Murray voted in favor.
The first option was similar to the approved scale, with pluses and minuses, but the scale maxed out at a 4.0 for 93-100 grades. The failing grade in that scale was at a 60 percent, 3 percentage points below the approved scale.
The board also considered a 10-point scale, with a 90-100 earning an A. Some were worried this scale would deter students from striving for high grades. “I believe there’s a difference between a 90 and a 98 (percent),” Kearns said, explaining there needs to be an incentive to achieve higher grades.
The new scale will go into effect immediately.
The school board also awarded a three-year contract to Paul Otten, assistant superintendent, to replace Cathy Milligan, who is retiring July 31. Otten, who will start Aug. 1, will make $125,000 annually. He has worked at Fairfield schools since 1997 and previously held teacher and principal positions.
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