European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 26, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday. February 26. 1990 the stars and stripes education Dodds still wrestles with grading plan by Dave w  staff writer Wiesbaden. West Germany it seemed so simple Hack in May when overseas schools officials announced a new grading plan. Students taking advanced courses would receive grades rated one full Point above those Given to students taking regular courses. But nine months later top school officials in Washington Are still wrestling with details of the system. And a leading official said it will be at least three weeks before anyone in the school system will Sec the new grading system in place. There Are quite a few questions coming in from the  said Bart Lagomarsino. The school system s Dep Uty director in Washington. We re dealing with the nitty Pritty of those questions right now those questions include whether department of defense dependents schools will accept weighted grades from students coming from other schools and whether weighted grades should be used to determine class ranking and a school s valedictorian. Moreover the schools arc asking How their computer software can be revised to accommodate weighted grades into report card printouts. Lagomarsino said that Dodds has Seten Jear old Anna Morales is happily Dunn the playground slide at cirs classroom close up sen elementary school in West Ger Many As one of her classmates follows Rich behind her. Anna is in the first tirade at tin school. Decided to recognize All weighted grades from incoming students. Weighted grades will count in class ranking beginning with the graduating class of 1993, which is in the ninth Grade this year. And plans Are being made to reprogram the schools computer software to accommodate weighted grades by the time final report cards arc issued in june. There Are also other questions about weighted grades. Not All stateside school districts use weighted grades and others have discarded the practice. It s a Sticky Issue said Dean Wiles who Heads the Germany re Gion s education division. There Are Many ways of weighting grades. And we be found that of the kids coming into Dodds Only 5 percent arrive with weighted grades on their Tran  under the plan outlined by school system director John sir ample last May students enrolled in honors or advanced placement courses would receive one extra Grade Point. For exam ple students enrolled in loth Grade honors English would receive five Points for an a four Points for a b and three Points for a c. Students enrolled in regular i Din Grade English would receive four Points for an a three Points fora band two Points for a c. Stremple said the weighted grades would appear on student transcripts sent to colleges and universities. Some parents have expressed dismay Over the delay in Dodds. My daughter Jessica is taking these honors courses and doing a tremendous amount of work and not get Ling recognition Roberta Carle said. They said they would have the weighted grades in place for this year. I was delighted when it was going through then shocked that it was t going on. Why Are they doing this to the kids Nancv Moscov whose daughter. De Borah attends Gen. . Arnold High school in Wiesbaden said the weighted grades should be considered in compiling Grade Point averages and determining the school s valedictorian. If they re going to have weighted grades they should have a totally weighted system Moscip said. Dodds senior takes student concerns to the top by Jimi Jones education writer Ramstein a West Cic Many High school senior Jenna sturdy car Ries a heavy Load in addition 10 her school Load. As the Only student member of the advisory Council on dependents Edu cation she represents the More than 150,000 students in department of defense dependents schools world wide. Stordy. The daughter of chief master sgt. Doug and Linda Stordy of Ramstein a. Was selected from 15 applicants from the five Dodds regions. Her first experience on the Council came last month when the group assembled for a two Day meeting in Washington . The 12-Membcr Council established in 1978. Meets three times a year. It Ives recommendations to the Podix director on general operation policies for the military s school system. It also seeks to increase participation of parents teachers students school administrators and Servic members. This is Only the second year the Council has included a student last year s student was from in Ciurlik a. Turkey so Stordy had Little guidance about her role. I did t really know quite what to  the 18-year-old said. They just put me on the plane and waved. I did t understand the level it was on until i was walking Down the Hall in the Pentagon looking into the Secretary of defense s office. I was overwhelm  at first she was intimidated. But. By afternoon on her first Day she d relaxed enough to offer her input on some student oriented issues. Issues such As weighted grades and advanced placement programs which concern Stordy and Many of her fellow students were on the Agenda and that gave Stordy the perfect Opportunity to speak up after a morning of administrative Mambo  she said. The weighted grades program allows grades earned in advanced placement or honors classes to be put on College transcripts. However it docs not help the students Dodds Grade Point averages. Advanced placement students in Dodds Are working harder at More difficult courses but not really get Ting any More credit for it Stordy said. And overseas she said we Don t get the scholarship availability that the kids in the states  some local scholarships exist but advanced place me Grade Point averages under the weighted grades system often arc not As impressive As those earned taking regular courses. When we apply for local scholarships we miss  Stordy said. The Council generally reacted positively to her contributions. They re trying to offer an advanced placement program to All schools she said. And. Now that she s comfortable with her appointment she s eager for other school councils parents and teachers to Contact her with issues she can take to the Council. It meets again in april in i Isa. Italy. In the meantime. Stordy is gathering material from Dodds student councils throughout Europe on issues or problems that exist in those schools. And she wants More schools to know she s there for them. I m hoping that we re going to hear from schools All Over. They have a great Opportunity that they Don t know they  before the Council meets in Pisa Stordy will visit elementary and High schools at Vincnza and Avian. Not to evaluate she said but to sit in on classes and observe Ocram Stordy thinks Dodds schools Are relatively free of major problems. Every school has its own Little nit Picky problems not enough teachers space problems. But Overall the opinion is positive. We be got some pretty Strong kids out  those interested in contacting Stordy can write to her at Ramstein High school Apo 09094-0005. S4& Lynd div Kuton Jenna Stordy