Class ranking policy questioned at Amherst Schools
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

The Amherst Central School District's class ranking policy has come under fire.

Albert Gilewicz, the father of an Amherst High School senior, told the Amherst School Board at last Tuesday's board meeting that he and other parents are filing an appeal to challenge the board's class ranking policy.

The portion of the policy in question regards juniors who finish their studies in three years, ranking them with the graduating senior class.

Gilewicz gave Superintendent Laura Chabe three requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act, asking the district to document its class ranking policy.

Gilewicz said he has requested formal documentation from the district regarding class ranking policy be sent to him by last Friday.

Superintendent Laura Chabe said on Tuesday that information about the district's class ranking policy and minutes from board meetings that discussed the topic was mailed to him on Thursday afternoon.

Board president Bill Blanford said the district's class ranking policy for at least the last 10 years is to rank students by whether they are graduating in three or four years. He said the district has never had a problem before.

Blanford said he is aware of two juniors who will be graduating in three years.

"We've asked our school attorneys to review past practices and didn't find any basis from attorney's findings to change our practice," said Blanford.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com