Combs High unveils 'Coyotes of Distinction' recognition program; board asks for flexibility for diverse student paths
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Summary
High school staff presented a three‑tier 'Coyotes of Distinction' recognition program tied to CCRI and school-satisfaction measures; board members urged flexibility so the rubric does not exclude students on nontraditional pathways and staff said counselors will have leeway and SchoolLinks will track participation.
Combs High School staff presented a new 'Coyotes of Distinction' recognition program designed to recognize student engagement and preparedness across three levels — bronze, silver and gold — and connected to the district’s CCRI (college and career readiness indicator) objectives.
Program leads said bronze requires foundational items (ECAP completion, participation in Coyote Connect or two years in a club/CTE/foreign language), silver adds benchmarks such as ASVAB participation and FAFSA completion plus additional activities or experiences, and gold requires higher academic or experiential markers (AP/ACT/SAT thresholds, concurrent enrollment credits, community service or state officer roles). Staff noted counselors would have discretion to sign off on equivalent activities and that the district will track participation through SchoolLinks and paper forms in the interim.
During discussion a board member raised a concrete example: a highly accomplished senior who earned early university admission and scholarship — but did not take standardized tests or complete FAFSA — might not qualify under the rubric as written. Program staff responded that counselors may approve comparable activities and that the program is meant to be flexible over time; they also said the rollout is student‑led and subject to future revisions based on early feedback.
Board members also asked about staff time and practicality for tracking; staff acknowledged those concerns and said they will refine tracking and communications to students and families. The presentation is part of a broader curriculum discussion that included the K–5 ELA and world language adoption rubric; materials submitted in the adoption process will be publicly displayed next week and vendor presentations are planned for December and February first reads.
Next steps: staff will continue internal rollouts, share forms via SchoolLinks, and return with any recommended rubric changes based on user feedback and the first vendor review cycle.