Assignments and Grading 20-21

Assignments over Weekends, Thanksgiving, December, February, and April Vacations: Guidelines
Weekend homework, including long weekends, must be limited to the equivalent of one typical weeknight’s worth of homework. Vacations are intended to provide relaxation and a break for everyone. In general, teachers should avoid assigning homework over vacations, but if a teacher thinks it is necessary, the following guidelines concern the timing of assignments over vacations. These guidelines are not meant to suggest that students should not do homework over vacation – they are meant to give students reasonable choices.

For minor or normal overnight assignments:
Issue these in a timely fashion so that students will reasonably be able to complete them without having to do the work over vacation.

For major or long-term assignments:
Allow enough time on either side of the vacation to allow students to reasonably and successfully complete the assignment without having to do the work over vacation by:

• Issuing the assignment at least one week before vacation OR
• Making the assignment due at least one week following the day of return from vacation

Posting of Assignments
All homework assignments and required materials must be assigned during a student's class period. It is not permitted to change entirely or increase a homework assignment after a class as ended. Modifications to the existing assignment must be made no later than 20 minutes after the last class period of the day.

All courses must post all homework assignments using the Schoology assignment module which adds the assignment to the calendar and the assignment must be included on the Schoology template. The template should be either a page within Schoology or a link to a Google document with the template at the top of the materials page. Although accompanying materials may be distributed in class, best practice is for all materials to be attached to the Schoology assignment template electronically, postings must inform students, parents, and advisors of the homework and upcoming tests and projects. Assignments should be posted on the day the assignment is due, not the day assigned, Assignments do not need to be collected in Schoology.

Code of Quiet
In order to encourage life balance and preserve the value of classroom communication, we promote a teacher-student "code of quiet" regarding school related computer communication after school hours.

Homework Effectiveness Communication
All homework-assigning teachers institute regular, anonymous check-ins regarding the quality, effectiveness, and duration of homework to create a dialogue between students and teachers regarding the value of and time spent of assignments.

Developed by the Council and approved by the Committee on Instruction. Approved by COI on June 8, 1989.

The maximum time for assignments, papers, tests and quizzes to be returned to students is six school days (Level I). The maximum time for large projects and reports is twelve school days (Level II). Long term in-depth research projects will have an alternative deadline that must be specified by the teacher at the beginning of the assignment. All assignments must be returned by the end of the school year. Teachers will define Level I and Level II assignments in their course outlines to aid students. If any student has a complaint about an assignment handed back outside the maximum time, it should be submitted to the Curriculum Committee of the Council.

Grading
Course Primary Objectives are the basis for grades in the school.

Missing Work

In order to maintain best grading practices, teachers will enter a zero into the official grade book of record for all missed assignments, including, projects, papers, test and quizzes, until the time when the missed assignment is completed and graded.

Course Grade

• Course grades are usually given at the end of the first and second semester for both semester-long and full-year courses.
• These grades are an independent grade reflecting the student’s overall achievement in meeting course objectives and are not necessarily an average of the preceding quarter grades.
• Only the teacher responsible for the course may alter a grade.
• Grades, once issued, may be appealed only within the succeeding academic quarter.
• A student who feels they have been graded unfairly should confer first with the teacher. If still dissatisfied, the student should take the complaint to the teacher’s immediate supervisor.

Grade Citations are short messages of commendation attached directly onto a student's transcript. A teacher awards citations only "when a student's work is sufficiently distinguished to merit special recognition." (Citation Report form, Dartmouth College) Citations are never negative. They indicate specifically what the student did to deserve the citation. They can be given to students with grades other than "A.” A citation is only for truly outstanding work, and it is given out only in exceptional circumstances to ensure its value, weight, and importance. Citations will be initiated by the teacher and approved by the department.

Report Card Distribution
Passed by Council, December 6, 2013
Parents along with students, at the end of each quarter, will be notified that grades have been finalized on the portal via the Principal’s Weekly newsletter and if the student or parent wishes a printed report card they will take it upon themselves to print it.

Pass/Fail Option Grading Option
Students may take a maximum of two courses P/F between the beginning of their junior year and their graduation. They may take only one course per subject area in this manner.

• Class lists received by teachers will not distinguish between students taking courses for grades and those using P/F. A list of students taking courses P/F will be available in the Counseling Office, and, if teachers wish, they may refer to this list.
• Students must register for P/F through the Counseling Office at which time the student must:
• Meet with their counselor to discuss the benefits and risks of the P/F option.
• Submit a Request Form that is signed by a parent.
• Students must register for the P/F option within the first five days of the beginning of the course (Sept. or January) that they intend to take pass/fail and have until the end of the fourth week to drop the P/F option.
• The P/F grade will be factored into a student’s GPA only if the student receives a failing grade.
• Pass/Fail will be available for all courses offered in the school.

Honor Roll
An academic honor roll is computed each quarter. All courses are included in honor computations. Students who received a grade point average of 3.8 or above are designated as High Honors. Students with a 3.5 to 3.79 average are designated as Honors students.

Interim Reports
Teachers frequently send home notifications when a student is performing exceptionally well or is not meeting course objectives. Hopefully parents will encourage a student who is not meeting expectations and alert the teacher if a student has a problem that needs special attention. The teacher is expected to notify the student before any note is sent home.

GPA
The Grade Point Average (GPA), which is based on a 4.0 scale, is calculated using unweighted grades. *Rank in class—School district policy states that students are not numerically ranked.

Grade	1 Credit	1/2 Credit
A	4.00	2.00
A-	3.67	1.84
B+	3.3333	1.66
B	3.0	1.5
B-	2.67	1.34
C+	2.3333	1.16
C	2.0	1.0
C-	1.67	.84
D+	1.3333	.66
D	1.0	.50