Dear Parents,
As report card time grows near, it is important we remind you of some important factors regarding this process. The first and most important factor is that grades are issued based on a student’s performance and attainment of a particular standard. Therefore a student earning an ‘S’ or a ‘C’ is at grade level for that standard. In order to achieve higher than that, say an ‘O’ or an ‘A or B,’ a student must consistently demonstrate work and understanding above the grade level standard.
Additionally students who might receive S’s or O’s or A’s and B’s in one grade or subject area aren’t guaranteed they will always earn those same grades. Content changes and it does so dramatically moving from primary, grades TK-3rd, to secondary, grades 4-6th. It is important to remember that as content changes and as students move up in grade, complexity also changes as does the level of display of knowledge necessary to earn grades. Saying a student should earn a grade because they’ve always received them in the past would 1) not take into consideration those students who work to bring up their grades, nor 2) be like saying a student should always excel because they did so in pre-school. The important thing to remember is that grades are a snapshot in time as to where the student is performing right now. They are not permanent, meaning they could go down but more importantly, they could increase with the proper effort.
Many of us tell our students that each of us has different natural strengths or that certain weaknesses ‘run in the family.’ (ie “I wasn’t great at reading so I’m not surprised my student doesn’t do well,” or “My daughter is like me, I didn’t do well in math either.”) These types of generalities work against a more important reminder...Good grades take effort and some of us are going to have to work at things much harder than others...and that’s ok. Not all things will be easy for all people and not every student is an A student...and that’s ok as well.
Parents please remember, you have access to your child’s grades at any time through the Parent Portal. Should you need help to access this please contact our office and we can assist you with that process. Or if you ever have any questions about your student’s grades, you can also contact their teacher.
Finally, as report card time gets closer, help us to help your students be responsible and learn lessons important to them as they go through life, if they don’t like a grade they earned, (or if you don’t like a grade they earned) ask them, “What do you need to do to get a better grade next time?” and help them to develop a strategy to support their goal.
Most Sincerely,
Susan Helms, Principal