Good Afternoon

Since August, we’ve been encouraging students to take an active role in understanding their progress by initiating conversations with their teachers whenever they feel uncertain about their standing in any class. As you may have noticed, PowerSchool reflects evidence of student learning, but it does not display an averaged grade. This means students need to directly engage with their teachers to understand their current level of learning.

With the end of the semester quickly approaching, now is an ideal time to remind your child of the strategies we’ve suggested:

1. Shift the conversation focus.
   Encourage them to ask:

   • “Where can I improve?”

   • “How can I continue to grow?”
     Instead of the less constructive, “What’s my grade?”

2. Request specific feedback.
   General responses like “You’re doing fine” or “Keep it up” are positive but not actionable. Students should seek clarity about:

   • Specific learning targets or standards.

   • Reporting categories or rubrics.

   • They should not leave the conversation until they have a clear understanding of what steps they can take to improve.

We have 1 normal week & 1 Assessment week left in the semester, with evidence being collected through December 19. There are still opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning during this time.

Educational experts such as Dr. Thomas Guskey, Dr. Lorin Anderson, and Ken O’Connor highlight the importance of these student-teacher conversations. They are critical to student success, ensuring alignment between student efforts and teacher expectations.

Snow Day Prep - As we start to move into some chillier weather, we wanted to remind you of our process regarding Snow Days.  If we are notified “last-minute,” there will be no learning expectations set for your children that day.  If we have advanced notice and/or if the snow day extends to multiple days, then you could expect the following:

• Online learning day from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. following the regular day schedule. 

• Teachers will post assignments and instructions on Google Classroom by 10:00 a.m., designed for students to work independently at their own pace or synchronously with the teacher present via Google Meet.

• During their assigned teaching blocks, teachers will be available online to provide one-on-one support through email, Google Meet, or chat.

We recognize that not all families may be in a position to participate fully in online learning due to potential outages. Please prioritize your child’s well-being, and know that our counselors are available via email for support if needed.

HS Learning Series - Join us for our upcoming HS Learning Series (Wednesday, December 11 @ 8:15 a.m.), focusing on Assessment Purpose. This session will explore how purpose-driven assessment can enhance student learning by providing meaningful feedback, fostering growth, and emphasizing the development of essential skills. Discover practical strategies to ensure assessments are not just a measure of performance but a tool for empowering students to take ownership of their learning journey.

HS Assessment Week Bussing - If you have a child who regularly rides the bus and would like them to have access to this during assessment week (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday / December 15-18), please take a moment to fill out the Assessment Week Bussing Form prior to Monday, December 9 @ 12:00 p.m.  Please note that students will have a supervised space for them to be in the event that they would like to take the regular bus home at 3:10.