First, I want to thank students for their efforts with Remote Learning and parents/guardians for their support during this challenging time. Our teachers report that the majority of students are engaged in their learning and completing assignments, which is great news, especially because we recognize that these are stressful times, and many students are having to learn in new ways.
With just a few weeks of Remote Learning left in the school year, I want to share some information about the end of the school year, including how semester grades will be assigned, details about Incomplete grades, and returning/retrieving items to/from the school. In addition to my earlier communication which also can be found here, please take a few minutes to read through the Questions and Answers below.
Also, I want to reiterate that while many students and families are worried about grades, what we have always said here at North is that the most important thing is the learning. This is especially true right now. While it might be tempting for a student to do just enough work to keep the grade they were earning before Remote Learning, in the long run this is not a good decision. Many of our courses build on previous course’s learning, and students who are not learning what they need to now might see an impact on future learning and grades. Also, research shows that an average student experiences what is called a “summer slide” - a decrease in academic skills because the student had not been engaging in school work for several months. Imagine what the decrease will be if students aren’t properly engaging in school work for an extra two and a half months! Therefore, I encourage all students to finish this year strong by staying fully engaged in their schoolwork, and I ask parents/guardians for their support as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read this rather long document; hopefully it answers most of your questions. We’ll be sending additional information about senior events in the next week. If you have other questions, don’t hesitate to email me at jschwarze@csd99.org.
Best wishes as you navigate the next several weeks of continued “Shelter in Place.” Take care and stay healthy!
Janice Schwarze
Principal
Questions and Answers
Q: When is the last day of Remote Learning?
A: Remote Learning for seniors who are passing their classes will end on May 15. Remote Learning for 9th-11th graders and any senior who is failing a class will end on May 19.
Q: Will there be final exams?
A: Final exams will not be given as they traditionally have been administered. While there might be some classes where a cumulative assessment is given, any such assessment will not carry the weight of a final exam, and there will be no final exam schedule.
Q: Can a student’s semester grade be impacted by Remote Learning?
A: If a student has been sufficiently engaged throughout Remote Learning, the student’s semester grade can go up but not down. During Remote Learning, teachers will continue to enter grades into Home Access Center. For some students, this might mean that a grade will drop; for others, the grade might rise. If a student’s grade has risen at the end of the semester, that is the grade the student will receive for the semester grade. If a student’s grade has dropped because of assignments during remote learning, the grade will revert back to what it was without the remote learning grades.
Q: What would cause a student to earn an Incomplete grade instead of a passing grade for the semester?
A: If a student hasn’t been sufficiently engaged in Remote Learning and/or has not demonstrated an understanding of essential learning in the course, a student will be assigned an Incomplete grade for the semester and will not earn credit for the course until the work has been completed in a way that demonstrates mastery of the learning. Since the number and types of assignments vary from course to course just as they did when we were in school physically, there is not a universal number of assignments that must be completed in order to earn a passing grade. Teachers will collaborate with their colleagues to determine the baseline for passing grades.
Q: How do students and families know if a student is in danger of earning an incomplete for the course?
A: There are actually several warning signs:
- Each Friday, teachers take attendance based on engagement for the week. If students have been sufficiently engaged in the work for that week, they are marked present. If they have not, then they are marked absent. Therefore, any student who has been marked absent on a Friday should interpret that as a warning of an Incomplete grade.
- Students who are earning a D or F in the course (either prior to Remote Learning began or currently) are in danger of earning an Incomplete.
- Between May 4 and May 11, teachers will notify a student and family if the student is in danger of earning an Incomplete grade.
Q: What should a student do to ensure they do not receive an Incomplete grade?
A: Most importantly, students should complete their assignments each week. If they have questions, they should contact their teachers for help. If they need additional help, they should contact their counselor.
Q: What happens when a student gets an Incomplete grade?
A: The student will be expected to make up the work. Teachers will complete and share a form that outlines the deficient skills and assignments to be completed. Students who do not complete their work on their own might receive one or more of the following consequences:
- Assigned to a 2nd Semester Online Summer School Resource Class
- Assigned to a resource center during a free period once in-school learning resumes
- A schedule change for next year due to having to take the retake the course or not meeting the prerequisite for the next level of a course
- Withdrawal grade
Q: When can a student retrieve items from lockers and return school materials?
A: We are finalizing procedures that will align with the Governor’s Executive Order of Shelter in Place and will communicate that information to students and families in the next few weeks. Any student who needs something from a locker now in order to complete schoolwork for this semester should email Ms. Schwarze at jschwarze@csd99.org.
Q: How do I get my student’s medication from the Nurse’s office?
A: We are finalizing procedures that will align with the Governor’s Executive Order of Shelter in Place and will communicate that information to students and families in the next few weeks.