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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 11-22 WA Amending the GK-G6 Grade Reporting and Assesment Policy WESTLAKE ACADEMY RESOLUTION NO. 11-22 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF WESTLAKE ACADEMY AMENDING THE BOT POLICY MANUAL PERTAINING PRIMARY (K-G6) ASSESSMENT AND GRADE REPORTING. WHEREAS, the Westlake Academy Board of Trustees has considered the proposed policy amendment on September 12, 2011, pertaining to Primary Assessment and Reporting; and WHEREAS, the Westlake Academy Board of Trustees finds that this policy will enhance student achievement by assisting all members of the school community to understand and use educational assessment in a consistent and successful way; and WHEREAS, the Westlake Academy Board of Trustees finds that the passage of this Resolution is in the best interests of the Academy. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF WESTLAKE ACADEMY: SECTION 1: That, all matters stated in the recitals hereinabove are found to be true and correct and are incorporated herein by reference as if copied in their entirety. SECTION 2: That the Board of Trustees of Westlake Academy hereby adopts the proposed policy related to Primary (K-G6) Assessment and Grade Reporting I0-05 which is attached as Exhibit A to this resolution. SECTION 3: If any portion of this Resolution shall, for any reason, be declared invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity shall not affect the remaining provisions hereof and the Board hereby determines that it would have adopted this Resolution without the invalid provision. Resolution 11-22 Pagel of 8 SECTION 4: That this resolution shall become effective from and after its date of passage. PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF WESTLAKE ACADEMY, A CHARTER SCHOOL OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, ON THE 3rd DAY OF OCTOBER 2011. zur h � Laura Wheat, President ATTEST: Kelly Edwarhs, Board Secretary Thomas E. B u endent APPROV `iA f L. Manton L wry Janet'S. Bubert, School Attorney Resolution 11-22 Page 2of8 Exhibit A TOWN OF WESTLAKE WESTLAKE ACADEMY BOARD OF TRUSTEES POLICY Policy No. 10-05: Date Board Adopted: April 5, 2010 Date Board Amended: October 3, 2011 Effective Date: October 3, 2011 Policy Category: Student Achievement Policy Name: Primary (K-G6) Assessment and Grade Reporting Policy Goal: Definition and Transparency in the Primary (K-G6) Student Assessment and Grading Policy Policy Description: The purpose of this assessment policy is to help all members of the school community understand and use educational assessment in a consistent and successful way. Our goal is to create a community that embraces assessment as a valuable and essential part of the learning cycle. 1) Our Purposes for Using Assessment a) For learners, assessment does the following: i) Promotes efficient learning by focusing the student's attention on what is important ii) Promotes understanding and life-long learning iii) Promotes self-evaluation and self-monitoring by the use of well-defined expectations and criteria iv) Motivates learning by communicating progress concerning what a student knows and is able to do v) Helps understand how school learning relates to present world and future goals. b) For teachers, assessment does the following: i) Provides formative and summative data about student learning ii) Provides diagnostic data to improve learning Resolution 11-22 Page 3 of 9 iii) Assists instructional planning by providing informed feedback iv) Helps to determine teaching effectiveness - what approaches and methods work v) Helps to determine whether the program is achieving desired goals (program accountability) vi) Is a tool for communicating to others c) For administrators, assessment does the following: i) Assists in determining the effectiveness of programs ii) Assists in determining school and grade-level learning goals Iii) Assists in allocation of resources, including professional development iv) Monitors student achievement and supports student learning d) For parents, assessment does the following: i) Provides formative and summative data about student learning and attainment. ii) Provides information about the child's learning experience in school. iii) Provides information about future educational opportunities. iv) Helps provide information of the strengths and weaknesses of both the instructional program and the individual learner. In consideration of the need to establish relevant and comprehensive grade reporting and assessment policies for the student body of Westlake Academy, the following numerical grades will be utilized by the Staff to indicate academic performance with regard to critical concepts, content and skills on primary report cards. Grade 4 Meets with Excellence Grade 3 Meets with Proficiency Grade 2 Developing Proficiency Independently Grade 1 Requires Support to Meet Proficiency In addition to the abovementioned, the following descriptors and rubric will be utilized by the Staff to indicate academic performance with regard to higher order, conceptual understanding. These descriptors and rubric will be used to indicate the level of understanding for each of the six grade level units of inquiry that are implemented each academic year. Primary Report Unit of Inquiry Descriptors for Understanding K-3 Accomplished. ■ Interprets information (data, ideas, or concepts) accurately, appropriately, and in-depth in a variety of contexts Resolution It-22 Page 4 of 8 • Applies formulas, procedures, principles, or themes accurately, appropriately, and/or creatively in a variety of contexts • Explains—accurately and thoroughly—possibly using multiple solutions, positions, or perspectives that balance opposing points of view • Creates a detailed conclusion or complete solution that is well-supported, logically consistent, and often unique ■ Integrates ideas or develops solutions that are clear, coherent, and cohesive ■ Reflects independently and thoughtfully by using supporting details and examples. Uses the reflective process to set goals and targets. ■ Perceives and approaches problems in a number of different ways, often exhibiting clever, unique or unusual ideas. Competent/Consolidating: • Presents information (data, ideas, or concepts) accurately and appropriately in familiar contexts • Applies formulas, procedures, principles, or themes accurately and appropriately in familiar contexts ■ Describes a solution, position, or perspective accurately ■ Organizes a conclusion or solution that is complete, logical, and consistent with evidence presented ■ Connects ideas or develops solutions in a clear and coherent order ■ Reflects thoughtfully by using some supporting details and examples. Uses the reflective process to set general goals. Developing: • Reports information (data, ideas, or concepts) in familiar contexts with minor inaccuracies, irrelevancies, or omissions • Uses appropriate formulas, procedures, principles, or themes in familiar contexts with only minor inaccuracies ■ Identifies a simple solution or a perspective with only minor inaccuracies ■ Offers an abbreviated conclusion or simple solution that is mostly consistent with the evidence presented, with minor inconsistencies or omissions ■ Arranges ideas or solutions into a simple pattern ■ Reflects thoughtfully with some assistance. Beginning/Novice: ■ Copies information (data, ideas, or concepts) ■ Labels formulas, procedures, principles, or themes ■ Names a single solution, position, or perspective ■ Attempts a conclusion or solution that is consistent with evidence presented ■ Lists ideas or expresses solutions in a fragmentary/random manner ■ Reflects with support and assistance Primary Report Unit of Inquiry Descriptors for Understanding Grades 4-6 Resolution 11-22 Page 5 of 8 Accomplished: • Interprets information (data, ideas, or concepts) accurately, appropriately, and in-depth in a variety of contexts • Applies formulas, procedures, principles, or themes accurately, appropriately, and/or creatively in a variety of contexts • Explains—accurately and thoroughly—multiple solutions, positions, or perspectives that balance opposing points of view • Creates a detailed conclusion or complex solution that is complete, well- supported, logically consistent, and often unique • Integrates ideas or develops solutions that are exceptionally clear, coherent, and cohesive • Reflects independently and thoughtfully by using supporting details and examples. Uses the reflective process to set goals and targets. • Perceives and approaches problems in a number of different ways, often exhibiting clever, unique or unusual ideas. Competent/Consolidating: • Presents information (data, ideas, or concepts) accurately and appropriately in familiar contexts • Applies formulas, procedures, principles, or themes accurately and appropriately in familiar contexts ■ Describes two or more solutions, positions, or perspectives accurately ■ Organizes a conclusion or solution that is complete, logical, and consistent with evidence presented ■ Connects ideas or develops solutions in a clear and coherent order ■ Reflects thoughtfully by using some supporting details and examples. Uses the reflective process to set general goal Developing: • Reports information (data, ideas, or concepts) in familiar contexts with minor inaccuracies, irrelevancies, or omissions • Uses appropriate formulas, procedures, principles, or themes in familiar contexts with only minor inaccuracies • Identifies simple solutions, over-simplified positions, or perspectives with only minor inaccuracies • Offers an abbreviated conclusion or simple solution that is mostly consistent with the evidence presented, with minor inconsistencies or omissions ■ Arranges ideas or solutions into a simple pattern ■ Reflects thoughtfully with some assistance Beginning/Novice: ■ Copies information (data, ideas, or concepts) ■ Labels formulas, procedures, principles, or themes ■ Names a single solution, position, or perspective Resolution 11-22 Page 6 of 8 ■ Attempts a conclusion or solution that is consistent with evidence presented ■ Lists ideas or expresses solutions in a fragmentary/random manner ■ Reflects with support and assistance Staff will administer a variety of authentic assessments to measure student understanding and progress throughout the year IBPYP Attitudes — Students, in collaboration with teachers, will assign a letter indicator to at least six (6) IBPYP Attitudes per quarter to communicate the following: C = I practice consistently the following attitudes W = I am working on the following attitudes The IBPYP Attitudes are as follows: • Appreciation: appreciating the wonder and beauty of the world and its people • Commitment: being committed to their learning, preserving and showing self- discipline and responsibility • Confidence: feeling confident in their ability as learners, having the courage to take risks, applying what they have learned and making appropriate decisions • Cooperation: cooperating, collaborating and leading or following as the situation demands • Creativity: being creative and imaginative in their thinking and in their approach to problems and dilemmas • Curiosity: being curious about the nature of learning and the world, its people and cultures • Empathy: imaginatively projecting themselves into another's situation, in order to understand his/her thoughts, reasoning and emotions • Enthusiasm: enjoying learning • Independence: thinking and acting independently, making their own judgments based on reasoned principles and being able to defend their judgments • Integrity: having integrity and a firm sense of fairness and honesty • Respect: respecting themselves, others and the world around them • Tolerance: feeling sensitivity towards differences and diversity in the world and being responsive to the needs of others Resolution 11-22 Page 7 of 8 Specialist Grades — Specialist Teachers (Ark, Strings, P.E., Music, and Spanish) will grade according to discipline specific criteria. Each of the aforementioned categories will be graded utilizing the following indicators: Grade 4 Meets with Excellence Grade 3 Meets with Proficiency Grade 2 Developing Proficiency Independently Grade 1 Requires Support to Meet Proficiency Report Cards - Westlake Academy will send home two (2) primary report cards each year. The report cards will be sent home in December and May of each year. Parent-Student-Teacher-Meetings — Staff will conduct two (2) parent/student/teacher conferences per year. One (1) will be a goal-setting conference and one will be a student-led conference - in semester two (2). This will allow parents/students to meet with teachers to discuss their child's progress, and, in the case of student-led conferences, witness the demonstration of understanding firsthand. Additional concerns will be addressed at individually scheduled conferences available at any time during the school year. In addition to the above meetings parents and students will be invited to attend conferences at the beginning of October to know how their son or daughter has settled into their new class. Conferences reporting student achievements will be held at anytime throughout the year and will be on a needs basis. Conferences are requested by parents and teachers. Resolution 11-22 Page 8 of 8