Grading and Behavior Policy

Grading Policies

Grading Categories (Grades 4th-8th)

Challenge to Excellence applies percentages to establish an evaluative outcome that accurately reflects the progress of each student. Each teacher’s expectations will be clearly stated at the beginning of each year. The standard grading categories are assigned as follows:

• 40% = Assessments

• 30% = Projects / Labs / Papers

• 30% = Classwork / Homework 

Late Work Policy

Late assignments in 6th-8th grades are marked 20% off if submitted 1-5 days late and 50% off if submitted more than 5 days late but before the corresponding unit is completed. If the assignment is not submitted before the end of the unit, there will be no credit awarded.

Classroom Behavior Policies

Students are expected to adhere to the behavior policies of C2E and DCSD. Be kind and be an example of the C2E PRIDE characteristics:

Perseverance - "Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries." -James A. Michener

Respect - "Tolerance implies a respect for another person, not because he is wrong or even because he is right, but because he is human." – John Cogley 

Integrity - “Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not. - Oprah Winfrey

Determination - “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” – Colin Powell

Empathy - “Whenever you feel like criticizing any one… just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald

School-Wide Behavior Policies:

At C2E, we believe that all children can act appropriately and responsibly when given modeling, guidance, and opportunity to practice and learn how to act. Our goal is to guide children through the problem-solving process as inappropriate behaviors arise. The DCSD Behavior Expectations are guidelines and standards for staff members and students to follow. C2E has its own set of expectations that meet or exceed DCSD standards. The goal of our discipline philosophy is to promote responsible and respectful student and adult behavior. If our school is to reflect the principles of the democratic society in which we live, it must provide students with freedom of choice for making responsible decisions as well as carefully defined limits that allow the school to be a safe and orderly place of learning. Students must have a clear understanding of what is expected, be taught those expectations, and know the logical consequences will follow both appropriate and inappropriate behavior.

Civility Policy

Members of Challenge to Excellence Administration, employees, and school volunteers will treat parents and other members of the public with respect and expect the same in return. The school is committed to maintaining orderly educational and administrative processes in keeping schools and administrative offices free from disruptions and preventing unauthorized persons from entering school grounds. This policy promotes:

• mutual respect

• civility

• orderly conduct among Challenge to Excellence employees, parents, and the public

This policy is not intended to deprive any person of his/her right to freedom of expression, but only to maintain, to the extent possible and reasonable, a safe, harassment-free workplace for our students and staff. In the interest of presenting Challenge to Excellence employees as positive role models to the children of this school, as well as the community, Challenge to Excellence encourages positive communication and discourages volatile, hostile or aggressive actions. Challenge to Excellence seeks public cooperation with this endeavor.

Disruptions

•  Any individual who disrupts or threatens to disrupt school/office operations; threatens the health and safety of students or staff; willfully causes property damage; uses loud and/or offensive language which could provoke a violent reaction; or who has otherwise established a continued pattern of unauthorized entry on school property, will be directed to leave school property promptly by the Principal or designee.

• If any member of the public uses obscenities or speaks in a demanding, loud, insulting and/or demeaning manner, the employee to whom the remarks are directed will calmly and politely admonish the speaker to communicate civilly. If corrective action is not taken by the abusing party, the school employee will verbally notify the abusing party that the meeting, conference or telephone conversation is terminated and, if the meeting or conference is on school premises, the offending person will be directed to leave promptly.

• If an individual refuses to leave upon request or returns before the appropriate period of time, the Principal or designee may notify law enforcement officials.

• If any individual abuses the privilege of communicating via e-mail, that privilege may be revoked by the Principal. Abuses are enumerated in paragraphs 1 and 2 but also include inappropriate use of the “copy to:” feature, excessive size, or frequency of email.

• In the event the Principal concludes that an individual has abused the privilege of communicating with staff via email, he/she will inform the abusing party in writing that all future communication will take place in writing and be transmitted through the Principal’s office via either email or the US Postal Service.