Dear Parents,
As a new year begins, modified grading practices will be implemented in the Math department at Guyer that are in line with the district’s published guidelines. It is important that you are aware of these changes from previous years so that you can more effectively encourage your child to perform at his or her highest potential. Keep in mind that these practices are meant to support, not hinder students in mastering the mathematical concepts that are deemed to be essential for success both this year and in future years.
Students will be given homework in nearly every math class because practice is critical for the brain to store information in long term memory. Therefore, homework will be monitored and recorded at the teacher’s discretion in the new “Formative” category in HAC. This category does not count towards a student’s overall grade, yet its importance cannot be overstated since it serves as a track record of preparation for major and minor assessments.
When students perform poorly on major summative assessments, they will be given the opportunity to reassess if they have completed all homework and minor assessments leading up to the major assessment on or before the day it is given. Assuming they meet this qualification, students will then be required to complete test corrections of the original assessment (including reflection on what they missed and why they missed it), additional practice problems relevant to what was missed to demonstrate new learning, and attend mandatory tutorials if their original assessment score was less than a 50. The maximum score a student may earn on a reassessment is a 90, therefore students only reassess if their original score was less than 90.
To reiterate the most important point, if students are not sufficiently preparing for a major assessment the first time through formative tasks (Homework, quizzes, etc.), they forfeit their chance to reassess.
We look forward to supporting your student as they make their trek through the jungles of high school mathematics, a major contributor to college and career success.
Sincerely,
The GHS Math Department