Grading

You will be able to access grades using Sapphire Community Web Portal. In school, your child will create their account and learn how to access this. Parents should already have an account created and be able to view grades as they post. 

Many classwork assignments turn into homework assignments for some students; I am noting the difference in the gradebook with a HW (homework) and CW (classwork). The Homework + Classwork category is strictly a completion grade. When grading for accuracy/understanding of a skill, you'll see the assignment repeated in another category.

The 2, 1, 0 scale is used for many different reasons. If you see something worth 2 points, that is the scale I used. 

• • For homework/classwork completion 2 = turned in on time, 1 = turned in a day late, 0 = not turned in on time

  • For skills/library 2 = followed all directions, 1 = missed directions, 0 = did not follow directions

  • For assessments 2 = correct, 1 = some parts are correct, 0 = incorrect

Points for assignments are determined based on skills and expectations - You'll see some assignments graded with a 2-point scale. Other assignments will be assigned points based on expectations for the assignment. The criteria will be shared with the students in class. I also plan on noting the criteria in the Portal to start the year.  

Assessments will be the traditional quiz/test grades, projects, and writing assignments. Anything that assesses a student's level of understanding falls into this category. 

Blank grades (+ in portal) mean I did not grade the assignment yet. Zeros mean your child has not turned in the assignment yet. If an assignment is excused, you'll see an "ex" which means it will not hurt/help the grade. When a student is absent from class, I enter "abs" and will change it to the grade when they get caught up.

Self-advocacy skills become essential in middle school. Please encourage your child to talk to me if they have a question regarding their grade. I'm human, so I do make mistakes. Don't hesitate to reach out if they ask me and it still doesn't make sense. I'm here to help!