CADETS: some have asked what is the grading rubric for the planner.  This is impossible to say.  It varies based on what planner skill we've most recently addressed as they layer and layer upon each other.  That said, here is a list of "do these things" and you will always have a high planner score!!!

1. * A/B correctly noted in small print on Current and Future (C&F) Monthly pages (often messed up by cadets) only thing worse than having no A/b on the calendar is having the WRONG A/B on the calendar.

2. *A/B correctly noted in small print on C&F Weekly pages

3. *Skeleton templated out for the C&F Weeks (skeleton should be abbreviated, should have a box in the front to indicate status, and should allow for room for you to enter a diary entry once that block of time is complete).

4. *Diary entries are the short "what you did" in that class notes that you write next to skeleton items. E.g. your skeleton may have "[  ]BIO:".  After Biology class you would write your diary entry that is as descriptive as possible while being super concise, such as, "frog dssctn lab". 

5. *Monthly calendar should have more than just A/B.  It should have things that are significant, and or scheduled over time (like work, or football practice, or tae kwon do training), also, should have family and friends birthdays, trips, major/big assignments/tests, end of 9 weeks, exams, SAT, PSAT, holidays w/ no school, etc. 

6. *Homework list (HW List): a major portion of the grade.  This list should capture ALL the homework/assigned work you are given in a week! All of it.  Even if you're assigned a worksheet and you get it done in the class period it should be written down and then you color in the box as complete.  At the end of a week you should be able to look at the list and it pretty much describe the work load you accomplished...or at least, were assigned that week.  This translates into if I'm looking at a week from the past, a homework list with less than 7 items is 95% of the time either incomplete or to generalized (they didn't break assignments into 30min chunks.) If i'm looking at a week while in the middle of that week...say on a wednesday of a current week, I would expect there to be 4+ items for sure. Again, the HW List is weighted heavy and one of the primary purposes of your planner.

7. *To Do List.  Your TD list is separate from your HW list.  The TD list has the same # of items tendencies as your HW list (7+ items at end of week, 4+ items at midweek).  The TD list is a struggle for many cadets.  It's easier if you think of it as ALL the other things I NEED to do, WANT to do, and PLAN to do that are not school work.  So, i've seen this list 20+ for some cadets even.  Things like, [  ]plan movie with Danny, [  ]ask Shelly to Military Ball, [   ] ask mom for $25 for movies this Fri, [  ]clean up the laundry rm for mom w/o her asking (do this before asking for $), [   ]ask work for day off on Sat 10/2 Tiger Challenge, etc. 

If you get the above right and keep it up, you will find that this is a very easy grade that will be extremely beneficial and stress-reducing for you. Think Win Win!