Academic Policies

Academic Policies for Grade 4

St. Augustine School students receive a rigorous education that continuously challenges them to achieve higher levels of learning. The instruction is centered around forming the whole person as both saints and scholars, with a focus on both morals and academics. Students learn about acceptance, forgiveness, outreach and giving, as well as what it means to be a loving faith-filled member of a community. Students earn academic grades that are not awarded solely on the basis of test results alone. Classwork, homework, class participation, and independent projects collectively determine a child’s grade.

In grade 4, students become acclimated to a more traditionally structured learning environment. Learning at this level involves project-based assignments as well as more formal instruction and assessment. I will conduct regular progress monitoring to keep students on the path to academic achievement. This includes a weekly folder with graded papers sent home for parent review and signature and grades posted on Google Classroom.

All work is considered either large, medium, or small:

Large: 50% of total grade. Examples include: long term projects, tests, detailed/complex writing pieces.

Medium: 35% of total grade. Examples include: quizzes and small projects or writing assignments.

Small: 15% of total grade. Examples include: daily homework, classwork, entrance/exit tickets, short quizzes, participation.

The grading scale is as follows:

A+ 100-97

A 96-93

A- 92-90

B+ 89-87

B 86-83

B- 82-80

C+ 79-77

C 76-73

C- 72-70

D+ 69-67

D 66-63

D- 62-60

F 59-0

Late Work

Homework must be submitted on the day it is due. If homework is not completed by the due date, the student will work on it during recess time. When a student is absent from school, classwork and homework must be made up in a timely manner. I will allow sufficient time for students to complete necessary assignments, but it is the responsibility of the student to obtain the assignments from their teacher(s) on the day of their return and complete the missing assignment(s) according to the agreed-upon timetable.

Students may not call home for forgotten assignments, and parents may not deliver homework to the classroom. Forgotten homework brought to the school main office during the day will still be considered late.

Homework will not be given in advance to students who are missing school for an unexcused absence such as a family vacation or sporting event.

Homework Policy

Homework is the extension and application of learning in school and continued at home. Students at St. Augustine School are expected to turn in their assignments on time and to complete them to the best of their ability.

Homework that is properly designed is constructive in the learning process and will reinforce classroom instruction. To accomplish this, cooperation between parents and teachers is essential. Students are responsible for writing down and keeping track of their various assignments. Homework is also posted on Google Classroom and my website for students to reference.

Homework is assigned daily for literacy, language arts, and math. Spelling homework is assigned during the week of an assigned test. Students can expect approximately 60 minutes each weekday night.

If homework is not completed by the due date, students will complete the assignments during recess.

Summer Assignments

Summer Reading is assigned to students at the end of the school year. Upcoming 4th graders should spend at least 20 minutes daily reading silently or aloud. In addition, upcoming 4th graders should spend up to 15 minutes working on math skills such as adding and subtracting with regrouping and memorizing multiplication tables. These skills are not retaught in 4th grade. Specific summer work will not be assigned to make up for work not covered in an academic year.