The Lower School operates on a trimester basis. There are three formal times when Lower School teachers send home grade reports. In addition, teachers communicate student progress with parents at parent-teacher conferences in the fall and parent-teacher-student conferences in the spring. At any point, if a parent has a concern about their child, we encourage them to set up a meeting with the classroom teacher.

For Lower School students, we use a criteria-based reporting system. When digital grade reports become available on the LMS, families will be notified by email. This email will also include a link to the accompanying benchmark document, which outlines specific skills students must master to meet standards.

Parents will receive a brief report in Trimester 1, supplemented by a parent-teacher conference. In Trimesters 2 and 3, parents will see a longer report, which includes strengths and next steps for core academic subjects.

All students in Grades K-4 are marked for effort. The following effort marks are used in the reports:

• C = Consistently puts forth their best effort

• U = Usually puts forth a satisfactory level of effort

• S = Sometimes puts forth a satisfactory level of effort

• I = Infrequently puts forth a satisfactory level of effort

Students in Grades K-4 also receive performance indicators next to grade report descriptors. The following performance indicators are used in the reports:

• 3 = Meeting the standard

• 2 = Approaching the standard

• 1 = Not yet grasping the standard

Please note that the numbers in the scale do not correlate to grades of A, B, C, or D but are indicators of a child’s progress toward meeting a standard.

For students in Pre-Kindergarten, their report card reflects the skills they have been working on throughout the year. For each skill, students receive a performance indicator. The following performance indicators are used in the reports:

• W = Working toward standard

• S = Achieving standard with some support

• I = Achieving standard independently

• E = Exceeding standard

• N/A = Not assessed at this time

Promotion: Promotion from one grade to the next is based on two considerations:

1. A child’s academic progress, acquired skills, and basic preparation to assure reasonable success at the next grade level.

2. A child’s developmental progress, especially work habits, independence, self-confidence, and social maturity.

The first is primarily assessed by the objective evidence of classroom performance. The second, more subjective, rests largely on the professional observations of the faculty. In every case, the goal is to ensure both a successful and happy placement at the next grade level. This is consistent with the School’s philosophy. When promotion may be in doubt, parents are notified and consulted as soon as possible.

STANDARDIZED TESTING

The NWEA Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) Test is administered in Grades K-4 three times a year to help the School evaluate curricula and monitor student progress. The results of these tests are sent home once the tests are completed. It is important to note that these tests are one snapshot of your child’s progress and are combined with their classroom achievement to form an overall picture of their progress.