May 28, 2020
Dear Families,
As the end of May approaches, we would like to provide information about a few areas of our “school life.” Please read the following news items, and notice the hyperlink for our Parent Input on Placement Form.
Classroom Assignments
At Scott M. Ellis we value a tradition that is somewhat rare these days… we tell children the name of their upcoming teacher on the last day of school. We think that providing children (and their parents) this information helps children to relax and experience less stress about the upcoming school year. It also provides a great conversation starter as children encounter others their age, “Who is your teacher next year?”
However, we will set this tradition on “pause” for one year as we address a variety of “unknowns.” Class lists will be created and distributed later in the summer, after we have had a chance to process all of the directives we will receive from county and state officials.
In the meanwhile, all children will have the chance to meet the teachers who are assigned to the level above their current grade. Upper level teachers will be invited to attend (or share a video) about exciting opportunities and activities within their classrooms.; while their current teachers encourage the children to be excited about all of the opportunities surrounding being part of a new class as we start fresh next fall.
Parent Input Form
Each year I invite parents to share their thoughts about the “kinds” of teachers who might be a good fit for their child. I say “kinds” because there is no one perfect teacher for any student. I am absolutely confident that there are multiple (great) matches between students and teachers. I also appreciate that parents know their children, and can offer insight into the nuanced needs of their children. Having this information is a great support as we create class lists that not only match children to teachers, but children to their peers, and specific learning environments.
Parents who would like to provide input are welcome to submit their information via our Parent Input on Placement Form, which is now available via a Google Form. Please use the hyperlink below to access the form. As a reminder, parent input is read by a variety of staff members, and final decisions about placement are made in the best interests of all students (which is why specific teacher requests are not honored).
Click here for the Parent Input Form
Report Card Reminders
Last week I shared a letter that explained the grading system we will use for the final marking period. During this period of remote learning, we will use a “C, W, I scale” to record progress in ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
C - Complete: The student completed assigned work and demonstrated appropriate/expected
levels of evidence of learning
W - Working Toward: The student was either:
Inconsistent in their commitment/ability to complete assigned work, or
Completed work, but the student’s skills and progress are still developing
I - Incomplete: The student did not participate in the instruction that was provided by their
teacher. The student demonstrated limited participation in Google Meets, did not submit images of completed work, Google Doc assignments, or paper copies as requested by their teachers.
Teachers will complete report card “squares” only for the standards that were a priority/focus area during the fourth marking period (the areas we spent time teaching new content.) Teachers will not complete “squares” for standards that were already addressed in quarters 1-3.
For example, the report card section below shows that a student had NO MARK in the fourth quarter box next to “Determines the main idea of the text…” since this content was not addressed in the fourth marking period. The child’s work was developing in quarters 2 and 3, but this content was not a focus standard for the fourth marking period.
The second row is focused on a new learning standard: “Uses information from two texts…”This standard is marked with a “C” which indicates that the student not only completed assigned work but demonstrated a good understanding of the material related to this standard.
Sample Report Card:
Determines the main idea of the text: recounts the key details and explains how it is supported by key details; summarizes the text | NA | 2 | 3 | |
Uses information from two texts to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably | NA | 3 | 3 | C |
Report cards for Art, Music, and PE
Special Area teachers will not be able to provide a fair evaluation of student growth due to the limits of remote learning. Therefore, special area report cards will indicate what instructional themes/standards were presented through remote learning.
As a reminder, Elementary report cards will be released via the GCSD Parent Portal during the afternoon of June 16.* Please let your child’s teacher know if a paper copy is required, and one will be provided when students come to return their iPads and Chromebooks on June 16 (from 12-3:00 pm), or on June 17, 18, and 19 (from 8:00-12:00/noon). Please feel welcome to contact either of us via the elementary office with any questions or needs (518.966.5070 ext 301).
Sincerely, Peter Mahan Daniel Hash
Elementary Principal K-12 Principal
* Report cards for grades 6-12 will be released on a separate/later date.