This document provides grading guidelines and tips for using the school's grading system. It includes 9 guidelines for teachers, such as entering grades on a weekly basis, not leaving assignments blank, and using comments. It also provides instructions for features like dropping the lowest grade, sending notices to parents, and hiding dropped students. Principals are encouraged to check gradebooks weekly and log in to the parent portal. Training for new teachers on the grading system will be provided at the start of each school year.

1. Grading Guidelines Dr. Fran Stephens Dr. Jody Woodrum Contact for assistance: Teresa Phillips By PresenterMedia.com

3. Helps parents stay abreast of how their child is performing throughout the term. (We are getting complaints from parents.)

4. SpEd case managers are kept informed in a timely manner about students on their case load and can support those students as needed.

6. Grading Guideline #2: Don’t leave scores blank in the grade book. Mark assignments as Excused, Missing, etc. if there is no grade available for the student.

7. Blank scores show up in the Parent Portal on the student’s To Do List as past due.

8. Grading Guideline #3: Enter assignments in ahead of time. When parents & students know what grades will be taken, they are more likely to be prepared. Suggestion: When teachers have completed lesson plans for the week, enter the assignments in the grade book. Assignments show up in the Parent Portal on the Calendarand on the To Do List.

10. Grading Guideline #5: Be sure to enter a name for each assignment that will help parents and students know what is missing.

11. Grading Guideline #6: Points Possible should not be more than 100 if you are awarding bonus points. Note that the % changes when the points possible is greater than 100. It lowers the students’ grade on the assignment.

13. Serves as reminders for the teacher (documentation)Lowest grade dropped

14. How to drop the lowest grade: 1. Lesson Planner > click on the current term and then task group (T4 Report Card, Tests) 2. Check the box next to Drop Lowest Score 3. SAVE *Note: This must be done for each class and each task group for which the lowest score should be dropped.

15. Grading Guideline #8: Are there enough grades for the subject? Remember you can grade smaller steps within the process, not just the end product. If something is a culminating, standards-based project, enter multiple grades along the way. Rule of thumb should be one grade per week per subject. An extra grade would allow the lowest one to be dropped.

16. Grading Guideline #9: Would dropping the lowest grade help students’ averages to be a better indication of their classroom performance? Or are you allowing students to redo work to show mastery (as in standards-based philosophy)? Consider one strategy or the other.

17. School Notices can be entered on the Parent Portal by registrar/data clerk or principal. 1. User Communication > User Notices 2. New 3. Enter Start Date/End Date 4. Publish to Campus (teachers can view it) Publish to Portal (parents & students can view it) Note that cutting and pasting is not recommended. 5. SAVE

18. Messenger can be used by principal and/or teachers to send emails to parents. Messenger > Message Designer Create new templates & edit existing ones. Messenger > Message Builder Uses message templates and ad hoc filters to send messages. Note: Directions for Teacher Messenger are location in FirstClass > Technology Center > Infinite Campus Resources > Teacher Messenger.

19. Hide/Show Dropped StudentsInstruction > Admin > PreferencesUncheck Hide Dropped StudentsSAVE(Students will now show in grade book in red.)

20. Summary Questions? Training? Infinite Campus New Teacher Tools (June 2011) Training will occur at each school at the beginning of the school year. It will help if grading guidelines are in place and agreed upon ahead of time.