DearParents,

Goodafternoon!WearewritingtoletyouknowaboutsomeexcitingrefinementsthattheEnglish
Departmentismakingthisyeartothewaywegivefeedbacktoyourchildren.Noneoftheserefinements
representachangetotheCNGGradingScaleortheCNGAssessmentProtocolthesearetheguiding
documentsforallofourfeedbackandgradingforstudents.

Therefinementswearemakingwillallowusto...
moreaccuratelycommunicateyourchildsachievementandprogressintheskills,knowledge,and
understandingsexploredinEnglishclass.
provideourselveswithmoreaccurateandspecificinformationaboutwhereourstudentsare
achievingandwhereweneedtotakethem.
createagrowthmindsetenvironmentandcommunicatefairlytostudentsaboutthenatural
learningprocessastheypracticenewskills,areexposedtonewknowledge,andexplorenewand
complexunderstandingsoflanguage.
respondresponsiblytoneweducationalresearchbasedassessmentbestpractices.

HowwillthislookinSkyward?
FormativeAssessments(checksforskillability,retentionofknowledge,andcomprehensionof
understandingsasorduringlearningisoccurring)willshowasNocount..Thiswillallow
studentstopursuelearningwithoutconcernfornaturallearningstruggles.Indicatingthemasno
countallowsusnottoaveragethemintothefinalgradessincetheyareareflectionofthe
learningprocess,notthecurrentachievementlevelofthestudent.Researchshowsthatchildren
arenaturallearners,sothedependenceonnumberstomotivatethepursuitofcuriosityisnot
necessary.Wedontwantthemtobemoreconcernedwiththegradethanontheprocessand
growththeyvemade.Thinkbacktokindergartenwhenchildrenaresentofftoexploreincenters
withpuzzlesandblocksdoanyofthemturnbacktoasktheteacher,Doesthiscountformy
grade?orHowmanypointsisthisworth?Ourstudentswillbelearningtolearn!
TheAssignmentswillbebrokendownbystandards.Soyouwillseeoneactivity(formative
assessment)brokendownintoseveralparts.Thescoresdemonstratewhereyourchildis
achievingatthattimeinthatskill,knowledge,orunderstanding.

Whatdothosescoresmeanforeachstandardbeingmeasured?
(alignedwiththeCNGGradingScale)
If...

Then...

Iunderstandanduseknowledgeandskillsindependentlyinnewsituations.

Iearna4.

Iunderstandtheknowledgeandskillsandamstartingtousetheminnew
situations.

Iearna3.

Iambeginningtounderstandtheknowledgeandskillsandamlearninghowto
usetheminnewsituations.

Iearna2.

Iamlost.Idontgetit.OrIdontturninwork.

Iearna1.

MoreOpportunitiestoDemonstrateGrowth
Sinceweunderstandthatourbrainscangrowandlearnwithpracticeandexposuretonew
strategies,wewillbeimplementingthefollowingresubmissionprocesses.Ifyourchilddoesnot
demonstrateproficiency(a3or4)inaskill,knowledge,orunderstanding

thefirsttimetheycanrespond
tothefeedbackintheprocessbelow,whichisapplicableformostassignments,bothformativeand
summative(althoughitshouldnotbenecessaryforformativeassessmentssincetheyarejustpartofthe
learningprocess).

RevisionandResubmissionProcess
Asalearnertherearetimeswhenwearenotabletodemonstrateourfullunderstandingofaconcept.
Theopportunitytoreviseandresubmitwork,giveseveryoneachancetodemonstratenew
understanding.Whenresubmittingworkpleasebesuretofollowtheseguidelines

1. Improveyourassignment/projectonaseparatedocument/sheetofpaper
2. Highlightthechangesyouhavemadefromyouroriginalsubmission,showingyournew
understanding.
3. Attachbothyouroriginalpieceofworkandtherubricthatwasusedtoassessyour
assignment/project
4. Attachacoverparagraph(68sentences)explainingtheconceptyouhaddifficulty
understandinginyourfirstsubmissionandadescriptionofhowyoucametobetterunderstand
thisconceptbeforethisresubmission.
5. Submitanyresubmissionsatleastoneweekbeforetheendofthemarkingperiod.

Summativeassessmentswillreportonyourstudentsabilitytoindependentlyapplytheskills,
knowledge,andunderstandingsintroducedandpracticedduringtheunitinanewandauthentic
way.Thesescoreswillbeaveragedintoafinalgradefortheclasstoshowyourdaughterorsons
achievementinthosestandards.

Wearecommittedtofollowingwhatresearchtellsuswillsetyourchildrenupforsuccess.Weare
alsocommittedtolisteningtostudentsandfamilies,sopleasesendusanyquestions,concernsor
feedback.Wearecommittedtoensuringtheserefinementsareintendedtohelpourstudentsgrowand
valuelearningevenmorethantheyalreadydo.

Warmregards,
Mr.Dierdorff,MissGaribotto,
Ms.Gerard,Mrs.Miller,
andMrs.Murphy