Schoology is the primary learning management system in FCPS. The Schoology site for this course will have a calendar with assignments and due dates, as well as announcements, and you can consult Schoology for course resources. In the event there is an online meeting for this course, the video link will be available through Schoology.

Weighted gradebook with two assignment types - formative/summative with formative counting 30%.

Formative HW: FCPS has developed guidance around assigning and assessing homework.  Homework should serve as an opportunity for students to practice, apply, and/or elaborate on content that they are currently learning.  It may also be used as preparation for learning new content.  An assignment should be considered “homework” when the expectation is for the work to be done exclusively outside of class.

There will be at least 7 assignments per quarter. No single assignment will count more than 35% in a quarter, and students can expect at least two summative assessments per quarter.

Please note that assignments submitted the last week of the quarter might not be reflected as part of the mark submitted for the quarter, but will become part of the student’s overall grade in the rolling gradebook. This is to ensure that teachers have the time necessary to grade assignments with the care and concern each assignment deserves.

The focus of assessment is to provide feedback on a students’ learning process and to measure students’ level of performance. Information generated through assessments is used by the teacher and students to reflect and make adjustments in the learning process that increase student learning over time.

• Students are expected to submit work on or before the deadlines set by the collaborative team. This allows students to get timely and specific feedback from their teacher.
• Collaborative teams will develop plans to teach students the skills needed to meet these deadlines.
• Students must complete formative and summative assessments within two weeks of the due date, and collaborative teams will utilize late work data when they develop intervention plans for students in their course. The first step in determining intervention needs will be a conversation teacher-student conference when a deadline is missed.
  • Late work is not penalized.
  • Assessments missed due to an absence are due within two weeks of the students return.
• Students with missing work will receive an NTI until the work is completed. An NTI is calculated as a zero on the 100-point scale.

• For summative assessments, at least one new opportunity to demonstrate proficiency up to 100% shall be provided to any student who completes corrective action determined by the collaborative team.
• Students have until the end of the quarter to redo summative assessments.
• Students have until the end of the following quarter to redo summative assessments given in the last two weeks.

Final course grades are determined by the sum total of assessments across the entire school year. The culminating activity/final exam is included in the rolling grade as outlined above in this syllabus.

West Potomac has adopted a Rolling Gradebook. Grades posted quarters 1-3 are snapshots of where students’ are at the moment in time. Final course grades are determined by the sum total of assignments across the entire school year, plus final exam or culminating activity as applicable for department or CT. 

Summative assessments where a student demonstrates mastery of skills/standards later in the school year will result in the removal of assessments of the same skills/standards from earlier in the school year. These assignments are marked with a code - GRP.

West Potomac High School celebrates Winter and Spring Break as family time, that is homework free time. No homework will be assigned over these breaks.

If students are assigned a long-term project that spans the time of the break:

• No major assessment can be given on the first silver day or the first blue day upon returning from break.
• Students will have time in class to complete assignments.
• Students will have enough time out of class to prepare for the assignment while keeping the Winter and/or Spring Break homework free.

The following comment codes MAY appear on grade reports at any point during the year (NOTE: Individual teachers may not use all of the following Grading Codes). Below is what is common across the school. 

• NTI - Not Turned In is recorded as a zero until the work is received from the student. Please note zeros are not converted to 50% in a rolling gradebook at the end of a quarter.
• MIN - Minimum Grade is recorded as 50% of the assignment value. A student receives a MIN (50%) when a student has made a reasonable attempt at the assignment but their performance is below the passing level of proficiency. 
• GRP - Original grade for summative assessment replaced either by redoing the assessment, or the student demonstrating mastery on a later assessment.
• HCR - “Honor Code” - Student’s work is under review for a possible Honor Code violation.  Grades will be resolved after the Honor Code violation process has been resolved.

The grades in SIS under GradeBook are the most current and reflect any changes that may have occurred since printing of report cards.  In SIS, when you click on Report Card, you will see the marks that were printed at the time report cards were sent home.  The gradebook marks will be used to determine final marks in courses. As always, if you have questions about your student’s grades, please contact the teacher.

The standards for a course as determined by the state or district - in our case, the Virginia Standards of Learning.

The most important standards and skills for our students to know and be able to do by the end of the year.

Fully understanding and applying the skill or standard appropriately.  

The goal of a summative assessment is to evaluate a student's level of mastery of essential course skills and POG skills at key inflection points and/or endpoints during the course.

The goal of a formative assessment is to evaluate student progress toward mastery of essential course skills.

• Teachers will use these assessments to:
  • provide ongoing feedback to students
  • identify areas of need and to inform instructional decisions
• Students will use these assessments to:
  • identify their progress towards mastery and target skills that need more practice
  • set goals and advocate for their learning 

Modern Classrooms Project is an approach to learning that combines blended instruction, self-paced structures, and mastery-based grading throughout the learning process.  

Set of guidelines used to promote the consistent application of learning expectations for a skill, standard, or unit of study

The grade earned indicates the level of mastery in accordance with the FCPS Program of Studies or the College Board’s Advanced Placement curriculum for each subject area.  Grades will be posted within seven school days after the due date with the understanding that major projects/papers may require additional time to ensure quality feedback. 

Teachers will enter due dates for assignments in Schoology. You can use the calendar feature to view due dates.  If you can’t find what you are looking for, please reach out to the teacher.

The syllabus for your student’s course should explain all comments utilized in SIS.  The following comments are used consistently in all courses at West Potomac:

• NTI- Not turned in (no evidence of proficiency, carries a weight of zero)
• MIN - Minimum Grade (minimum level of proficiency for a reasonable attempt, carries weight of 50%)
• GRP - Grade Replacement (indicates student remediated, reassessed, and resubmitted the assignment)
• HCR- Honor Code Referral (used if the assignment is going through the Honor Code process.  There is no grade assigned with this code).

Per FCPS policy, students will not be given extra credit or grades for activities such as bringing in classroom materials, providing parent/guardian signatures, participating in fundraising/charitable events, or participating in non-curricular activities.

Teachers will communicate on their course syllabi how the rolling gradebook will be used, weighted gradebook with two assignment types - formative/summative with formative counting 30%, as well as corresponding weighted categories, if applicable.

Teachers will communicate on their course syllabi how the final exam or culminating activity will impact the overall grade. 

For students who pass an AP/HNs course, an additional 1.0/.5 quality point will be added to the quality point value assigned to the final mark for purposes of calculating GPA.  Students enrolled in AP courses are strongly encouraged to take the culminating external examination associated with the course.  These standardized examinations are designed to measure content and skill mastery and a successful score may earn credit and advanced placement in college.  Information for students who choose not to participate in an AP exam for a course in which they are currently enrolled can be accessed by contacting the student’s counselor.

Late work will be accepted to document mastery of learning within two weeks of the due date, at a minimum, with no penalty to the grade.  Due dates can be found in the course calendar in Schoology.  Students should communicate with teachers about the need for flexibility regarding specific assignments in advance of due dates. Teachers and students will work together to determine a reasonable extension.  If the assignment is not turned in, the grade comment “NTI” will be used to calculate a zero in the grade book.

Students can retake or revise assessments during the quarter in which it was assigned.  

Yes.  More information about the Honor Code and Honor Code referral process can be found here. 

Students should reach out to their teacher if they have a question about a grade.  If there are still concerns after the student has contacted the teacher, parents should communicate with the teacher directly.  The expectation is that teachers respond to parent concerns within 48 hours. You may also reach out to your child’s school counselor who can help facilitate a conversation with the teacher.

Only the student’s final grade is reported on official transcripts which are requested by Colleges and Universities.