Education Report - Selah School District
Transcription
Education Report - Selah School District
**ECRWSS Postal Customer NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Selah, WA Permit No. 3 Selah School District’s Education Report An education update for the Selah community 105 West Bartlett, Selah, WA 98942 509-697-0706 Fall 2014 Superintendent's Message...Grading in Selah Secondary Schools I f you have a student in one of the secondary schools in Selah then chances are you’ve been exposed to some shifts in grading that the District has been involved with over the past couple of years. This has been a challenging transition for all involved. Grading is a very complicated topic that people Shane Backlund are passionate and opinionated about. The fact is that the traditional grading system– the one that most of us are used to‒is outdated and needs a major overhaul if it is going to be used for its intended purpose. What is that intended purpose? It’s to clearly communicate to students their level of learning of the standards identified in every subject and class. It sounds simple enough, but it’s actu- ally very complex when you begin to peel back all of the layers. Before I try to explain how we make this shift, I need to point out the first major hurdle we have to overcome in trying to make a change to grading. That hurdle is tradition. Just about everyone educated in a public school system was graded with traditional methods. It’s what we’re used to. A traditional grading system was generally based upon points assigned by the teacher to assignments, projects, quizzes, tests, reading logs, attendance, effort, etc. These points were given a percentage which was converted to a letter grade (i.e. 86% is a B). Sound familiar? There are many problems with a traditional grading system. The most glaring is that the 100 point percentage scale, while familiar, is lopsided towards failure. Anything percentage wise below a 59% is traditionally an “F”. That’s a lot of the scale tipped towards defeat. In addition, with a traditional system these percentages are often averaged across the term to get a final grade. With the 100 point percentage scale, a “0” creates a hole that is hard to dig out of. For example, if a student receives 100% on one assignment and then a “0” on the next, the average of that would be 50%... or an F. Research is clear that this is not motivating for students and ultimately leads to a lack of desire to learn. This isn’t what we want to be communicating to our students. Wouldn’t it make more sense to communicate to students in terms of specific skills and standards? Wouldn’t they want to know with more accuracy what were their specific strengths and areas for growth? That really is the essence of what we are trying to accomplish with our shifts in grading. We want a system See Grading/Cont. on Page 10 Middle School Moving Day! The boxes are packed, the furniture assembled, the excitement building and finally, after 15 months of construction, it is moving day for Selah Middle School! On January 5, when students return to school from Winter Break, they will be welcomed by staff and begin classes at the new Selah Middle School campus. "We are excited about the opportunity to open a new building," said Selah Middle School Principal, Marc Gallaway. "There are a lot of memories in our old building but the staff and students are ready to make Selah Middle School the best in the state!" See Middle School/Cont. on Page 3 Above: A sneak peek inside the gymnasium at the new Selah Middle School. It's moving day in to the new Selah Middle School and January 5 will be the first day of classes for students and staff in the facility. A Look at Selah School Board News... Briefings from the Board! A Message from the Selah School Board President, Kelliann Ergeson I n the spirit of the season, when thankfulness and reflection abound, I am filled with gratitude for our community’s support of the Selah School District. Thank You. Our capital projects are only the most visible sign of your support. The trust you put in the District gives us the courage to ask the most important‒and most challenging‒question of all: how do we meet the learning needs of each of our 3,386 students? It is a daunting proposition, one that requires commitment, introspection – and a willingness to recognize when we can to do better. As the District has tackled the question of how to ensure high levels of learning for all of our students, we have affirmed that learning must be the constant. No matter the limits of the school day or the school year, learning must be our guide. Gone are the days when it was enough to present information to students and move on without providing students an opportunity to gain mastery or to delve deeper. As one of my daughter’s teachers is quick to point out: “The consequence of not doing the work, is doing the work!” We strive to hold ourselves and our students accountable for achieving the objective. Board President, With the new calendar year fast approaching, the Selah School Board’s New Year’s resoKelliann Ergeson lution remains the same: we will keep student learning at the forefront of every decision we make. The Board is looking forward to a year filled with many opportunities to study and to celebrate our students’ growth. Happy 2015! Meeting Reminder School Board Meetings are generally held the second and fourth Thursday of the month. Meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. unless indicated otherwise. Currently, meetings are held at Selah City Hall. Board Officers Elected The Selah School District Board of Directors has elected its officers for the next year. Retaining her Presidency position is Kelliann Ergeson. Elected as Vice-president is Jeff Hartwick. Kathy Lambert remains the Legislative Representative. Jeff Hartwick, School Board Vice-President High School Student Appointed to Board Earlier this fall the Selah School District Board of Directors welcomed Madeline "Maddy" Hoppis, a junior, as a new student representative to its panel. Hoppis joins senior Garrhett Petrea, who served in the position last year. In addition to her role as a student board representative, Hoppis, serves as the Junior Class ASB Secretary. Also, Hoppis is a member of National Honor Society and was a captain on the high school cross-country team this past fall. The role of the high school representatives is to provide student insight and perspective to the Board of Directors while serving as a liaison between the Board and the student body. Many Districts across the state have implemented programs where students serve in representative positions on the Board and acquire leadership traits, learn civic responsibility and gain insight into local politics. Student representatives participate in Board discussion but do not vote, hold office, or Madeline Hoppis Garhett Petrea attend executive discussions. Looking Ahead...January is School Board Appreciation Month Please Thank a School Board Member for their Service! 2 • Selah Education Report Selah School District News and Notes... Middle School/Cont. from Pg. 1 February Open House Planned Gallaway continued, "Change can be challenging but this is one we look forward to." On the interior of the building maintenance crews have been moving items into the new facility, while contractor teams have been assembling and installing furniture. This work will continue through Winter Break. In this year's transition to the new middle school eighth grade students and staff will be the only occupants in the building through the end of the school year. An Open House will be held in February. "The transition of our eighth grade students and staff into the new middle school is very exciting for our District and community," said Superintendent, Shane Backlund. "A lot of people have worked very hard to prepare for this day. Once again, this is an example of the District's priority of providing high level learning facilities with quality opportunities for students." Once the old junior high is vacated in January, the structure will be prepared for demolition. Once the building is demolished site work begins including abatement, landscaping and enhancements to the parking lot, drop-off and pick up areas, grounds, and athletic fields. In the fall of 2015, the new campus in its entirety will greet approximately 800 students in sixth through eighth grades, at which time an official dedication ceremony will occur. Also, although students and staff will enjoy many amenities of the new building this winter and spring, because of the continued site work and ongoing attention to the grounds the auditorium will be used sparingly for the remainder of the year. Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year there will be an opportunity to reserve the facility online. "I want to thank patrons for their continued support," said Backlund. "As we remain focused on our facilities we will also continue to work on our school realignment and transition plans which will continue into next fall. It continues to be an exciting time for Selah!" Selah School District: Culture of Achievement ‒By Susan Bennett; District Culture Coordinator What is achievement? For a school district, achievement means ensuring high levels of learning for all students. For the students, achievement means getting results through sustained effort. The Selah School District is fostering a culture of achievement by an intentional focus on culture. Culture is comprised of the shared assumptions, beliefs, values, traditions and norms that define a group of people. The SSD culture boils down to one central theme: helping our students achieve (both academically and socially) through high school and beyond. Throughout the district students will being doing their best work and being their best selves. In order to take our achievement culture from good to great, staff members throughout the district are developing Compacts for Excellence. A Compact for Excellence is an agreement in principle by all stake holders that dictates day to day behavior which will lead to the realization of the schools we want to have. Our core purpose, mission, and the following belief statements are the foundation for our Compacts for Excellence. Our Beliefs: • Every student is worthy and capable of making meaningful contributions to his or her communities (classroom, team, home, etc.). • Strong character is at the heart of preparing our students for lifelong success. • In a culture of excellence, every student graduates on time prepared for college and career opportunities. With these beliefs in the forefront, every school and department is being challenged to align behaviors according to these belief statements. The Compact focuses on two areas: doing your best work and being your best self. Compacts for Excellence lead to excellent schools where student achievement goes from good to great. For more information about the achievement culture in the Selah School District, see the District's website left-hand column titled District Culture Our Emphasis. This includes a short video overview that provides more detail on our process. For more information, contact Susie Bennett, District Culture Selah's custodial staff participate in culture training. Coordinator at [email protected]. Selah Education Report • 3 A Look at News and Other Notes... Remember You Can Pay Online! Weather News As a reminder parents of Selah Middle School and Selah High School students can log-on to view and pay their students’ outstanding fines or fees. Parents can also purchase other items District wide such as club dues, athletic fees, yearbook ads, senior baby pictures and make donations. Visit the middle school or high school websites for the link or go to https://wa-selah.intouchreceipting.com and check out the information. If you suspect schools may be delayed or canceled because of weather, tune into these T.V. and radio stations for more information. KIMA TV; KAPP TV; KNDO TV KDBL—92.9 FM KATS—94.5 FM KQMY—99.3 FM HOT FM—99.7 FM Oldies FM—100.9 FM KXDD—104.1 FM BOB FM—105.7 FM KFFM—107.3 FM KIT—1280 AM KUTI—1460 AM Parents can also call the weather hot line at 698-8080, or access the District's website at www.selah.k12.wa.us to learn of operating decisions. Drivers Wanted! Do you like kids? Do you like to drive? If yes, then inquire about being a part of the Selah School District's transportation team as a substitute bus driver! Substitute bus drivers earn $15.98/hour. If interested in joining the transportation team, please inquire at 697-0510 and start the online application process at http://selahjobs.hrmplus.net. A Sale You Don't Want to Miss! Surplus Property Sale Thursday, January 8 @ "Old" Selah Junior High 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. General List of Surplus Items: Lockers, Library Books/Miscellaneous Books, Binders/Office Supplies, AV Equipment/TV's/Stands Carts Miscellaneous Furniture Miscellaneous Tables/Cabinets/Chairs Desks A Fieldhouse of Dreams O pening day for Selah softball is a couple of months away, but the program has already hit a home-run as it is excited to showcase its new indoor practice facility. Initiated from an idea by a couple of coaches, funded by private donations and the Selah School District, and built with community energy, the Viking Fastpitch Program now has a fieldhouse of dreams. A year in the making, the indoor complex will be used by the Viking Softball teams and also available to the baseball program for hitting and pitching during the winter off-season, as well as for practices during inclement weather. Spearheaded by Selah High School Fastpitch head coach, Bill Harris, and volunteer coach, Ben Graf, their idea was set in motion when they realized there were limited facilities in the valley where athletes could work on hitting and pitching development during the winter. 4 • Selah Education Report The fieldhouse will be used by Selah High School Softball Teams and available to the Baseball Team. Even when securing a location to work-out, it was “hit-and-miss” due to other players and programs in the area also wanting to play indoors. So, Harris and Graf organized the initial effort to build the softball fieldhouse, located on the high school campus, specifically for Selah athletes. The facility includes indoor grass for fielding exercises, secured nets for hitting drills, and an area for pitching practice. The complex also includes storage units, as well as murals and signage representative of Selah’s softball history. “We knew there was a need for an indoor hitting facility in the area and we thought if we could find a place and secure funding ‘why not build a fieldhouse for our athletes,’” said Harris. “We knew once we could build the complex the facility would be put to use and appreciated by our athletes and parents.” After receiving approval from the Selah School Board to proceed with See Fieldhouse/Cont. on Page 7 Hitting a High Note—A Look at Selah Students... Selah High School Band Hits a High Note! Viking Band Showcases New Uniforms During Veterans' Day Parade D owntown Yakima was a sea of red, white, and blue on November 11, as spectators watched the Annual Veteran’s Day Parade. Standing out among the patriotic attire were the colors of Viking blue and gold as the Selah High School marching band hit a high note by leading all bands down Yakima Avenue as they debuted their new uniforms. Previously dressed in uniforms in use for over two decades, leaders of the Viking band program decided a tune-up was in order. The project was initially spearheaded by long-time band boosters Todd and Sandy Kinyon who have been vested in the project for over a year, Suzann Noe, also a band booster who spent months researching various uniforms and contacting musical programs, and Selah High School Band Director, Linda Doria. Hitting a high note, the Selah High School Viking Marching Band leads all bands during the Veterans' Day Parade while debuting their new blue and gold uniforms. Partly funded by a donation from the Selah School District, the arrival of the new uniforms represents many hours of work including fabric research, and the selection, ordering and fitting processes. “I would like to thank everyone who worked on behalf of Selah students to help us get these uniforms,” said Doria. “We were honored to debut our new uniforms at the Vet- eran’s Day Parade.” The growing Viking Band were joined in the parade by students in Brian Dibble’s class at Selah Middle School who donned military uniforms significant to history. The Selah High School marching band definitely hit a high note as they debuted their new uniforms. And, with the colors of Viking blue and gold, they looked sharp! Hitting Another High Note! Eleven Selah Students Chosen for Honors Band The Selah High School Band Program has definitely hit another high note as 11 students recently were selected to participate in the Western International Honors Band. Auditioning against band students from Western Region States, Selah’s contingent of musicians received the opportunity to work with professional conductors and composers as well as perform in concert during November in Seattle. Selah musicians selected to participate in the honors band clinic include: Kassidy Buchanan, Kristien Butterfield, Mariah Byrd, Nate Cites, Danielle Gutierrez, Sara Harper, Richard Weaver, Bryan Neill, Madison Rath, Sean Walker, and Faith Wendelken. According to Selah High School band instructor, Linda Doria, this is another accomplishment highlighting the achievements of the growing program. “I am so proud of these students,” said Doria. “Last year we had two students selected to participate in the honors band and this year all 11 who auditioned were selected. Thanks to the support, there are amazing performers in the growing Selah Band Program!” Congratulations to the 11 members of the Selah High School band that were selected to participate in the Honors Band. Congratulations Selah Band students! Selah Education Report • 5 A Look at Selah Students and Classrooms... Pitch Perfect and Patriotic! S tudents and staff from Robert Lince and John Campbell Elementary Schools were pitch perfect in their display of patriotism as they celebrated the 200th anniversary of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner earlier this fall by mass singing the National Anthem during separate events. In celebrating the occasion students learned the story surrounding the writing of the anthem which began on the morning of September 14, 1814, when soldiers at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry hoisted a massive banner celebrating a crucial victory over British forces during the War of 1812. As history goes, on a ship out in the cloudy harbor Francis Scott Key noticed the enormous flag once the air had cleared. Moved by the sight of the Broad Stripes and Bright Stars, Key penned the first verse of the poem In Defense of Fort McHenry on an envelope. Later Key wrote out all four verses and set the words to music, thus, creating the Star Spangled Banner. To commemorate this piece of history, Robert Lince music teacher, Mary Duren, alerted her District musical colleagues to the significance of the event. Duren then organized Lince’s mass vocal celebration which began with the Color Guard raising the American flag outside, at the center of the campus. Students and staff then followed with the Pledge of Allegiance and the 600+ voices strong Robert Lince and John Campbell Elementary Schools celea cappella performance of the Star Spangled Banner. Voices were also heard at John Campbell Elementary brate the 200th anniversary of the Star Spangled Banner. where a similar event was orchestrated by the school’s music teacher, Bart Roderick. The ceremony began with an instrumental solo of the Star Spangled Banner, followed by the presentation of the flag by a local Boy Scout Troop. After the flag’s delivery, students from the intermediate, middle school and high school bands played the introduction to the Star Spangled Banner, which led John Campbell students, staff and audience into the singing of the anthem. We are All Vikings! In the Selah School District we are all Vikings and are working to build a culture reflective of the Viking Way. Here, a Selah Intermediate School student displays his Viking spirit. This past fall students at Selah Middle School and Selah High School began utilizing the full Viking mascot. Starting with the 2015-2016 school year, all students in grades K-12 will be full-fledged Vikings. The conversion to one District mascot coincides with the realignment and renaming of schools and will bring enhanced unification to the District. 6 • Selah Education Report What a Haul! What a Haul! Robert Lince students collected over 2 1/2 tons of food during its Annual Harvest Food Drive. In collecting over 5,000 pounds of canned and packaged items the school will donate its compilation of goods to the local Lince students collected over food bank. Con- 5,000 pounds of food. gratulations to the top class from each grade: Kindergarten, Mrs. Maybee; First Grade, Mrs. Anglin, Second Grade, Mrs. Munson; Third Grade, Mrs. Skeen; and Fourth Grade, Mrs. Cleem. A Look at Selah Student-Athletes... It's a Three-Peat for the Selah High School Varsity Football Team! Viking Football Team Crowned Academic State Champs for Third Year in a Row I t’s a three-peat, but who’s counting? In addition to its stellar football season, the Selah High School Varsity Football Team again scored big by earning its third consecutive academic state championship awarded for Washington at the 2A level. After earning top state academic honors for the past two years for having the highest grade point average (GPA), the Viking Football Squad threepeated the feat during the fall sports campaign. Selah High School Varsity Football Coach, Scott Ditter, said the academic achievement coincides with the program’s emphasis on excellence. “One of the philosophies of our program is to strive The Selah High School Football Team earned the academic to be excellent in everything we do,” said Ditter. “Our state championship at the 2A level for the third year in a row. players understand the importance of education and being excellent in the classroom. It is an honor to be awarded the Academic Championship for the third year in a row and is a positive reflection on our student-athletes.” The award is presented by the Washington State Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). In earning the recognition the football team had an average team GPA of 3.322 and were honored during the state championships in December. Each athletic season the WIAA State Academic Championship is presented to the sport specific team with the highest grade point average in each high school division. Congratulations to the Viking Football Team for its third consecutive academic state championship! Fieldhouse/Cont. from Page 4 Fieldhouse to be used by Selah Athletes the project, Harris and Graf “threw out their pitch” to secure donations from private individuals and assemble volunteers to work on the project. From there, the fieldhouse was built. “This was not the effort of only a couple of people,” said Harris. Softball Coach, Bill Harris, Superintendent, Shane Backlund, and Athletic Director, Mike Lewis enjoy the filedhouse. “The fieldhouse was built because of contributions from many individuals. Whether it was by donations or volunteering to work, a lot of people have invested time in this project!” Selah School District Superintendent, Shane Backlund, echoed Harris’ sentiment and said the project exemplifies the Viking Way. “This is the fieldhouse the community built,” said Backlund. “This correlates with the culture we are building in Selah and exemplifies community partnership with a large group of individuals working together to provide Selah students and athletes with quality facilities and opportunities. I appreciate everyone who contributed to the project which provides the District with an indoor softball complex for years to come.” Athletes Honored for Academics All six of Selah High School’s fall varsity athletic teams qualified for academic excellence awards according to Washington Interscholastic Association (WIAA) standards for their grade point averages (GPA's). Two teams qualified as Outstanding with GPA’s over 3.5. Girls' Cross-Country averaged a 3.789 GPA, while Boys’ Cross-Country posted a 3.582. Additionally, four Viking squads were recognized as Distinguished with GPA’s between 3.0 and 3.5. Girls’ Soccer averaged a 3.458 GPA, while the Lady Viks Volleyball Team posted a 3.416 average. Also Distinguished, Girls' Swimming averaged a 3.393 grade point, while the Football Team posted 3.322. Selah Education Report • 7 A Look at Selah's Athletic Honor Roll Below and on the accompanying page is a recap of the accomplishments by student athletes from Selah High School's fall athletic teams. Congratulations to all participants from all teams who displayed the Viking Way. Viking Football T he Selah High School Football had a very successful season both on and off the field. On the field the team finished 7-3 (third in the CWAC). Off the field, the team’s 13 seniors led the way for the team demonstrating great leadership, character, and hard work from start to finish. The team continues to show these attributes by helping out in the school cleaning tables after lunch, and involvement in clubs and other sports. This year’s team was also awarded the 2A State Academic Championship for the third straight year with a GPA of 3.322. Selah Football All-League Recipients Kyle Ditter First Team; Outside Linebacker Kyle Ditter Honorable Mention; Tight End Dain Kuhn First Team; Wide Receiver Dain Kuhn Second Team; Defensive Back Dain Kuhn Honorable Mention; Punter Riley Maier First Team; Guard Riley Maier First Team; Defensive End Vance Wood First Team; Running Back Montana Blehm Second Team; Quarterback Chez Jackson Second Team; Wide Receiver Lucas Mahugh Second Team; Center Calvin Smith Honorable Mention; PAT/FG Kicker Selah Viking Football Team Volleyball Selah Volleyball All-League Recipients T Payton Gibbs First Team; Outside Hitter Kerista Goodpaster First Team; Outside Hitter Madison Jewett First Team; Setter Carly Davis Second Team; Libero Jennifer Pelzel Second Team; Right Side Lauren McDevitt Honorable Mention; Middle Blocker Selah Volleyball Team he Selah High School Lady Viking Volleyball had another very successful season. The team went undefeated in league to earn the Central Washington Athletic Conference Championship. They continued with a sweep at the district tournament to earn the YVIAA District V/VI Championship. After a one year’s absence from state, the Lady Viks traveled to Pierce College and earned a WIAA 2A Third Place trophy, losing to the eventual state champions in five sets. 8 • Selah Education Report A Look at Selah's Athletic Honor Roll Girls' Swimming T he Girls' Swimming Team completed its first season under new head coach Tracy Wright with a 6-3 dual meet record. The Lady Vikings had an impressive post-season with a fourth place finish at Districts and a 30th place finish at State. The 200 Medley Relay placed third at Districts and 19th at State. The 200 Freestyle Relay captured second at Districts and 14th at State. The 400 Freestyle Relay set a school record by over four seconds with a fourth place finish at districts and 17th place at State. Individually the Lady Viking swimmers were led by four-year letter-winner Melanie Garza who qualified for State in both the 50 and 100 freestyle, placing 21st in both events. Erin Herzog also qualified individually for State in the 100 Butterfly, finishing 24th. Other State qualifiers for the relays were Kathy Cousins, Natalie Borchert, Nicole Smith, and Elyse Kuebler. Girls' Swimming Team Boys' and Girls' Cross-Country S elah High School's Cross-Country Program had the largest turnout in the school’s history with 50 participants. The team had a successful retreat at Lost Creek Village. The Girls’ finished third in the CWAC and the Boys finished second. Three individuals qualified for the 2A State Tournament: Matthew Schrenk, Molly Mattson, Maggie Ballew. On several occasions both teams visited the elderly at a local rest home. Selah Cross-Country All-League Recipients Matthew Schrenk First Team **CWAC Runner of the Year Molly Mattson First Team Maggie Ballew Second Team Brigham Cardon Second Team Reggie Hull Second Team Lily Tyrrell Second Team Isaac Levitt Honorable Mention Kaelan Nettleship Honorable Mention Girls' Soccer Selah Cross-Country Team Selah Soccer Team Selah Soccer All-League Recipients Emily Backlund First Team; Defender Ashley Kuhlman First Team; Forward MaryKate Henning Second Team; Midfielder G irls' Soccer made exceptional improvements from last season. The Lady Vikings were competitive in every contest and finished fourth in the Central Washington Athletic Conference. The girls’ squad qualified for the YVIAA District V/VI tournament and advanced through the first two rounds to finish 4th. Selah Education Report • 9 More from Superintendent Backlund... Grading/Cont. from Page 1 of grading that truly communicates to students what they know in terms of standards and skills. What they actually know doesn’t take into account factors such as effort, behavior or attitude; while those things are important, they have nothing to do with their knowledge of a standard or skill. To accomplish this shift we need to communicate with students both what they have learned (the product) with how they are learning it (the process). And, the product needs to be a large majority of what makes up their final grade. This helps ensure that the grade truly reflects their knowledge and isn’t padded with process pieces that don’t represent learning. By separating process and product, and then placing a heavy emphasis on the product, one might believe we don’t value the accountability part of grading. This simply isn’t true. Character skills such as responsibility and accountability are extremely important. In fact, we know through our communication with parents and community these character traits do matter greatly. Character building must continue to be part of our system by being taught, reinforced and celebrated. We can do all that and still communicate to students clearly what they know. We can and should be doing both. Where we should be focusing our accountability efforts is towards the learning. By holding students accountable to the learning we work towards setting up a system that doesn’t tolerate failure. After all, if students fail then we fail. It’s as simple as that. So, how do we make students accountable to the learning? We do it by not letting them opt out. We do it by providing them with multiple opportunities to show what they know. We do it by understanding that not all kids are going to learn at the same time and in the same way. We do it by making the consequence for not doing the learning…actually doing the learning! Changing the mind-set about what we’re ultimately accountable to– student learning–is another important piece of the puzzle in making a successful shift in grading. I realize this is a different way of thinking of things. It’s another one of those traditional components of grading that we need to overcome. In the traditional system, if you didn’t do the learning you got a “0” or an “F”. What we’re trying to accomplish is a system where we provide additional opportunities and insist that the learning happens. This doesn’t mean just handing a kid another test if they fail or allowing them to not take responsibility for doing work; it means that we provide additional opportunities and support, with accountability, for students to show their learning. That’s what we hold them accountable to because that is why we exist as a school district… their learning! One question that has arisen is, why now? What was it that led to the District making these grading shifts for our students? As everyone knows who has a student in Selah, we have a Monday morning late arrival each week dedicated to collaboration for student learning, or CSL time as we call it. Now in its fourth year, CSL time is a structured opportunity for teachers to work on 4 essential questions about student learning. These include: 1. What is it we expect students to learn? 2. How will we know if students have learned? 3. How will we respond when students do not learn? 4. How will we respond when students already know it? The foundational question in this process is question #1. In this step the grade levels and/or departments work together to clearly identify what it is students should know and be able to do. They accomplish this by clearly identifying the standards that will be learned for each grade, subject and class. This process helps ensure that students are learning the same essential content no matter what grade level or subject they are in. This creates consistency for students and allows teachers to use student results of these standards to help make decisions about future learning by working together. Questions 2 through 4 address that part of the process. When teachers spend time talking about specific standards and skills that students are learning, it is a natural next step to want to report to students and parents in a way that communicates this learning clearly. This is difficult in a traditional system since all skills are typically lumped together to give a numeric grade. For example, in a traditional system a student may be given a test that has 20 questions about their learning. If a student receives 17 correct out of 20 then that would likely be translated into a percentage (85%) and grade (B). That’s what we’re used to. In the system we are working to create the student receives test results that provide feedback by standard or skill so that they know clearly what they mastered and what they didn’t. Again, teachers will then be able to use this accurate information to collaborate with colleagues on ideas for helping students who didn’t learn specific standards or provide enrichment opportunities for students who clearly master standards. This specific reporting by standard, coupled with students having multiple opportunities to show their learning, are the heart of what we are trying to accomplish with our shifts in grading. Again, several factors make this a difficult task. It’s tough to overcome years of tradition and change peoples’ thinking about the grading process. However, research is clear, if we do so we will see large gains in learning for both students who struggle and for those who excel. As I mentioned at the beginning of this column, I know making these shifts has been a challenging transition for some students, parents and even staff. As leaders we’ve learned lessons along the way and gained insight on how we can improve. This is where we will focus our efforts. Despite the bumps in the road, we know this is the right thing to do for students. We will persevere and work harder than ever to get this right.