“The Diocese is committed to schools of academic excellence in faith filled environments that foster Communities of faith.” From the Diocese of Allentown Mission Statement

Revised Diocesan Report Cards Assisting Communication: between Teachers and Parents; between Teachers and Students

Why New Report Cards 1. Why did we change the report cards? Change in PA Standards and the Diocesan Curriculum 2. Why did that change? Because of what our students will need in order to be successful learners in secondary school, college and in the workplace This would have an effect on: IOWA, PSAT, SAT ACT testing, along with local assessments on high school expectations

Instructional Shifts for English Language Arts within the Diocesan School Curriculum Six Shifts in ELA/Literacy Balancing Informational and Literary Text Building Knowledge in the Disciplines Staircase of Complexity Text-Based Answers Writing From Sources Academic Vocabulary

Instructional Shifts in Math Six Shifts in Math – Focus – Coherence (Connect the learning throughout the grades) – Fluency-Automaticity – Deep Understanding – Applications – Dual Intensity (Practicing and Understanding)

Diocesan Curriculum Updates Technology 2012 Religion/Theology 2013 English Language Arts 2013 Math 2014 Science 2015

21 st Century Skills 4 “C s ” Learning Skills 4 C’s Critical Thinking Creative Thinking Collaborating Communicating

Process Research Based and Field Tested Timeline and process Formed a committee of K-8 teachers and administrators in October of 2014 Researched a variety of report cards Spoke with professionals at the diocesan, university, and school districts levels Process The committee worked together as a team. Split into grade groups: K; 1,2; 3-5; 6-8 Came back together on all the topics

Process 1.Began looking at topics and subtopics on the report card and aligned them with the curriculum. 2.Reached out to schools and curriculum committees for input on subtopics for Religion, Math, ELA, Science, and Social Studies. 3.Surveyed schools concerning Comments and proceeded to update them.

K, 1 and 2 Report Cards Additional information 1.Added comments for grade 1 and 2. 2.Put in letter equivalents for grades 1 and 2. 3.The Kindergarten report card was piloted in three kindergarten classrooms

Survey 1.When the topics and subtopics were finished, we shared what we had with the schools and asked for comments. 2.Many of the suggestions we had already changed in our meetings and made other changes based on the input from the schools. 3.Updated the content on the report cards. 4. Updated the grading.

Stop and Consider Positive comments Concerns Questions thinking

Content Area Explanation Kindergarten-updated terms that would match the curriculum Added comments for grade 1 and 2. Put in letter equivalents for grades 1 and 2. The same split remains for the report cards. – Kindergarten, then grades 1 & 2, and then grades 3-8.

Grading - Grades 1 and 2 Each content area will have a letter grade

Grade range for Grades 1, 2 For Content Area Subjects, General Conduct, Effort, Health, Music, Art, Library, Technology, Physical Education, Foreign Language Grade range for grades 1, 2 O Outstanding – 97 to 99 VG Very Good – 90 to 96 G Good – 85 to 89 S Satisfactory – 75 to 84 N Needs Improvement – 70 to 74 U – below 70

Grades 1 and 2 Sub Codes for: Content Area Subjects, Christian Values, Personal/Social Development and Management Skills  Exceeds Expectations  Meets Expectations - Does Not Meet Expectations  Skill Has Not Been Assessed

Grading - Grades 3-8 Each content area subject will have a percentage grade

Grades 3 – 8 Each major subject will have a percentage grade Sub Codes under the Academic Content Areas and Christian Values  Exceeds Expectations  Meets Expectations - Does Not Meet Expectations  Skill Has Not Been Assessed

Grades For Specialties, Conduct and Effort: O Outstanding – 97 to 99 VG Very Good – 90 to 96 G Good – 85 to 89 S Satisfactory – 75 to 84 N Needs Improvement – 70 to 74 U – below 70

Stop and Consider Positive comments Concerns Questions thinking

TRIMESTERS

Process for Deciding on Trimesters 1.Contacted Dioceses and School Districts 2.Reviewed the possibility with Dr. Fromuth 3.August Principals meeting –presentation of Trimesters and discussion on strengths and concerns a. High Schools- there will be a presentation at the Studies Directors meeting 4.November Principals Extended Meeting continued the discussion on concerns and came up with some solutions.

Trimesters Three semesters instead of the four semesters we have now. Each trimester is 12 weeks in length Extending the marking period from 45 to 60 days Trimesters begin August, November, March Reports are given November, March and June o K-8

Trimesters 1. Longer periods of time to develop meaningful information about student progress 2. More opportunities to build relationships and rapport with students before formal reporting 3. More opportunities to understand student needs and to properly intervene.

Trimesters 1.Second and third semesters are notoriously too short due to days off and weather concerns 2. Teachers will have more time for direct instructions and this will help with pacing of lessons for mastery. 3. Research shows trimester grading periods are more developmentally appropriate for elementary and middle school students 4. Trimesters give teachers more time to assess and gather the data.

First Trimester August29First Trimester Begins Week of October 9Progress Reports Issued Week of October 23Parent Conferences November 22Marks End December 5First Tri. Reports Issued

Second Trimester November29Second Trimester Begins Week of Jan. 15Progress Reports Issued Prepare 8 th grade placement card Parent Conferences: teacher and parent request March 8Marks End March 15Second Tri. Reports Issued

Third Trimester March 9Third Trimester Begins Week of April 17Progress Reports May 30, 31Final Exams June1, 2Final Exams June 8Closing Exercises

Things to Consider Awareness of pacing from the beginning of the year Need to track all students, especially those who are having difficulties. Consciousness of the number of assessments per trimester. More information about the Kindergarten report card will be coming.

Stop and Consider Positive comments Concerns Questions thinking

ASSESSMENTS

Formative and summative assessments are happening all year Progress Report in the middle of each of the three trimesters Conference after the first Progress Report-end of October Second conference, school discretion, after the second Progress Report

Pacing Math Committee-will put the curriculum in 3 semesters ELA – in discussion Science – Putting the curriculum in trimesters. – Also adding resources

Curriculum and Final Exams Working with the Diocesan Curriculum Committees to come up with reorganization of the curriculum for trimesters Also working with the committees on assessments

Report Card Roll Out FEBRUARY-March – -principals to review the information about trimesters with their faculty, if they have not done so. MARCH – Present Power Point at the Principals’ Meeting This power point should be shown to the faculty This can also be shared with parents (can be adapted) April-May – – Power Point presentations to the faculties

Work in Progress! Working on the required assessments for each subject area. How homework should be assessed and graded. Kindergarten report card.

Mickey McGrath