Middle School Academics

Grading

The school year is divided into four (4) quarters of about nine (9) weeks each. At the end of each quarter, students and their parents will receive a grade report. During each quarter, teachers generally send comments regarding the nature of students’ progress. An extremely low grade or a pattern of poor work may result in a conference with the parents, either via phone or in person. Please contact your child’s teacher and advisor first for specific concerns regarding academic communication. Communicate with the Dean of Students or the Head of the Middle School as needed after addressing the concern with the teacher and advisor.

Students will receive credit on the basis of their yearly average. In core academic classes, the yearly average must be a grade of C- or higher, with the exception of eighth grade math, in which the yearly average must be at least B- in order to advance to the next course in ninth grade.

HONOR ROLL & HIGH HONOR ROLL

• Honors is defined as a marking period with grades in all classes (with the exception of the first quarter of Math 6) of > B.

• High Honors is defined as a marking period with grades in all classes (with the exception of the first quarter of Math 6) of > A-.

Sixth graders: First-quarter grades are exempt; calculation begins in the second quarter.

Seventh & eighth graders: Calculation begins in the first quarter and continues until the end of the third quarter in the eighth grade.

Students matriculating into the Middle School after sixth grade must be enrolled for at least three quarters in order to be eligible for Honor Roll and High Honor Roll. Awards are presented at the Middle School Honors Ceremony in late May.

Grading Scale

Report cards are available four times during a school year. Course averages are computed using the following grading scale:

Make-Up Work

When it is necessary for students to be absent from school, they are responsible for making up any work that was missed. There will be a specific amount of time in which to make up all work missed, and students should take responsibility to find out from their teachers what needs to be completed. Teachers cannot recreate the classes missed but will assist the student if the absence is excused. Teachers are not expected to spend additional time with students who have missed class time due to unexcused absences.

Regardless of the reason for an absence from class (except for suspension or intentionally cutting class), if a student misses a test, quiz, in-class assignment, or due date, the policy for completing missed work is “number of days absent plus one day” (Note: this is a revision from the 2022-2023 policy, which included an extra day). Times and locations are posted throughout the school. Official make-up sessions are as follows:

• Tuesday & Friday MORNINGS, 7:25-8:05

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday AFTERNOONS, 3:30-4:10

In the case of extended absence due to illness or injury, the school will prepare reasonable accommodations for making up work in a timely manner.

On rare, judiciously chosen occasions, a family may elect to schedule an activity that conflicts with official school days. However, as a matter of courtesy and respect, no teacher can reasonably be expected to reteach material missed during such elective absences. Any student planning to be absent for such occasions must discuss the absence and make-up plan with the advisor and – most importantly – arrange with teachers in advance to receive information about missed assignments. The standard policy for making up missed work will be applied.

Missed Deadline

When a make-up deadline is missed, the assignment is sent to the Dean of Students for consideration. S/he will send notice to both the student and family that the deadline has been missed and apprise all parties of an extended deadline (if permitted).

Generally, after the second instance of a missed make-up deadline in a semester (all classes included), the teacher will be advised to deduct points from the assignment once it is completed. After the third missed deadline in a semester (all classes included), work may not be given credit; however, the assignment must be completed.

If a student is absent for one day before an assessment and returns on the day of – and the teacher believes that the student had a good opportunity to be prepared – the student will be required to take the assessment. However, if the teacher does not require the student to take the assessment, then the student will have one additional day with which to remediate the assessment.

If a student misses school the day a long-term project or homework assignment is due, the work needs to be submitted as immediately as possible; certainly upon the student’s return to school.

Work for anticipated absences can be made up partially or completely before a student is absent.

Extra Help

Extra Help is available every morning before school at 7:50 a.m. and every afternoon after school until 3:50 p.m., in addition to the Extra Help period (1:35-1:58) during the school day. Students may be asked or required to come to a certain teacher/class for Extra Help, but they should seek help from any teacher anytime they feel it is needed. Snacks are permitted by advisor; however, a student may not take food to another student or out of his/her advisory.

Conferences

INTAKE conferences are scheduled early in the fall to allow parents and advisors to exchange information that can benefit students and all of their teachers.

A second parent-advisor conference will be held later in the fall; parent-teacher conferences are held in the spring. However, if parents would like to meet with any or all of a student’s teachers at other times during the school year, arrangements can be made.

To meet with a teacher, parents should make an appointment. To communicate with a teacher, please leave a message via email (most effective) or with the Middle School Office staff.

Ideally, students, their teachers, parents, and sometimes classmates can work together to promote effective learning. Students and their parents can enhance learning by apprising the school of the student’s learning differences and needs for additional help or accommodations.

When students experience academic difficulties, they are encouraged to explore the following:

• See the teacher to discuss strategies

• Attend Extra Help as suggested by the teacher

• Discuss strategies and an improvement plan with the advisor

• Seek help from the Learning Specialist.

Beyond the above opportunities, parents sometimes engage tutors. When a tutor is hired, the advisor and subject-area teacher should be notified so that regular communication between the school and the tutor can occur.

Remediating Courses for Sixth & Seventh Graders

Students who make below C- in any core academic class must remedy the deficiency before the next school year. There are two options available:

• Twenty hours of tutoring in each subject by an approved tutor

• Completion of a course approved by the Head of the Middle School

If remediating a math course, students must sit for an assessment no later than one week before the first day of school.

Remediating Courses for Eighth Graders

Eighth grade students who earn a cumulative average below a C- in a Middle School course may not be recommended to attend the Upper School.

Eighth grade students who complete Algebra I must do so with a yearly average of at least a B- in order to take Geometry in ninth grade.