Banbury Crossroads
Independent School

Student Evaluation Policy Background: The student evaluation policy is influenced by the philosophy of the school, which is derived in part from the "Integrated Day" approach. Diane Swiatek's personal philosophy, which is an eclectic combination of experience and other leading educational and psychological philosophies, is also influential on this policy. See Bibliography Page for a list of influential authors who have contributed to our beliefs. The fundamental approach that is taken at Banbury Crossroads towards the developmental growth of our students is inherently different from that of most traditional methods. Thus, it requires a different approach to student evaluation. The most crucial element we wish to foster in our youth is intrinsic motivation the pursuit of knowledge and skills for their own sake. We attempt to inspire young people to participate effectively and enthusiastically in learning opportunities, and to value quality within the process of learning and its results. We see student evaluation as the means of providing feedback to learners. We wish not to be an institution whose basic aim is to compare and contrast children. Instead, we wish to celebrate the individual traits of each of our students, and to encourage each one to develop to their full potential, and to reach their own life goals. We do not believe that performance anxiety contributes positively to the learning process. Policy: 1. The purpose of student evaluation is primarily to assist in planning for individual needs, to provide concrete and constructive feedback to students in the midst of their learning, and to inform parents, students and staff regarding student progress. We do not use a behaviourist approach to student evaluation, eschewing both rewards and punishment. Therefore, we do not give marks to students until they are in Grade 10, and then only because Alberta Learning requires marks to record course completions, and universities require percentages for entrance. Each teacher should be responsible for reporting student progress to the students, parents and other teachers/administrators at each reporting period, utilizing the school's current report card format. Each student and his or her parent/s should be made aware that progress through the grade levels of each subject is conditional to the accomplishment of curriculum outcomes. Parents and students should be included in the ongoing assessment of this progress. Teachers should report student progress to parents informally throughout the year, through phone calls, impromptu discussions and scheduled meetings. We participate as a school in administering standardized government tests. However, from previous experience, we have found that these tests are of questionable value to our students. The results have often been inconsistent with classroom performance, and sometimes are not even indicative of the students' true abilities. We have also found that performance anxiety can hamper results significantly. Nevertheless, we use results that corroborate our own experience for planning particular students' programs. These results can be especially helpful when we have had little prior experience with a new student. Students will write government exams when they have completed the coursework required. In the event that a student has not completed the course requirements, but the parent wishes that child to write the government exam, or the student wishes to write it, then the child may do so without the school's recommendation. In this case, the school mark will reflect the work actually completed. Results will be discussed with students and parents. Other standardized tests, such as the Canadian Achievement Tests or the Canadian Tests of Basic Skills, may be used to supplement student evaluation in particular areas. This testing would occur if academic difficulties or giftedness were indicated. Results are then discussed with both students and parents. In the case of children with special needs, the referring psychologist, Alberta Children's Hospital, or other appropriate specialist should be involved in evaluation and program development. Due to the cost commitment that parents bear for formal evaluations by educational psychologists, the school's role is to highly recommend such evaluations, not demand them. Until such time as the school is able to provide financial assistance for such services, the decision to consult a specialist is ultimately the parents'. Should such funding be created, parental consent must be obtained before pursuing this avenue. Graduation from Grade 12 occurs upon the completion by each student of 100 credits, according to the policy set by Alberta Learning. Students who have finished the mandatory courses and written their final exams, will be issued, by mail, a Grade 12 Diploma reflecting the particular coursework completed. The Graduation Banquet hosted by the school will honor those students who expect to graduate according to the above requirements, or who will have completed by the end of June at least 90 credits, and who can provide proof of registration in two summer courses. Other circumstances will be interpreted upon the discretion of the Principal. Guidelines: Teachers will evaluate student progress according to the school's philosophy and the outcomes of the Alberta Programs of Study. They shall also keep in mind the quality of the work and the entry characteristics of the students. Teachers need to realize that inherent intellectual, physical and emotional abilities and interests will impact upon the learning of their students. Evaluative records may consist of: anecdotal records results of standardized tests results of teacher-set tests samples of student work student self-assessment parent-teacher and student-teacher interviews Teachers' anecdotal notes are the property of the teacher, used for constructing report cards. Student records should be treated as confidential material for the students and their parent/s, as well as teachers and administration. These files should be kept in a locked filing cabinet, and should not be left out for public perusal. Parent observations provide valuable information, and should be respected and utilized throughout the year. Parents should be encouraged to observe their children, as well as other children, in the school setting. When parents and/or students disagree with their child/ren's evaluation, they should follow the procedure below: Obtain more information and explanation from the teacher regarding the areas of disagreement. If disagreement persists after discussion with the teacher, the student or parents may contact the Principal, who will arrange a meeting between that party and the teacher, wherein the Principal will act as mediator. The school may seek professional opinions from other educational consultants, if desirable. Report card originals are always given to the parent/s, and copies are maintained here at the school. Students' records should be kept on file for the year/s of attendance, and for ten years subsequent to their departure from the school. Evaluation Procedures: Upon entrance, parents and students will be asked to participate in a detailed interview with the Principal to share relevant information about the experiences and nature of that particular child, in order to determine his/her suitability for our school's practical and philosophical atmosphere. New parents are required to complete a questionnaire to assist us in obtaining this information. Teachers will be trained and capable of noting student readiness, in order to capitalize on it. Teachers will keep periodic confidential anecdotal records on student progress, including dates, observed behaviours, skills, knowledge gained, special characteristics and occurrences, as well as their interpretations of these elements. Assessment of academic work and individual student development is primarily accomplished through observation, mastery of work, self-evaluation and oral discussion and questioning. Integrated and culminating projects are regularly used to assist in determining the students' level of understanding of course material. Pre-established criteria will be necessary to provide fair evaluations. These assessment tools determine if the students are meeting curriculum outcomes and skills. However, if they are unable to master certain concepts and skills, then they will not be evaluated against the typical curricular outcomes, but rather according to outcomes as listed upon an IPP. Older students may be requested to include self-assessments in their evaluation records, including significant achievements, goals and personal opinions. To assure fairness, and to reflect the value we place on critical thinking skills, teacher prepared tests will be designed to measure a variety of skills such as recall, recognition, application, synthesis, analysis, evaluation or other higher cognitive processes, both affective and psychomotor, whichever are appropriate to the subject matter. Tests may be rewritten by students, if the initial writing failed to produce a result consistent with the reasoned expectations of either student or teacher, based upon classroom work. The better mark will be retained. For younger students, teacher-designed tests will be administered primarily to give children practice at writing tests, and to assist us in ascertaining their recall and understanding of a unit of work. The test will be used as a teaching opportunity, and not as an occasion for anxiety and self-comparison. These tests are intended as a teaching tool only, and are not the only form of assessment used. Tests are not a communication tool, since all children from pre-school through Grade 9 do not receive marks on their report cards. Instead, they receive written feedback. Report cards will be issued three times a year, in November, March and June. These reports contain an anecdotal summary of the student's progress, focussing on learning style, social skills, academic strengths, and areas delineated as requiring further development. Report cards are written in a form that provides a comprehensive picture of a student's progress. For older students, they also contain a course breakdown, which lists the amount of specific academic work completed to date, and how much course work must be completed to cover the basic curriculum requirements for that grade in each subject. For the younger children, a list of topics and checklists may be provided, outlining curricular outcomes from the Programs of Study that the children have covered in the previous term and those that they have consistently demonstrated. Percentage marks for course work will be assigned only to students in Grades 10 through 12. Due to the significant amount of writing in the report card, teachers will ensure that at least one other staff member proofreads their work for a proper grammatical presentation and an overall respectful outlook. As in many other businesses, this process is necessary to ensure that only quality products represent the school's integrity and the students' formal records.