NSU University School Faculty, Staff and Employee Handbook

31 6. Implement an academic program that is rigorous and appropriate to each student’s aptitude and performance expectations. 7. Develop a positive and productive client relationship with parents and students. 8. Create an environment that encourages student-success, wherein, students are able to maximize their development in inquiry, self-direction, and creativity. 9. Utilize instructional strategies that emphasize higher level thinking skills. SEMESTER EXAMS In grades where end of semester exams or capstone demonstrations of mastery are given, these must be approved by the divisional director or designee. A final draft of the approved assignment must be filed before copying and administering STATEMENT REGARDING AND DESCRIPTION OF FORMATIVE AND SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT AT NSU UNIVERSITY SCHOOL Research suggests that diagnostic and formative assessments provide feedback necessary to help students improve their learning. In line with the research, USchool believes that it is reasonable to afford all students every opportunity to show their best side, not just allow them one opportunity to demonstrate acquired knowledge, skills or strategies. **In the real world lawyers, doctors, pilots, and teachers are not penalized for multiple attempts at mastery for their professional qualifications/certificates. Formative assessment is the process used by teachers and students during instruction and before final measure of mastery that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes (Popham, 2009). These assessments are frequent (usually chunked) and ongoing , completed en route to mastery ; ongoing assessments are considered as “checkpoints” on students’ progress and the foundation for feedback given – the most useful assessment teachers can provide for students and for their own teaching decisions. The primary purpose for grading these assessments is to communicate student achievement and progress to students, parents and others and to guarantee that final student grades reflect what s/he knows.  Not all formative measurements will be graded;  Calculated grades will be calculated based on a total point system.  Summative/formative weighted split – approximately 65/35 percent  Grades should be based on individual, not group, achievement.  Effort and participation will be graded only if they are a stated as part of a specific learning goal (grade then base on a rubric).  Bonus questions related to the assessed topic on summative assessments are acceptable.  NO EXTRA work for extra points after the measurement (making grade higher is not acceptable on its face) Since homework is part of the “practice” of learning and should not be assigned until the student is comfortable with the concept/skill, it is recommended that daily homework serve as a checkpoint, rather than a graded formative measure, and it should not be busy work . If a student does not complete daily homework assignments, and does poorly on the formative, then the