Home Curriculum Grading Philosophy
At Park Day, a standards-based grading approach and regular assessment measures what students understand and can do. Formative, summative, and ongoing assessment give teachers a clear picture of each student’s progress toward learning goals.
As teachers identify strengths as well as gaps in understanding, they are able to differentiate instruction to provide additional challenge or support. Students are given opportunities to revise their work, apply feedback, and deepen their understanding. The goal is to reinforce the idea that learning is a process and mastery develops over time.
As students move through the grades, ongoing assessment becomes increasingly formal. In the upper grades, rubrics typically use a 4–10 point scale, while quizzes and tests are often scored as percentages. Across grade levels, students are encouraged to seek feedback, check in with teachers, and revise their work when appropriate. This approach helps students understand where they are in their learning and how to take increasing ownership of their academic growth.
Mastery based learning and standards-based grading models have long been used by progressive schools like Park Day.
Formative and ongoing assessments monitor student progress and help catch misconceptions early. They represent a low stakes way for teachers to check for understanding and change approach as needed in real time.
Summative assessments take place at the end of a learning unit and are weighted to evaluate overall student achievement and measure mastery against benchmarks. Standards based grades (1-4 point scale) on twice-yearly progress reports reflect this practice as well.
Over the past 20 years, a progressive style mastery approach to grading has been gaining in popularity nationwide as educational experts consider the skills students need to be successful in a rapidly changing world.
Research on Assessment/Learning:
KQED’s Mindshift: Assessments
Mastery Transcript Consortium
How People Learn, National Research Council
Progressive Education: Why it’s hard to beat, but also hard to find
Loving Learning: How Progressive Education Can Save America’s Schools
NPR: What kind of parent are you?
Educators send home comprehensive written narratives at the end of each semester. These multi page assessments feature a standards based grading approach (1 -4 point scale) for each academic content area. Teachers write narratives to add depth and analysis in each subject area. If a student is struggling, teachers will reach out and communicate with a family in order to partner in support of a child’s learning in advance of any formal feedback.
Teacher/advisor conferences are held twice a year, midway through each semester. Beginning in 3rd grade, students take an active role in their conferences, sharing their successes and reflecting on areas of stretch and challenge. By Middle School, students lead their conferences with support from their advisor, building confidence, self-awareness, and self-advocacy.
Student-selected portfolios are an important part of each conference, providing a window into both the learning process and the student’s growth over time. Together, students and teachers guide families through examples of work, and highlight accomplishments alongside areas of growth.
In Middle School, students and parents access the Blackbaud online grading system to track completed and missing work, receive scores and feedback on homework, classwork, and tests.
View Assignments
Students and families can view current and upcoming assignments for the day, week, or month, as well as see all past assignments.
View Progress and Scores
Students and families can track progress overall as well as see feedback and scores on individual assignments.