Report Cards!

As I am in the middle of compiling and writing this term's report cards, I thought I would share with you ahead of time some important changes. I also want to clarify exactly how to interpret the grades on your child's report card and what exactly is an "outcomes-based" report.

The Ministry of Education is in the process of changing the curriculum for French Immersion Grades 1 & 2. Therefore, the report cards will begin to reflect these new changes. Here are some answers to questions I know many of you will have this Wednesday as you read through your child's term 1 report card:

1) Why is there no grade for Math? Lakeview School is piloting an outcomes-based report card for Math. This means that we rate your child's progress directly with each outcome at their grade level. The checklist will show you what a Grade 1 or Grade 2 student is expected to learn and do for every component in math. The rating scale from 1-4 describes your child's achievement for each outcome. This way, you know exactly where their weaknesses are in math, and together we target them both at school and at home. This gives a lot more information than just a letter grade.

2) Why is there a separate insert for comments? I did not create this comments page. I am using what the Ministry of Learning initiated as a draft for what will eventually replace traditional report cards. I would appreciate any helpful feedback you may have. We are moving away from separating subjects for Grades 1 and 2 French Immersion. Eventually, the report cards will reflect this full integration.

3) What is the standard for an A,B, or C grade on a report card? For Grade 1, a letter grade "C" means that they are achieving a satisfactory level of learning and performance. For Grade 2, a "B" is a satisfactory level. Please remember that an immersion class is challenging for many students, and a C does NOT mean that your child is doing poorly. There is always room for improvement. If there are serious academic concerns, you would have already been contacted. Please read the top of the report card for a more detailed description of each grade.

I am very proud of how well the students are doing in my class. They are speaking in French,  interacting, and engaged in the learning process. A grade on a report card can never adequately describe how much each child has improved since September.