SCHOOL Committee Affirms Commitment to New Report Card

At a School Committee meeting on Dec. 12, Interim Superintendent Anthony Bent and school committee members expressed their support and commitment to a new report card at the elementary level which grades students on a different scale from the traditional "A, B, C" scale. Bent emphasized that the new report card applies only to elementary grades (one through four) and will not be used in the middle and high schools.

Bent also reiterated that the new report card grades students against a standard of achievement for their respective grade level and not against the performance of other children. Bent also noted that the new report card will give parents more information than was available under the old report card system.

Some school committee members said they had received comments from parents in regards to the new

report card expressing concern over the way students are evaluated. School Committee member Jim Frey said he had received comments that the new grading system will only encourage average achievement and not encourage higher performance. Frey noted that such a characterization is not the case and the new report card system is not a huge change from the traditional report card. Frey added that it takes time to get used to a new system.

The new report card reflects changes in the district's curriculum and in the revised "No Child Left Behind" legislation. School Committee member Eric Giger said the committee could also customize the new report card and add another level of evaluation if they believed it would better grade a child's performance.

School District staff will be monitoring the new grading system and are looking for feedback from parents and teachers.