OSMS Grading Procedures

Grades for courses at OSMS will be determined through a common formula for all classes. The grading formula will be as follows:

 

Teachers will assign and grade a minimum of 10 minor grades per quarter. Minor grades include but are not limited to a variety of gradable items such as quizzes, daily grades, participation, and homework. Teachers set a defined weight to each category to construct the total weight of the minor grades. Teachers will define what constitutes their “minor grades” in the course syllabus which is given to students on the first day of the class.

 

Teachers will give a minimum of 4 Major Grades per quarter. Major grades will include teacher-generated tests, major projects, essays, or other assignments defined as a “major grade” in the course syllabus.

 

At the end of every quarter, students will take a comprehensive exam. For a ½ credit, quarter course, the final quarter grade will stand as the final grade. For a one-credit course taught over a semester, the final grade will be determined by averaging the two quarter grades for the course. For a one-credit course taught over the entire school year, the final grade shall be determined by averaging the two semester grades for the course. No quarter grades are given for one-credit courses that meet for the entire school year.

 

Major or long-term projects should be closely monitored and assigned two or three formative grades at set intervals prior to the summative grade. If a project or assignment merits more than one summative grade (multiple grades), each grade should represent a different component of the project. Example: Grade 1 Content, Grade 2 Format, Grade 3 Organization.

 

Teachers will update grades a minimum of once per week unless specifically approved by building administration. Unless there is a major class project, no five-day period should pass without every student having received his paperwork with a grade. A student will be provided the opportunity to retake one minor grade each term (maximum point value will be 70%).