What is competency-based grading?

Grading is communication of a student’s progress toward stated learning goals. A competency-based system is designed to report out three kinds of information to parents and students:

1. A student’s level of competency in various academic skills
2. A student’s overall grade for the course
3. A student’s performance on Work-Study Practices (communication, creativity, collaboration, and self-direction)

What does Three Rivers’ grading scale look like?

The 4-point scale is based on having a stated learning goal and measuring where the student is in relation to that goal. Here are descriptors for the levels of the four-point scale.

What is formative work and how is it different from summative work?

Formative assessments are the daily practice. Classwork, homework, teacher observation and conversations with students would be considered formative assessments.

Summative assessments are comprehensive, performance-based measures that demonstrate what a student knows and is able to do. These assessments are linked to one or more of the course competencies.

Will Three Rivers still have honor roll?

Yes, Three Rivers will still have honor roll. The holistic grades from each class will be used to determine class GPA. Honor roll will have a different threshold given holistic grades will no longer be on a 100-point scale. The breakdown for the three tiers of honor roll are as follows:

Principal’s List Definition: Superior academic achievement in all programs. Eligibility: A student must achieve an overall average of a 3.8 or higher

High Honor Roll Definition: Outstanding academic achievement in all programs. Eligibility: Students must achieve an overall average of a 3.6 – 3.79

Honor Roll Definition: Commendable academic achievement in all programs. Eligibility: Students must achieve an overall average of a 3.4 – 3.59

Can a student recover a grade? – Relearn Contracts

A student has the opportunity to recover any summative assessment grade at or below a 3. The student must arrange this with the teacher through a written or verbal contract and the student has two weeks from the date of the original assessment to recover the grade. In addition, recovery will only be permitted if the student has completed 70% of the formative work for that competency.

Will there still be NH Work-Study Practices?

In a competency-based system, it is important to separate a student’s academic achievement from the social responsibilities recorded in the NH Work-Study Practices (communication, creativity, collaboration, and self-direction). Therefore, NH Work-Study Practices are still being assessed and reported on in each class.

What will a report card and transcript look like with a 4-point scale?

The report card will provide the following: a holistic grade for each class, a grade for each competency in each class, and grades for NH Work-Study Practices for each class (communication, creativity, collaboration, and self-direction). Additionally, each report card will have other common information like attendance data and a grading scale.

Three Rivers School will issue one report card at the end of the school year. Alma, our student information system provides real time, live information related to grading and students’ progress. We will periodically send out announcements to remind parents to check their child’s progress. Any specific questions regarding your child’s can be directed to your child’s teacher.