CV Family

Latest Edition of The Coyote Howl

Hello CV Family,

We appreciate those of you able to attend the Open House/Curriculum Night.. It was another nice evening for our staff, students, and parents. Over the past week, I have had conversations with our students, staff, and parents. While I discussed various topics, one that came up had me curious and a little concerned. I heard that we were going to a new grading system. I was asked if we were going to Standards-Based Grading. I heard we were only going to test students, and nothing else would count as part of their grades. I also heard that we weren’t going to count classwork. So, I began asking questions and listening to seek to understand.

What we are doing is not what is perceived, but perception can be a reality. I now have a better understanding of how these perceptions came about. In short, we are implementing a new instructional model, not a new grading system. It is new only in that we put some teacher jargon on a process we have been working towards for the past few years and gave it a name. We made a grading adjustment in teacher grade books as part of the final phase of our alignment with GPS Grading Beliefs and Practices, which was adopted in 2022 and is supposed to be fully implemented this year. We have been implementing it in phases and met the expectation of fully aligning with the established timeline.

I have recently had conversations with 200 students, various teachers, and some fantastic parents. They helped shed light on where the misconceptions sprouted. I have shared the reality of what is happening and its history when I spoke to parents and students. I cannot duplicate the depths of those conversations in a newsletter, but I can put something together to hopefully duplicate the outcome of my conversations. I still want to visit with more students, parents, and teachers, but I can assemble something for you late next week. I will send it to all of our parents and staff through email. If you are interested in asking me a question that you would like me to answer, please email me.

Let me reassure you that we do what is best for students. We prioritize student needs and put students first. Our decisions regarding the instructional model and the last phase of implementing the GPS Grading Beliefs and Practices support students' success.

Typically, I will highlight important information that is contained within the newsletter or information I want to personally share with our school community in the format of Three Dots from Mr. Dumas:

• Progress Reports Due August 30th: Student progress reports through Infinite Campus will be finalized on 8/30. As happens each year at this time, we have concerns about grades, grade books, teaching, learning, etc. It is still very early in the school year. Teachers are advised to spend the first part of the year building a rapport with students and creating a classroom environment and procedures that make for a successful year. Sometimes, that process can take a few weeks. Overall, the sample size in almost all of our grade books is very small to get an accurate picture of student progress. I always recommend looking at the progress report to get the best idea of how your student is progressing. The halfway point is two weeks away. Give the processes and opportunities for learning to grow up until that point. Although, it is always a good idea to reach out if you have any questions or need clarification on anything with your student’s teacher.

• Time to Be Honest: I know what I just told you about grade books, but I am in them all the time at this time of year too. This past week I have gone through them twice to look for patterns and trends in specific classes and trends in general. We frequently compare historical data to see if there are differences, gaps, and anything in general that stands out to us. I will continue to monitor to see that our grade books are up to date, as will our administrative team. There are a few teachers who have communicated with me that they are putting in grades very soon, but that they were working on a specific project or objective, and putting in grades would be incomplete and misleading. I completely understand that point of view, and I appreciate that they can articulate it. I do ask them to communicate at home if that is the case. Grades cause a great deal of anxiety for many of our students, and our ability to update them promptly and accurately is of the utmost importance.

• Reaching Out to Mr. Dumas: Our team is always available, and in most cases, the counselor or your student’s grade level administrator will best be able to assist you. On the other hand, I want to be connected to our community and students. If you ever have questions, please reach out.

Remember, we are here to support your child's academic journey. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to working together to ensure their success!

Best regards,

Mr. Tyler Dumas
Principal, Campo Verde High School
Every Person, Every Day!

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