New grading for schools

Back to school night for P was last night and we (parents and Principal) were supposed to have a discussion on the new grading going on but all we got from the Principal was the same thing over and over that teachers will be working with the kids and other teachers and all schools will have the same grading system and that even colleges are looking at changing how they grade. Was a tad embarrassing as one parent asked her question several times in different ways and the Principal basically went through her rhetoric all over again (without cards!  I was impressed).  I couldnt hear the questions and the Principal didnt do a good job of repeating them for all to hear.  

New grading is going to be off proficiencies.  Not sure if this is good or bad.  Still seems to me that we are protecting little snowflakes from seeing bad grades.  The only time kids/parents really see a letter grade anymore is at report card time.  So if you dont understand how grading is done it can be a real shock.

Hopefully its a change from the number system P had last year as I could never remember what was good and of course people rarely got 5's (A's in the real world)

Thankfully P's teachers are great and willing to answer any questions we have and not spout rhetoric.

Another change is the ability for parents to log into the school network and look at how are kids are doing grade wise at any time.  P is in a magnet school that is within a regular school but at times (normally) we seem to be left off lists when full school-wide announcements are sent.  Such was the case for the login information for this new feature.  Yea!  So when it came time for us to try it out, oops…

Just a little frustrating.

DL’s grading hasnt changed – yet that we know of.  Likes his teacher, school and friends.  Now if we could only get him to finish his homework and class-work.