General Academic Standard

GRADING SYSTEM/HONOR ROLL

The following grades will be eligible for the following quarterly awards:

     Perfect Attendance: Preschool, Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2
     Perfect Attendance and Effort Awards:  Grades 3
     Perfect Attendance, Effort Awards, A and B Honor Roll:  Grades 4 through 8

In order to receive a perfect attendance award, students may have no absences and no tardies during the quarter.
In order to attain A or B honor roll status, students may have no checks on their report card.
In order to receive an effort award, students may not be on the A or B honor roll, have no check marks, and must have good work habits.
In order for students to receive honor roll/award status, they may not have more than one out of uniform per quarter

Calculating Grade Point Average

     A                 93—100         4 points
     B                 85—92           3 points
     C                 77—84           2 points
     D                 70—76           1 point
     U                 69 or below   0 points

     A Honor Roll—3.70 to 4.00
     B Honor Roll—3.00 to 3.69

Only “major subject areas” are used to calculate grade point average; there can be nothing lower than a C in these areas.  There may be no checks on the report card.  (Major subject areas include reading, religion, English, social studies, science, spelling and mathematics.)

HOMEWORK

Homework is a useful way for students to practice skills and learn independent study habits.  It is the student’s AND parent’s responsibility to be sure that all homework is completed every night!

Students in grades 2-8 will receive an assignment notebook in which to write down each assignment as it is given.  It is the parents’ responsibility to supervise a child's homework time and check to see that assignments are finished and done neatly.  Without doing the assignments, parents should encourage the child to spend the necessary time to be neat, look up the spelling of unfamiliar words, and to use correct punctuation.  Teachers will not accept sloppy, inadequate, or incomplete work.  Parents are encouraged to help children in these ways so that the children will acquire the self-discipline required for doing homework.  On most school days, children will be asked to do homework.  Reading assignments that do not require writing are as important as written work.  PERSONAL READING IS ALWAYS ENCOURAGED.

Teachers recommend that students spend an average of 20 - 75 minutes per evening on homework, depending upon grade level.  Your cooperation and help in the area of homework is very important to your child's success in school.

REPORT CARDS
Report cards will be sent home at the close of each academic quarter for all students in Kindergarten to Grade 8.  An interim progress report will be sent to parents at the midpoint in each academic quarter.  Report cards for preschoolers will be distributed in November and April.

If you need to talk with your child's teacher at other times than the scheduled conferences, we ask that you make an appointment.  Teachers cannot leave the class unattended to talk with parents during school hours.

PROMOTION/RETENTION POLICY

Resources available to educators allow for innovative ways of scheduling classes, structuring the school day and providing ample, educationally sound material for individual learning.

Psychological, emotional and social factors must be considered carefully when considering a student for promotion or retention.
A student is promoted upon completion of the academic requirements set forth by Pope John Paul II School in accordance with Archdiocesan and state requirements.

A student is retained only if adequate evaluation and documentation indicates the student will benefit from retention. Parents shall be notified of the possibility of retention no later than mid-year.

Retention of a student must have prior approval of the principal and be accepted in writing by parents/guardian. If the parents/guardian refuse to have the student retained, this fact should be in writing prior to promotion.

A student may not be promoted is he/she misses more than 26 days of school during the year. (26 days=15% of the total number of required school days) Absence, however, in itself is an unacceptable cause of retention if the missed work is made up by the student. Exceptions due to extraordinary circumstances will be carefully considered.