Beth Patton Principal Joanne Keely Secretary Chris Barker Associate Principal Tim Heaphy Assistant Principal Michael LeMoyne Assistant Principal Todd Russo Assistant Principal Erika Chapman Instructional Support Services

From the Office of the Principal…

Dear Friends,

Last month, I included a letter with your child’s report card providing information about a grade of “Incomplete” if that should apply to your child’s situation.  In that letter I stated:

“In a standards-based school environment, students must complete assigned work and required assessments in order for teachers to accurately and appropriately assess students’ academic progress. Your child’s classroom teacher or teachers may choose to assign an INC (Incomplete) if your child has not completed or turned in work required for the teacher to accurately and appropriately assess academic progress in a particular course.”

The letter indicated how important it is for students to complete their work if they have an Incomplete and rectify their grade as soon as possible. If this situation applies to your child, please talk with your child and his or her teacher right away. Don’t let an Incomplete linger.

I thought you might be wondering where this notion of an Incomplete instead of a grade came from, so I would like to explain what it means to be in a “standards-based school environment.” When I think about a standards-based approach to teaching and learning, two things come to my mind; the need be very clear about what it is that students need to know and be able to do in each and every course we offer, and how we as educators respond to students’ achievement in relation to the standards. Rush-Henrietta’s standards are based upon New York state standards. Standards provide the framework for all of our curriculum maps, and the maps guide our teachers’ planning and delivery of instruction in our classes. Being standards-based means the required skills and demonstration of knowledge should be consistent among teachers who teach the same courses. It does not mean every class will be exactly the same in activities or methods of instruction but the “what needs to be learned” should be the same. Being standards-based provides equity for students, not necessarily equal experiences.

We are just beginning the discussion on how being a standards-based school environment will impact our current assessment and grading practices. The notion of reporting an Incomplete instead of a numeric grade is evidence of our new thinking and learning. It is the responsibility of teachers to provide feedback to students and parents on the students’ performance in relation to meeting specific learning standards for their courses. If students haven’t provided evidence of their learning, teachers cannot fairly assess their progress. Thus, the Incomplete is reported instead of a grade. Please note, however, there will be a point where a grade has to be calculated.  If an Incomplete is not rectified, students will not be awarded credit and a course or courses may need to be retaken.

I hope this sheds some light onto why we are engaging in the use of the Incomplete and what it means to be a standards-based school. The Incomplete is just one example of a standards-based best practice; it is not the answer or solution. It is simply a practice we will engage in to reflect an accurate account of how our students are progressing in meeting the standards for our courses.

March is the month for our spring musical “West Side Story.” This is a terrific show, kind of a modern day “Romeo and Juliet” set to a beautiful musical score.  Show dates are March 18-20 at 7 p.m. here in the auditorium. You can purchase tickets online this year; see the announcement in this issue. You can also purchase tickets at the Box Office on Mondays and Fridays from 3 to 6 p.m. The Box office is located just inside the ramp entrance, Door No. 5 in front of the auditorium.

PTO meets at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 13, in the small cafeteria.  Please join us!  As always, drop me a line if you have questions, concerns or compliments at Bpatton@rhnet.org or by calling 359-5208.

Sincerely,

Beth E. Patton

SHS Principal

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It may only be March but it is time to start thinking about graduation. Seniors must order their cap and gown for graduation in the school bookstore during lunch (between 10:35 a.m. and 12:35 p.m.). They will not be able to participate in graduation ceremonies without a cap and gown. Ordering will take place Feb. 22 through April 9.  Ordering is simple. Students need to come into the bookstore and fill out the order form - that’s it! Students will be able to pick up their cap and gown during exam week in June, at which time their payment will be due. The price will be approximately $25.  

School Profile 2008-2009 (pdf file - 129kb)

Voicemail List 09-10 (pdf file - 43kb)

Map of the Senior High School (pdf file - 195 KB)

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• Code of Conduct
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• District Calender Publications
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• On-line District Calendar
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