North Forest Pines Elementary 2024-25

School Grading Plan

In the Wake County Public School System, we are committed to maintaining rigorous performance and achievement standards for all students and to providing a fair and consistent process for evaluating and reporting student progress that is understandable to students and their parents and relevant for instructional purposes.

The information below shares specific information about grading at our school.  For more information on these practices, please contact:

The following are school-wide expectations for homework:

• Homework reinforces learning and fosters independence, responsibility, and self-direction.  Homework assignments should strengthen skills, provide practice in subjects that have already been taught in class, and/or improve a student's ability to work independently. Teachers should take into consideration the differences in financial, educational, and technological resources of students and their parents or guardians when making assignments. In addition, the amount of time necessary to complete the tasks should be reasonable in light of the age and maturity of the students and other assignments given to the students. Homework should not be given over track out. At North Forest Pines, homework is assigned at teacher discretion. Please ask your teacher what homework looks like for your student or check out the teachers hub located on the NFP website, under parent resources.

The following are grade/subject specific expectations for the completion and grading of homework:

• Procedures by Grade Level; Kindergarten ≤ 15 minutes per night, Grade 1 ≤ 20 minutes per night, Grade 2 ≤ 30 minutes per night, Grade 3 ≤ 30 minutes per night, Grade 4 ≤ 30 minutes per night, and Grade 5 ≤ 30 minutes per night.

• Reading is always encouraged.

• Evaluation - Homework is considered practice and must not be factored into a student’s grade or included in behavior grades.  It is essential to provide each child regular feedback on his or her homework.

• If homework is consistently not returned, teachers will inform the parent. 

The following are school-wide expectations for classwork and assessments:

• All students are continually assessed to determine their progress and mastery of concepts taught. A wide variety of assessments will be used as documentation. 

• Progress Reports will be issued at the midpoint of each grading period for every student.

• North Forest Pines Elementary follows the WCPSS standards-based grading system. This model will assess children in all academic areas using the following scale: 

  • Level 4 - Student consistently demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the standards, concepts and skills taught during this reporting period.

  • Level 3 - Student consistently demonstrates an understanding of the standards, concepts and skills taught during this reporting period.

  • Level 2 -  Student is approaching an understanding of the standards, concepts and skills taught during this reporting period. 

  • Level 1 - Student does not yet demonstrate an understanding of standards, concepts and skills taught during this reporting period. 

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• Benchmark assessments (MClass (K-5), STAR Math (3-5), NC Check-In (3-5), NKT (K-2), BOG (3)) will be aligned with state/district standards and administered during the designated testing windows.  

• Common Formative Assessments will be aligned to quarterly standards and administered during the duration of each quarter. 

• Classroom assessments will be given periodically and will be based on pacing guidelines given by the district.
  
  

The following are grade/subject specific expectations for the completion and grading of classwork and assessments:

• All students are continually assessed to determine their progress and mastery of concepts taught. A wide variety of assessments will be used as documentation.  Students will have three opportunities to master an objective with formal and informal assessments and classwork.  

• If students are not demonstrating mastery, they will be provided additional opportunities to demonstrate learning. Teachers have the discretion to provide a re-assessment to any student in order to gather the most accurate measure of the student’s learning.

• Report Cards are to be sent home at the end of each quarter according to the school system’s published schedule.

• At least two (2) conferences are scheduled with each child’s parents/guardians during the school year (fall and spring).

• Student data will be maintained and shared with parents during the conferences and/or by parent request.

• MClass (K-5), STAR Math (3-5), student summary reports will be sent home three times per year.

The following are school-wide expectations for missed work:

If the absence is approved in advance and/or if the work is assigned by the teacher in advance, all make-up work, including tests assigned for the day of return, is due upon the student's return to school. Teachers should use discretion and may make exceptions in the case of students whose excused absences were not planned in advance, were beyond the student's control, and the nature of which would not support make-up work the day of return.

• If the make-up work has not been assigned in advance, for absences of one (1) to three (3) days, the student will have one day for each day absent. For absences exceeding three (3) days, the student may have two (2) days for each day absent to make up work.  Special consideration will be given in the case of extended absences due to injury or chronic illness.

• Teachers and parents should collaborate in the event of absence(s) and communicate about expectations of missing work.
  
  

The following are grade/subject specific expectations for the completion and grading of missed work:

• All grade level expectations follow the school-wide expectations.

For students at risk of academic failure, our school seeks to provide a Multi-Tiered System of Support to promote successful completion and mastery of literacy and math standards.

Procedures to determine students at risk and steps of supplemental and intensive interventions are as follows:

• Our grade level PLCs review data to determine if all students are successful with core instruction. Students who are identified as below benchmark through the triangulation of data points, grade level PLCs (involving classroom teachers and essential support staff) will determine appropriate research-based interventions to best meet the needs of students or student groups.

• For students not meeting benchmarks, additional digging deeper assessments will be administered, as outlined by WCPSS MTSS Flowchart. 

• For more information about MTSS, check out the MTSS link on our NFP website under the academics tab.
  
  

The following are grade/subject specific expectations for prevention and intervention:

• Each grade level is assigned a case manager that serves on the intervention team to ensure the steps of the intervention matrix are being followed.  In addition to the monthly data review, the case managers meet with the grade level PLCs once a month to review prevention and intervention.  

Extra credit is not offered but multiple opportunities to demonstrate mastery of standards will be provided.