grades represent what students LEARN, not what they EARN. Grades are an accurate representation of how deep a student understands a topic, and cannot be influenced by the behaviors that led (or didn't lead) to that grade. It sounds like a logical statement, but what does that mean, exactly? 

To some, we seem to be suggesting that we don't value deadlines in our system, or that we are not doing enough to help students gain important real-world skills such as managing their time. I can tell you that this couldn't be further from the truth. The problem is, to date we haven't found a great way to hold students accountable for meeting deadlines without compromising the competency-based learning philosophies. 

This year, we will be instituting a new system that we believe will address this concern. We will be instituting a "privilege restriction list that will be maintained by our staff daily. If a student is behind in their work, they run the risk of being excluded from any number of "privileges" at the school - things like playing a sport, participating in a club, or attending a school dance or field trip. Our entire staff will share the burden and responsibility of putting students on the list when they are behind and also removing their access to privileges while they are on the list. What we hope is that students will quickly make two realizations:

1. If I end up on the list, the only way to get off the list is to get my work complete.

2. I would have been better off staying off the list in the first place.

Some may argue that it is a tough stance for our school to take, but we value so much the importance of teaching students how to better manage their time that we are willing to take such a hard stance on this issue. We hope you agree.

Here is the full policy, if you are interested:

Sanborn Regional High School has many privileges available to students who have completed all of their academic work in a timely manner. Examples of privileges are as follows:

Students who have not completed their academic work in a timely manner will be placed on the IWS List by their teacher.  Students who are placed on the IWS List may not participate in activities or programs that are considered privileges until they have been removed from the list.

Teachers will place students on the list by the end of the school day following the due date of the assignment.  When assignments are turned in, teachers will remove the student from the list by the end of the next school day.  Privilege eligibility returns when the student's name is removed from the list by the teacher.  

Teachers will, via email, notify the student, parent/guardian(s), and guidance / special education staff (as appropriate) as soon as the student is put on the list.