Greetings families,
We hope this email finds you well, and that you are enjoying some well-deserved time of rest and reflection with your children.
As you know, it is the standard practice of any school to issue report cards and to allow time for parents to meet with teachers in conferences to discuss the progress of each student. We are certainly no exception, and this email will give you further information on how to access grades as soon as they are released and to sign up for your conferences next week. This said, I would like to take a moment to share some reflections on this common practice, and to articulate some principles we hold dear when thinking about a child’s progress.
Our mission, as you should never cease to hear repeated, is to cultivate the hearts and minds of students through the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. This mission is in part realized through the accumulation of knowledge, the acquisition of skills, and the demonstration of both of these through assignments and assessments. The cultivation of a heart and mind, however, can by no means be reduced to this. How does one attempt to measure development of character and the cultivation of virtue? What does it really mean to be successful at our academy? You chose this academy not solely because of our academic rigor and classical model, but because we are committed to the idea that education is so much more than assignments and tasks, that it is about setting the conditions for the formation of virtuous young men and women.
In this context, grades can seem a bit out of place. How does one get an “A” or a “C” in pursuing Truth, Goodness, and Beauty? And furthermore, what do we even mean by an “A” or a “C”? Is a “C” cause for celebration or for concern? I would argue that a letter grade or number alone is without meaning, and unfortunately, can be misinterpreted in ways that can cause our students to value the wrong things. The totality of your child’s experiences and victories and areas for growth cannot be summed up in a single letter.
First, grades need meaning. Grade can mean different things across different school settings. At Great Hearts, our students work hard for A’s and 4’s, because this indicates that they have exceeded expectations, not merely met the requirements of each assignment. Second, grades also need context. For example, the vast majority of our students are joining us without a background in our unique curriculum and accelerated program. We know that that it takes time to adapt and for gaps to be filled. To add, a grade in the first quarter does not mean the same thing as the same grade in the fourth quarter, as each represents different levels of academic expectations. Third, grades cannot capture the individuality of each child. Your child is so much more than a letter. Each child is a living, breathing soul, unique in so many ways that even our attentive and dedicated teachers could never adequately comprehend. Fourth, grades cannot tell the story of each individual student. To answer the question as to whether a “C” is cause for celebration or concern, it entirely depends upon the context, the individual, and the journey each child has been on! For some, that “C” is the culmination of perseverance and dedication, for others, it may reflect untapped potential or a lapse in consistent effort. Grades, finally, cannot convey the things that are unquantifiable - sense of wonder, depth of inquiry, a child’s disposition towards their learning, and their interactions with their peers and with their teachers.
This is why your child’s teacher invests time in developing individual evaluations for each student. In your report card, you will find: (1) Letter grades, for grades 3-5, or standards grades, for grades K-2, reflecting different areas of assessment. (2) A summary of the quarter and the most important skills and content covered. (3) Most importantly, a narrative paragraph to help convey some of what was described above. These narratives will be expanded into two paragraphs for each child in the second quarter and commented upon further in the second semester.
Even written narratives are limited in they can communicate, which is why it is important we invest time in meeting with each of you in person. Conferences, a term derived from the Latin term meaning “to bring together,” is an opportunity for you the parent, who is truly the expert in understanding the heart and mind of your child, to partner with the teacher, who is the expert in bringing our educational vision to life for your child. Two full calendar days have been set aside for this purpose. Time slots for 15-minute conferences with each of your child’s teachers have been set up. To make best use of this time, please come having read your child’s evaluation and with any questions you have for the teacher. Please know that we are always happy to set up a time to meet with you. This does not represent the only opportunity to partner in person with your teacher, but it is an important investment of time in this stage of the year.
Below you will find a link to your parent-teacher conferences on Thursday, October 13th and Friday, October 14th:
Before the second quarter begins, you should receive two additional emails. First, a letter with information and individualized links to access your child’s grades. Second, when the portal is officially opened, we will notify you and you will be able to access the grades in real time.
As always, we are grateful for your trust and partnership.Thank you for taking the time to read through this and to sign up for a conference. We believe every thing we do here must be done with intentionality and be carefully geared towards cultivating your child's heart. Sharing a common understanding of grades and evaluations is an essential piece to this. If you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to reach out to me. I wish each of you a peaceful end to your Fall Break!
With Devotion,
Stephen Philabaum
