HALL-DALE HIGH SCHOOL
Principals Advisory Council
Meeting of January 7, 2008
Attending: Dory Estrada, Andy Estrada, Michael Reinhard, Hillary Bachelder, Natasha Lansgdorf, Mr. MacDougall
Students received a DRAFT copy of a HDHS standards-based report card that was developed from input by teachers throughout the district. Two prompts were given to the students:
What are the concerns, fears, worries or problems students have with moving toward standards?
What do you as students need to learn more about standards?
The students present offered the following comments:
What are the concerns, fears, worries or problems students have with moving toward standards?
some teachers may not adjust grading appropriately and there may be discrepancies with what it means to meet or exceeds
students who have been able to succeed in the past by staying caught up with homework and showing good effort may be disadvantaged
not all teachers may embrace standards and may not adjust teaching to match standards
students may not be recognized for their achievements as much under standards
concern with how students would be graded in those classes where there are multiple grade levels
concern that there will not be a GPA
will standards be consistent between grade levels of the same content area or will they change from grade level to grade level (from English 9 to English 10, for example)
concern that to reach exceed you may have to do extra work
concern that class rank will be eliminated
concern as to how you will transition from what was (traditional grades) to what will be (standards) – will work and achievement be lost?
Will honors classes have the same standards? Will there be any incentive to take the higher classes?
What do you as students need to learn more about standards?
basic uniform presentation given to all students; not only why but how?
Students need to hear more from teachers how their teaching will change and how teaching methods will be different (grading and instruction)
Students don’t know much about standards, they just assume they will not like it. Show them a report card with all items filled in
Get some input from schools that have made the transition and show the impact on grades and students’ feelings (did attitudes change?)
How will it be similar to what we have in place now (show similarities, don’t just focus on the differences)
Is this being phased in?
Don’t have a meeting where you will raise more questions
Allow time after the meeting for students to talk and ask questions
Deal with the students first, then meet with parents (kids prefer to get it from us, not from parents)
