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Grading Procedures & Conferences

  • Students are given a performance grade in each course at the end of each nine week period.
  • Mid-way through each grading period, the families of students who are not performing up to their potential or who are in danger of failing a course are notified of the student’s academic performance.

  • Final semester grades are recorded on permanent records and are used to determine grade point average.  The final semester grade is determined by averaging each semester in a 50/50 ratio in classes.

  • Students who drop classes within the first four (4) school days of each semester will be withdrawn without academic penalty.  Students who drop classes, thereafter, will receive a failing grade for the quarter and semester.  Exceptions to this Procedure may be appealed to the building principal.

  • An honor roll is intended to encourage academic achievement and to reward those students who have achieved success.  The Registrar is responsible for the honor roll.  The Registrar identifies members of the honor roll and arranges for the names of those students to be publicized.

  • Honor Roll: Students must be taking a minimum of two credits per quarter to be eligible for the honor roll.  Students with a Grade Point Average (G.P.A.) above 3.5 will be acknowledged as having achieved honors.  The honor roll will be published at the conclusion of each quarter.

Academic Grades

  • Based only on academic criteria (what the student knows or is able to do within the content of the course).

  • Represented by a letter grade and a percentage.

  • All Semester Grades will be calculated by averaging each quarter grade worth 50%.

  • Stoughton High School uses a consistent grading scale:

  • A = 100-90 B = 89-80     C = 79-70        D = 69-60  F = < 59

  • AP and/or Dual Credit course grades may be calculated differently depending on non-SHS requirements.

Incomplete Grades

Incompletes can be issued due to medical reasons and must have the approval of the principal. Students with a grade of incomplete will have 10 school days in which to finish the assigned coursework; that 10 school day period begins on the first day of the grading term (quarter or semester) following the term in which the student received the incomplete. Students with incomplete grades on their report cards are not eligible for the honor roll during a given grade report period.  If an incomplete grade is made up between the time grades are reported and report cards issued, it is the responsibility of the teacher to notify the school counselor of any grade changes. Exceptions to this Procedure require advance approval of the building principal.

Grade Breakdown

Formative Tasks

  • Formative tasks (those that are intended as practice) will be worth 20% of the overall academic grade. 

  • Formative practice will be similar to summative assessments in both content and format, so that expectations are clear and student familiarity is increased

  • Practice is essential for learning; all formative work is due on the teacher’s assigned due date. Formative work turned after the assigned due date is considered late and/or incomplete and may receive a reduced or a zero grade.    

  • Late work policies will be consistent among same courses. 

  • No extra-credit for formative assessments will be given.

Summative Tasks

Summative tasks (those that are intended as evidence that the student has learned the material) will be worth 80% of the overall academic grade.  Summative tasks should be given only after students have had opportunities to practice, seek help, and learn through formative tasks.

  • Summative assessment criteria (rubric, targets, and format) will be communicated to students prior to the summative task.

  • Summative assessments will be similar and consistent among same courses.

  • There will be at least 3 summative assessments of similar value or weight per quarter.  Summative assessments can include tests, writing samples, lab work, products, oral responses, performances, projects, or any other task used to demonstrate a student’s proficiency of the concepts and skills they have been learning.

  • All summative work is due on the teacher’s assigned due date. Summative work turned after the assigned due date is considered late or incomplete and may be turned in up to 5 consecutive school days past the due date for a grade no higher than 80%. 

  • If summative work is not completed or progressing, parents/guardians will be notified that work is considered late and must be completed within 5 consecutive school days to receive a grade up to 80%.

  • After 5 consecutive school days; Student, Parent(s), Counselor and Associate Principal will be notified by the Teacher that a 0% will be represented in the grade book because the Student has chosen not to turn in the summative work and/or declined the opportunity to attempt the assessment. 

  • No extra-credit for summative assessments will be given.

Re-Take Summative Assessment

  • Students have the opportunity to re-take a summative one time if they score below 80.0% on the original assessment. Students may only earn up to an 80.0% on the re-taken assessment.

  • The original summative assessment must have been turned in on time to have the possibility for re-take.

  • Re-takes must be completed within 5 consecutive school days after receiving the original graded assessment and conferring with the teacher.  

  • Students must complete required preparation work as determined by the teacher for feedback before taking the retake. (This alternative work will only receive feedback and no grade). 

  • Students must make prior arrangements for retakes with teacher and can be taken in class (if appropriate), before/after school, lunchtime, or during a study hall. 

  • The higher of the two assessments up to an 80.0% will be recorded.  Assessments will not be averaged.  

  • The re-assessment will not be exactly the same as the original assessment but will be based on the same information and practice/formative work.

  • Because of limitations, such as time or the nature of the assessment (i.e. labs, one-time events, group setting, etc.) not all summative assessments may be re-taken. Students will be told in advance which summative assessments cannot be re-taken or re-done. The last summative assessment that falls within the last five days of the grading period will not be able to be re-taken.

End of Term Grading

  • Teachers will enter a grade, not an incomplete, for the quarter based on the collected student’s work. 

  • An incomplete may be granted by Administration for individual situations that require more time, due to medical or family emergencies.

  • Teachers may do a grade change after the grading period based on work completion.

Grade Reports and Conferences

Stoughton High School has four grade reporting periods each year.  SHS also holds parent-teacher conferences twice each year to give the opportunity to visit with teachers near the end of the first and third quarters.  Supplemental reports are sent home as early as possible when indications of scholastic difficulty develop.  

Additional student reports are located through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Please do not hesitate to contact teachers directly to request additional grade updates or discuss your concerns.

Conferences at other times may be requested by either the family or the teacher.  We believe that close home-school cooperation is vital for your student’s successful learning.  We encourage and welcome your requests for additional conferences.

Grading Terminology for Infinite Campus

M=Missing assignment can be turned in for full credit (0 = no longer can be turned in). All M’s must be changed to a numeric grade by the end of the quarter.

L=Late assignment turned in past due date for full credit

I=Incomplete assignment was only 50% (or less) completed when turned in (Admin. Approval only)

T=Turned in assignment turned in but needs to be graded

Ch=Cheated results in a Zero score (Should result in additional communication with parent/guardian)

X= Exempt student not required to complete this assignment  

D= Dropped