Dear River Community:
We are now three weeks into our remote learning experience and in this week’s communication, I am highlighting some critical information that will take us through the next several weeks in these unique circumstances.
On Wednesday, April 22 we received guidance from Superintendent Reykdal clarifying the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s directive for grading and awarding credits for all schools across the state of Washington. There are significant implications for high school students in these new policies. Follow this link to his video explanation. It is worth your time.
We now can better inform you on what to expect with regard to grading, report cards and students’ high school transcripts. It has been mandated that no student will receive an F grade for any traditional course during Semester 2 for the 2019- 2020 school year. Students are expected to keep working toward improvement. There are no changes to our efforts in that regard.
We are building grade reports and will be sharing each grade for each student as it stood on March 17, 2020. This is the “BaseLine grade” that we will use in honoring previous work. Separately, after May 7, 2020 you will receive updated current progress. I want to be abundantly clear; learning has continued, work completed since March 17 impacts the grade that your teacher will eventually post in June at the end of the semester (June 19). That has not changed; learning continues. We want you as involved as ever in the process.
We are mindful of the overwhelming amount of information and stress put on families at this time. Each of you are balancing multiple learning platforms with faculty who are side by side with you in the troubleshooting process of these new experiences. Thank you for hanging in there with us. Working together is the only way for moving forward from this global pandemic.
Our strategies for supporting you socially and emotionally are emerging. As we have now established what grading and assessments look like for the remainder of the year, supporting you remains our primary focus.
Forecasting information for all 10th grade students, and any student who has not completed forecasting was sent out this week. A link for forecasting information is also available HERE. We would like to have all remote forecasting completed by Wednesday, April 29, 2020. Please contact your counselor with questions about Forecasting.
Seniors, I need your input in this linked survey to help VPS High Schools regarding prom and commencement. Expect more feedback opportunities regarding Senior Hall of Fame, Senior Awards and Senior Commencement Speakers in the coming weeks. Yes, we are still planning these rites of passage and I need your help putting these events together. Thank you in advance!
Take Care,
Alex Otoupal
Principal/Head of School
