CLEARFIELD – With a statewide school shutdown in effect for the remainder of the academic year due to COVID-19, the Clearfield Area School District is adjusting to teach students remotely.
On Monday Superintendent Terry Struble detailed the district’s plans for remote learning during the fourth nine weeks, its expectations for completion of school work and grading.
He said report cards for the third nine-week marking period have been mailed out and families should receive them sometime this week.
He encouraged families to review the grading information closely, as it’s the best “snapshot” of their child(ren)’s performance through March 13.
Struble said any students in grades 9-12 should address concerns with their teacher(s) as soon as possible.
He noted that missing and or incomplete work must be submitted, so that it can be updated by teachers before the end of April.
Currently he said work has shifted more towards “new learning” rather than just review and enrichment. He said students should complete work and submit it when possible.
Because work can’t be completed by everyone at this point, Struble said the fourth nine-week marking period will follow a system of “S” for satisfactory or “NG” for “not graded” district-wide.
“We intentionally stayed away from a pass/fail format,” he said, pointing out that “there’s a difference in not being able to do something and failing.”
He said if a child is able to demonstrate “minimal” new learning at expectations set forth, they will receive an “S.” If completion of work is not possible, the grade will be recorded as “NG.”
In grades 7-12, Struble said an “S” during the fourth marking period will be treated as a 100 percent, and included in final grading calculations for a course.
For example, he said in a year-long course, it will be averaged with the grades from the three previous marking periods and for a semester-long course with just the third marking period.
He said in grades 7-12, an “NG” for the fourth marking period will defer grading to work completed before March 13.
The final grade will be an average of the three marking periods for a year-long course and based on just the third marking period for a semester course.
“This is designed not to penalize those students who aren’t able to meet a satisfactory level in the fourth nine weeks,” Struble said. “The ‘NG’ will not pull down a grade, nor will it help pull up a grade.”
He noted that high school level nine-week courses, such as Life 101 and Driver’s Ed, will not be included in students’ overall grade point average calculations this year.
Currently, Struble said secondary students can access work through Sapphire, and the level and amount of work will be adjusted throughout the remote learning process.
He said teachers are adding course work not only during the day, but also throughout the evening hours and even over weekends.
He encouraged any student with specific concerns or needs to contact their teachers and or the school’s principals so that they are aware and can provide any necessary help.
Struble said packets are being updated for elementary students, and will be sent home either electronically or via mail this week.
There will also be drop boxes at the schools and lunch pick-up locations for work that cannot be completed and submitted electronically.
“Please raise your concerns and needs with your teachers and principals, so we can try to help resolve them quickly moving forward,” Struble said.
So far as student items still in the schools and lockers, he said the administration is trying to figure out the safest way to allow students and or parents to retrieve them.
When this occurs, he said the school staff will also accept returns of items, such as library books.
“It’s our hope to have our plan finalized this week,” Struble said, “and we’ll also set up a collection at the end of the year for textbook and equipment returns”
At this point, he said the spring sports schedule, most activities including the high school musical production, elementary PTO carnival, prom and life skills prom have all been cancelled.
Struble said he’s still hopeful that there will be some form of a graduation ceremony for seniors, and the administration is considering all possible options.
“Final decisions in how we recognize our seniors and celebrate their graduation will be based on Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines,” he said.