Unified Assessment Policy

Langston Hughes Middle School Unified Assessment Policy

As an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IB MYP) school, we will explore the curriculum through 16 key concepts and through 6 global contexts.

KEY CONCEPTS – powerful abstract ideas that have interconnections and overlapping concerns.

  • Aesthetics
  • Change
  • Communication
  • Communities
  • Connections
  • Creativity
  • Culture
  • Development
  • Form
  • Global Interactions
  • Identity
  • Logic
  • Perspective
  • Relationships
  • Time, Place, and Space
  • Systems

GLOBAL CONTEXTS – shared starting points for inquiry into what it means to be internationally-minded, framing a curriculum that promotes multiculturalism, intercultural understanding and global engagement.

  • Fairness & Development
  • Globalization & Sustainability
  • Identities & Relationships
  • Orientation in Time & Space
  • Personal & Cultural Expression
  • Scientific & Technical Innovation

Rolling Gradebook

Langston Hughes Middle School utilizes a rolling gradebook. A rolling gradebook is a cumulative document. A student’s final grade is determined by a combination of all assignments & assessments throughout the year, regardless of the quarter the work was completed, and is not an average of quarter marks. Students will still receive a report card for each quarter, but the grade posted at the end of each traditional quarter is a snapshot of a student’s current progress in the course. For more information about the rolling gradebook, see here: Rolling Gradebook A Guide for Students and Parents

Grading & Assessment

A student’s grade shall communicate academic performance: what the student knows and is able to do as measured against the learning standards of the course and IB MYP subject specific objectives.  All students will be assessed using IB MYP assessment criteria throughout the course of the year. Task-specific rubrics for assessments will be provided to students at the time the task is assigned.

Mastery Learning Policy

Mastery learning guides our assessment reporting policy. Mastery learning means that a student can demonstrate a full understanding and application of learned concepts and skills.  It is recognized that learning may take more than one attempt. All students with a score of 90% and above have mastered- the content and do not need an opportunity to retake. Students  scoring between 70-89% have mastered most of the content and make retake/redo to show further understanding. Students scoring 69% and below have not mastered content and must retake/redo the assessment. Students will have one opportunity to retake. The higher of the two scores will be recorded in the gradebook. Before a student can retake/redo a summative task, they should review and complete classwork assigned during the unit, utilize out of class opportunities (office hours/after school) to clarify understanding with their teacher, and complete any pre-retake work/reflection assigned by the teacher. All projects, summative assessments and IB tasks grades beneath a 50% are recorded as a 50%.

Homework and Classwork Policy

We believe that homework and classwork is a necessary part of the learning process. If homework or classwork is not completed, a student cannot be prepared for the class. Therefore, if a student fails to complete a homework or classwork assignment by the due date, the student will receive a 0/F on that assignment as a placeholder until the student completes the assignment by the designated make-up deadline determined by the teacher.

Late Work Policy for Summative Assessments and Projects

Summative tasks (tests, essays, projects) must be completed in a timely manner to assess accurately what a student knows and is able to do in order to give descriptive feedback to the student. Students ho have not completed summative tasks may be required to participate in office hours/after school support. Students will have one week to complete a missed assessment or will work with the teacher to determine a reasonable timeline to retake or redo assessments.

Attendance & Makeup Work Policy

Students are fully responsible for completing any missed assignments when they are absent.  One day of absence affords one day of makeup work opportunity. If students are absent and unexcused, they may not earn credit for classroom activities or labs missed as a result.  Students may choose to make up work following unexcused absences and teachers may help the student and parent or guardian to identify missed work, but teachers are not obligated to provide makeup work.  Make up work is encouraged so that students will profit from future instruction.

Online Resource Information

Students are assigned a Blackboard (FCPS 24-7 Learning) site for each course in which they are enrolled. Teachers use the Blackboard site to post assignments and other resources they deem necessary.   Links to the Blackboard site are available on the LHMS website and the FCPS homepage. Students are also assigned a secure account through FCPS Google Apps.  Teachers may require students to use this account for collaborating and completing school assignments.  More information can be found on the LHMS website.

Academic Integrity

There will be no tolerance for cheating or plagiarism in any form. Cheating is giving or receiving unauthorized aid on any assignment.  Plagiarism is using another student’s work with or without his/her permission, copying material off of the internet, having a tutor correct or rewrite an assignment for you, or using a source in a paper or project without giving proper credit.  The student’s parent and administrator will be notified if cheating or plagiarism occurs. The student must complete the assignment and will receive a two-grade penalty for cheating (e.g., if the student receives a B on the assignment, it will be recorded as a D).