Dear Secondary Teachers,

Next week, as part of our planning to bring the current school year to as successful an end as possible, we will begin our continuity of learning activities across the division. I’d like to share with you how student grades will be determined in the wake of this unprecedented interruption of the school year.

We have developed consistent guidelines for teachers on how to assess upcoming learning assignments and final grades. Please see the Final 2019-2020 Grading Procedures for Teachers document for details on how to enter assignments and assign final grades.

Families and students may View Additional Learning Activities & Progress in the PowerSchool public (parent/student) portal or the PowerSchool mobile app.

Last week, families of students taking high school credit courses received our Continuity of Learning Handbook that details the process and procedures we are beginning on Monday, April 13. The emphasis for the school division during this time, as always, is to provide equitable access to instruction for all students. We have updated the online version of the handbook with the following information, and we will continue to make updates as needed.

All Dual Enrollment students (in either year-long or second semester classes) can choose the method by which their grade will be determined. The Virginia Community College System is using a pass/withdraw/incomplete grading scale for the spring 2020 semester (P+, P-, W, I). Students can opt, instead, to receive a letter grade (A, B, C, D, W).

P+ is equivalent to a C or better and will transfer to all public Virginia colleges and universities. A grade of P- will not transfer. P grades and W grades will not impact GPA.

In the near future, PVCC will be providing instructions on how students can choose their preferred method for receiving a final grade. The deadline for making this choice is May 29, 2020, and the decision cannot be changed. No final exams will be given.

Final course grades will be automatically adjusted for all year-long classes to equal the first semester grade. Any work completed and graded prior to April 13, in addition to other required learning activities, can be used to improve a student’s final grade. A student’s grade for second semester work can be found in the gradebook.

All middle school classes, not for high school credit, will be graded pass/fail or incomplete.

Your school principal will be your point of contact for any questions you may have.

Moving forward, we are committed to developing learning opportunities and grading practices that benefit from the exceptional creativity and dedication of our students, families and educators. Our guiding principle is that these opportunities and practices must deliver fairness, high-quality engagement, and full access for all students.

Thank you for your patience as we work through the challenges presented by the closure of schools on March 13. With your support, we will prepare students for continued success in their academic careers.

Sincerely,

Jay Thomas
Director of Secondary Instruction

This information will be shared with middle and high school students and their families by email later today.