Jim Andersen, Head of Upper School

December 6, 2024

“If you work hard enough and assert yourself, and use your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your desires.” - Malcolm Gladwell

In this email, you will find information about the following:

• Progress Report Grades
• Semester Exams

 

 

Parents and students, 

As we enter the final two weeks of the first semester, I wish to thank you for the work you have done, and continue to do, to raise wonderful young men and women. We have the privilege of spending much time with them and they represent your families and the school very well. A few tips for exam preparation are in order.  1)  Arrive on exam days at least 15 minutes before they begin.  Starting an exam after running to class creates anxiety and detracts from student success.  2) Begin the exam preparation process early.  Five one-hour study sessions is better than one five-hour session the night before.  3) Cramming for a test has marginal returns.  A student caught up on sleep with good eating habits is optimal.  4) Review material from the entire semester and pay attention to teacher feedback on formative and summative assessments.  

 Go Owls!

• Progress Report Grades
• Semester Exams

 

PROGRESS REPORT 2.2:  You may access your child’s 2.2 Progress Report on your parent portal.  This is the final progress report before our semester exams.  The semester 1 report card will be posted on Friday, January 10.  As a reminder, the 1st and 2nd Report grades are 75% of the semester grade.  The exam counts for 25% of the semester grade.  Semester grades are the only grades used to calculate a student’s cumulative grade point average and are the only grades that appear on the transcript.  Course credit is awarded if the average of the two semester grades is a C- or higher.  

SEMESTER EXAMS: Semester exams are Monday, December 16- Thursday, December 19. This week we have early dismissal at 12:00pm each day.  Students are only required to be here during the times they have exams. Student exams are scheduled by the period that they have each class and will be taken in their teacher’s classroom.

• Monday, December 16- 8:30am 7th Period  10:30am 1st Period
• Tuesday, December 17- 8:30am Period 6  10:30am Period 3
• Wednesday, December 18- 8:30am Period 8  10:30am Period 4
• Thursday, December 19- 8:30am Period 5   10:30am Period 2 
• Make up tests due to illness/absences may be done Monday-Wednesday.  Thursday we dismiss for Winter Break at 12:00.    

The coming week will be our “dead week” from Tuesday through Thursday.  No new material will be taught so our classes will review for exams, make up work, take retests when applicable, and prepare for the following week. 
 

The  Upper School Team