The Riverwalk Roar
April 1, 2020
Note from Dr. Compton
Pride,
This is the final Riverwalk Roar until after spring break. I have a lot of information to share with you, so please take a few minutes to review. Included is information about:
- Report Cards
- New Assignments
- Submitting Work
- Grading
- Promotion/Retention
- Spring Break
Report Cards
3rd Quarter Report Cards are going out in Thursday's mail.
New Assignments
Going out in Thursday's mail, along with report cards, will be the "phase 2" work that should be worked on between April 13 through May 1st. You all should see a notable change in format. Instead of each class/each subject having a series of worksheets and assignments, we've spent the last week creating a 15-day PBL project that your child will have the chance to do at home.
K - 5th Grade
The essential question we're asking your child to work on is How can I help others learn about something I am passionate about? We're calling this a passion project.
Passion Projects are student-driven, process-centered opportunities for students to explore their own interests. Students will identify a challenge, problem, or question they would like to explore. Over the next three weeks, students will plan, manage, and reflect upon their learning, with a focus on the process of inquiry. This process allows students the freedom to think independently, take risks, and learn from their attempts.
In addition to this project, there are still opportunities for daily math and reading practice
6th - 10th Grade
Students have the choice of two different projects
- Social Distancing and Pandemic Prevention
- Passion Project
In addition to this project, there are still some opportunities for daily math and reading practice.
For 10th grade students in our dual-enrolled classes (MGT 101, ENG 102), they will have work in these classes that are in addition to their project.
All Grades
Effective project-based learning involves tinkering with different ideas and trying out new approaches. In the process, students have the opportunity to practice and master a variety of meaningful skills. But, to really bring things together and help kids understand how to transfer their new skills, intentional reflection after the project is complete is key. Of course, you don’t want to turn your at-home foray into PBL into another school assignment. Instead, set aside time to simply have a conversation with your child about how the project went. What did they find easy? What was the most challenging? What did they enjoy the most? Simple questions like these go a long way toward building your child’s critical thinking skills.
Parents, to make this a meaningful experience for your child, we're asking that you take a step back. This is a tough concept for adults (even for their teachers), but by taking a step back (like moving to the passenger seat), your child will be able to grow in their independence and motivation. Taking a step back doesn't mean that you sit back and wait for them to fail. It simply means that you shift to more of a "facilitator" of instruction, instead of the driver of instruction. This is hard for all adults to do, but trust us, the outcome will be so much better if you do.
One last piece of advice, please do not focus on the outcome of the project. PBL works by focusing on the process that leads to the actual outcome.
PLEASE do not hesitate to reach out to any of us if you need any help and support with shifting to more of a facilitator. On Sunday, April 12, the projects can be found on our website under the COVID-19 link (the same link as the previous work was located).
Submitting Work
We appreciate everyone’s patience as we’ve worked through a few scenarios of submitting work that isn’t going to be cumbersome for our families, or for our teachers. Below is information about work submission for the first 10 days of distance learning:
K - 5th Grade
Your teachers included a cover page for your work that outlined the assignments for the first 10 days. Parents, we’re asking that you review this page, and initial by each assignment indicating that the child completed the work. Please take a picture of this (or scan using one of the many free scanning apps) and email it to your child’s teacher. Send to your child’s teacher a picture/scan:
- of the packet cover sheet with your initials.
- of one evidence of a writing assignment
- of one evidence of a math assignment
6th - 8th Grade
Linked here is what assignments teachers are needing your child to submit. Take a picture (or scan using one of the many free scanning apps) of that assignment and send it to your child’s teacher. Electronic documents, pictures, scans, screenshots will all suffice. Linked here is the list of middle school courses and required assignments.
9th - 10th Grade (including 8th graders taking a high school credit-bearing courses)
Please use one of the many free scanning apps and scan your child’s work, by class, and email all the assignments back to your child’s teacher. Electronic documents, pictures, scans, screenshots will all suffice.
K - 10th Grade
We're flexible with our submission timelines, but so you're not having to hold on to your classwork too long, try to have the work submitted by Sunday, April 12th.
Grading
To accommodate the flexibility granted by the SC Department of Education, final grade calculations are being revised to give students the best chance to meet the expectations for learning so that they can be promoted to the next grade. Based on the flexibility provided by our state department of education, Riverwalk Academy will use the following grading model:
K and 1st Grade
We will continue using the grading system we have had in place all year.
2nd Grade – 8th Grade
We will calculate a baseline year-end average using Q1, Q2, Q3. The assignments in Q4 will be graded on a performance feedback rubric that reports student mastery on a 0 – 4 range:
0 = No work submitted
1 = Beginning
2 = Developing
3 = Meeting
4 = Excelling
Scoring a 3 “meeting expectations” or 4 “excelling” is where you want to see student performance because it indicates your child is mastering the grade level standard. Scoring a 1 “beginning” or 2 “developing” indicates that your student should continue working on that skill to master it. Earning a 3 “meets expectations” on Q4 work will be used to raise the students’ final average from Q3, especially for those students who were failing at the end of the third quarter and need the Q4 work to be promoted to the next grade or avoid having to go to summer school.
9th - 10th Grade (including 8th graders taking high school credit-bearing courses)
Numeric grades outlined in the State Uniform Grading Policy will continue. However, the state department of education has reframed the structure of the second semester so that only one final Semester 2 grade will be reported. The semester grade will reflect the work completed and mastery demonstrated during the 3rd and 4th quarters combined, but will not be reported as two separate grades. It will simply be reported as one final combined grade. For the report cards mailed home this week, 3rd quarter grades should be considered as an interim report.
Promotion, Retention, Summer School
Riverwalk Academy is looking into options to support our students who are not making sufficient progress. For now, what is important for our students to know is that the distance learning work during this time is designed to help to ensure you meet promotion standards as long as you keep doing your very best. Again, if your child does not attempt the lessons, we won’t know where you need help to succeed.
Spring Break
Just like you, the teachers at Riverwalk Academy are tired and I've asked them to disconnect over Spring Break. I'm hoping they use this time next week to relax, reflect, and re-energize. It's my hope that you all do the same. I know it's not going to be a typical spring break for us, but please disconnect from us during this time. We'll be waiting for you all to reconnect with us on April 13th.
In closing, I know you all are worried. Worried about the situation, your family, your jobs, and your kids' education. Let me take this off your plate for you . . . don't worry about your child regressing in school. Keep trying, but know that every one of our students is in this boat and I promise you that they all will be okay. When we are back in the classroom, we will all course-correct and meet them where they are. My team are experts at this. Don't worry or pick fights with your kids because they don't want to do the math. Don't scream at them for not following the schedule. Don't mandate 2 hours of learning time if they are resisting it.
As we head into spring break, let me leave you with this one thing: at the end of all of this, your kids' mental health will be more important than their academic skills. How they felt during this time will stay with them long after the memory of the schoolwork fades. So keep this in mind today, tomorrow, and every day moving forward.
I love and have the utmost respect for each of you. Stay strong and be brave!
~Dr. Compton
About Us
Email: info@riverwalkacademy.com
Website: www.riverwalkacademy.com
Location: 5750 Mt Gallant Rd, Rock Hill, SC, USA
Phone: 8033278400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riverwalkacademy
Twitter: @RiverwalkLions