FOCUSED STUDY

The Focused Study periods provide an excellent opportunity for students to get a portion of their work done at school and to meet with teachers for extra help. These periods are not optional students must attend them and work productively. Ninth, tenth and eleventh graders are assigned to a specific room for each day’s Focused Study.

If a student wants to meet with a teacher in another classroom, he or she must fill out a Focused Study Pass before the period begins, obtaining the signature and permission of both the Focused Study faculty leader and the teacher with whom the student wants to meet. Students may also get permission to work together on assignments, in spaces where they can talk without disturbing their other classmates (such as the lunchroom). However, if it is clear that students are not working productively under this arrangement, this privilege will be revoked.

If students do not arrive for a Focused Study by the start of the class, they will be marked tardy.

This includes students who fail to turn in a focused study pass to work with another teacher. We strongly recommend that students use their Focused Study time wisely. For instance, instead of using Focused Study to complete homework for the next period’s class, students should use the time to work on assignments they know they need extra help on, with Focused Study teachers who are present and available to help.

ONLY students in the 12th grade, with satisfactory grades (no D's or F's) and parental permission, have the option to leave campus during Focused Study time. However, if a teacher requests a meeting with the student, this meeting is not optional – he or she must attend. Furthermore, if a student’s grades slip, if homework is not done on time, and if he or she is unprepared for class, he or she loses the option of leaving campus during Focused Study.

ALab is a designated 30-minute period of each day used for Advisor meetings, time with teachers for extra help, or class conflict resolution. Additionally, ALab time may be used in classes as extended class time to support particular lessons, labs, and/or project work. When possible, teachers will communicate in advance when a class may need to go into ALab time, otherwise it is at the teacher’s discretion and in consultation with the Academic Dean.

Grades

The primary function of grades is to provide a transferable record of a student’s performance that other schools can utilize in making decisions about that student’s ability to enter their curricula. At Renaissance School, we observe high absolute standards when grading a student’s performance. While the student is attending Renaissance School, we consider direct contact between the student and teachers (including semester comments) much more important than the actual grade in evaluating the student’s learning progress. Parents should take teacher comments seriously and use them as the basis for assisting each student in maximizing the learning opportunity.

Renaissance School communicates grades with parents throughout the school year.

• Parent/teacher conferences occur in the first and third quarters. It is recommended that parents of students in all grades attend the first quarter conferences. Third-quarter parent/teacher conferences are optional for parents of students in grades 9, 10, and 11.

• Letter grade reports will be sent home for each of the four quarters.

• Mid-quarter reports are sent home in the second and fourth quarters only in cases where a student has a grade of a C or lower.

• Comment sheets will be provided at the end of each semester. Renaissance School faculty will provide a written summary of the course and student progress for the semester with the second and fourth quarter letter grade reports.