Ms. Szyman’s Grading Policy
Social Studies 6 West
Grades: Some assignments (like projects and tests) affect your grade more than smaller assignments (like daily homework or notebook checks). In the online grade book, PowerSchool, your grade is divided into the following categories.
Practice and Preparation
Examples include study guides, checkpoints for projects, and reading assignments.
These assignments will typically receive completion credit. These assignments serve as skill practice, preparation for class discussion, and/or preparation of a piece of work for peer or teacher feedback.
Communication
For example, an in-class source analysis, writing assignment, or notebook checks.
These assignments will be evaluated using the ESMN grade scale with relation to the learning standard/target. These assignments allow the teacher to assess skills we will learn and then use throughout the school year.
Summative Assessment (Final Product/Performance)
Examples of summative assessments include projects, unit tests, and quizzes.
Summative assessments show mastery of learning that has already taken place. After a skill or content standard has been introduced, practiced, and studied, students will demonstrate their understanding through a summative assessment. These evaluations of learning will be graded using the ESMN scale. You may have the opportunity to retake or resubmit a summative assessment after conferencing or reviewing with me.

ESMN Grade Scale
I know the ESMN grade scale is a little hard to grasp at first, so let’s put it in terms I know you will understand – CUPCAKES!
N
– NOT YET MET STANDARD (69%):
This standard/learning target is a target for you to spend time practicing and studying.
T on an assessment would be like going to a bakery, ordering a cupcake, and just receiving the cupcake wrapper.
There are a lot of components missing.
M – MAKING PROGRESS TOWARD STANDARD (79%):
You demonstrate that you are making progress toward knowing, understanding, or being able to do what is expected based on the standards/learning targets.
M on an assessment would be like going to a bakery, ordering a cupcake, and receiving a plain cupcake in a wrapper. Some people do like plain cupcakes, but they just aren’t that exciting.
S
– STANDARD MET (89%):
You demonstrate that you know, understand, and/or can do what is expected for a 6th grader as it relates to a standard/learning target.
S on an assessment would be like going to a bakery, ordering a cupcake, and receiving a cupcake in a wrapper with icing.
It’s pretty, tastes great, and meets the customer’s satisfaction, but it could be a little bit better!
E – EXCEEDS STANDARD (99 or 100%): Exceptional! You demonstrate a degree of knowing, understanding, and/or doing that exceeds what is expected for a 6th grader as it relates to a standard/learning target.
E on an assessment would be like going to a bakery, ordering a cupcake, and receiving a cupcake in a wrapper with icing and sprinkles. The sprinkles add that “Wow!” factor.