Philosophy
It is the mission of the West Clermont Local School District to provide all of our students with a safe, united, academically challenging environment where all students achieve excellence. In doing so West Clermont has made it a priority to continue to become a state-of-the-art, world class educational institution, in which we develop future leaders and productive citizens within today’s global perspective. We believe and expect that all students have the ability to achieve at high levels. By gathering and analyzing data from formative and summative assessments in various forms, students, teachers, parents, administrators and community stakeholders can evaluate the student’s progress toward reaching their learning goals. In partnership with these stakeholders we are committed to exposing our students to a rigorous curriculum using criterion based assessments that are supported by principles of learning WCLSD adheres to such as:
Principles:
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All students can learn
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Assessments of varying types allows us to determine the effectiveness of teaching
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Assessments must be created so that they are appropriate for all learners
 Assessments should be used to monitor student’s progress throughout the year
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Both students and teachers should be involved in assessment
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Effective assessments provide feedback to teachers, students and parents in order to truly ascertain the level of understanding a student has formatively or summatively.
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Effective assessments should be modified as curricula change and reflect what students are to know and what they have been taught.
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Assessments come in varying forms, both at the state and local levels. These assessments allow for comparison of our students relative to state, national, and worldwide performance.
Purpose of Assessment:
Assessment is an integral component of measuring student success and provides students with opportunities to determine the degree to which they understand the knowledge and skills being taught by their teachers. Through the analysis of assessment data, whether formative and/or summative, both teachers and students should be reflective about their strengths, weaknesses and areas of improvement. For teachers, assessment provides an opportunity to ascertain whether or not their students have reached a mastery level of understanding and if not, investigate areas that need to be refined to help ensure that all students have the opportunity to reach this academic level of success. In addition, data obtained helps teachers learn to better differentiate instruction, engage in reflection and develop or change strategies. Administratively, assessment data opens various discussions in terms of effectiveness and whether proper professional development and/or opportunities are being presented to our teachers so that they can reach the highest level of success for all of our students.

Types of Assessment:
Effective assessment allows for all parties included to analyze a student’s level of understanding, the effectiveness of our educators and/or offered programs. Effective assessments should allow students to demonstrate a wide range of abilities, areas of strength, areas of weaknesses and areas of needed improvement. To accomplish this goal a plethora of assessment types are utilized on a daily basis across curricula.
A. Formative Assessments:
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One of the most important components of learning is feedback and continuous analysis. The use of formative assessments allows both educators and students to monitor their progress and level of understanding as they go. As is the case with most curricula, not simply IB, the depth and breadth of knowledge is expansive and because of this, students can use formative assessment to check for understanding in smaller chunks as opposed to waiting till the completion of a large activity or unit. Formative assessments include but are not limited to; daily homework, bell work, pair & share activities, project checks, short quizzes, observations and conversations between teacher and student but also between a student and their peers. The use of formative assessment allows teachers to gauge student’s progress toward meeting course standards and IB standards.
B. Summative Assessments:
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Summative assessments also play an integral role in monitoring a student’s progress and allowing the teacher to analyze the success of various teaching methodologies. As they are a central part of the educational framework summative assessments also allow us to compare our students with similar cohorts within the same school, state or nationally. As is the case for other courses, the use of summative assessments is paramount to achieving success in the IB diploma programme; and is the determining factor for most of the course grades received by a student in the IB programme. The IB teachers must convert the achievement levels attained on the IB rubric into point totals that can be translated into typical mark schemes used here at Amelia High School and then entered into the Progressbook electronic grade book. The teachers post the scales utilized to convert IB points into classroom grades and percentages.
C. Internal Assessment:
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It is essential component of the IB programme that our students complete a variety of IA’s while taking all subject areas. These assessments focus on the ability to apply the knowledge learned during their classes in a variety of ways.
These assessments are graded by the subject teacher using a rubric published by
IB, then submitted to IB for moderation to ensure that all internal assessments scores worldwide are consistent. Examples of IA include but are not limited to, oral presentations, repeated simple psychological experiments, science lab creation and reports, math experiments and visual art portfolios. Internal
Assessments are used as both a classroom grade and an IB component to fulfill the DP requirements.

D. External Assessments:
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External IB assessments are mandatory assessments for both 11 th
and 12 th
grade participants to fulfill the program requirements. These assessments serve the purpose of being a comprehensive, summative assessment for all IB classes.
Based on the level of course (i.e. SL or HL) they may be taken in a student’s junior or senior year. These examinations occur under strictly controlled conditions and often over a two day period for each subject area (a morning and afternoon session). In order to sit for the examinations, students must successfully complete all other required components for the subject area. They are administered during the May testing session and within 48 hours of the completion of the examination they are mailed to external examiners around the world, as designated by IB.
Grading Calculation & Scale:
The Amelia High School grading scale is used in conjunction with the IB assessment rubrics and associated grading scale. For IB classes, students are given the varying grading scales so that they can see how their progress will be graded, how it is interpreted for Amelia High School (i.e. class rank, overall GPA etc) and how it would translate to the IB grading scale. West Clermont
Schools have a standard grading procedure and grades recorded indicate the extent to which the students have acquired and demonstrated the necessary learning.
The grading scale for West Clermont Local Schools including Amelia High School and how it correlates with our IB Diploma Programme is illustrated in the table below:
A+ = 97-100
A = 94-96
A- = 90-93
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79
C = 73-76
C- = 70-72
D+ = 67-69
D = 63 - 66
D- = 60-62
F = 59 or below
1
3
4
2
5
6
7
74 or below
75-79
80-83
84-88
89-93
94-97
97-100
F
D
C-
C-
B
A
A+
For the purpose of calculating GPA and class rank, the West Clermont School District uses a four-point grading scale with the following quality points.
A 4 points
B 3 points
C 2 points
D 1 points
F 0 points

GPA and class rank will be determined by using the GPA plus an add-on of 0.05 for each weighted course taken. All AP classes and IB classes are considered weighted courses.
To calculate a grade point average assign a weighted point value to each course grade and divide by the total number of credits. For partial-credit courses use the fractional value of the grade.
For example, a half credit course with an earned grade of a C would be 0.5 x 2 =1. Then add this to the other grades earned for total points earned. This total is then divided by the total credits earned to determine the G.P.A.
Grade Reporting:
At Amelia High School, it is our belief that communicating student achievement with teachers and students is paramount for their success. In order to maintain that commitment we use an electronic gradebook program (Progressbook) that all teachers utilize and enter grades in as they are completed. This system can be accessed at any time by all students and parents if they wish.
Parents are encouraged to keep up with their students’ progress so they can determine whether or not their son or daughter is being successful in the classroom. Throughout the course of the year teachers also will communicate with parents either by verbal, written or electronic means to inform of their student’s achievement. With the use of Progressbook hard copy report cards are no longer distributed to our students at the end of each 9 week marking period. Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled four times a year and individual parent and/or student conferences are held on an as needed basis.
Responsibilities:
Student Responsibilities
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Keeping track of their progress using Progressbook and teacher conferences
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Challenging themselves to their best abilities
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Being organized and prepared for all assessments
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Seeking assistance with relevant parties when needed
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Follow deadlines as outlined on the IB Assessment calendar
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Maintain relationships with Extended Essay and CAS supervisors
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Understand and adhere to all guidelines within our Academic Honesty Policy
Teacher Responsibilities
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Collaborating with other teachers to improve their craft
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Collecting and analyzing data relevant to assessments to ensure student growth
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Providing explicit learning goals and objectives for students on a daily basis
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Communication with parents regarding student progress and concerns
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Using assessment to improve instruction
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Using multiple assessments strategies to create a holistic picture of their students’ progress
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Encourage students when they need help
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Create high expectations each and every day in the classroom

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Recognize students when they make progress
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Refer to the IB Online Curriculum Center often in order to stay current with curriculum and assessment changes
Parent Responsibilities
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Using Progressbook and/or communication with teachers to monitor student progress
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Work collaboratively with students to teach them skills, such as organization, discipline, study habits and time management to help ensure student success
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Attend IB parent meetings to ensure that information needed for exam registration is correct and on time
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Encourage good student behavior
Connection to Other Policies:
Student will adhere to all requirements as outlined in the Amelia High School Academic Policy and West Clermont Schools student handbook while completing assignments, homework, different assessment types and additional IB requirements such as the Extended Essay, TOK and
CAS.
As stated in the Amelia High School Language policy individual student language needs will be considered when assessments and/or activities are created and implemented within the classroom.
Amelia High School, in accordance with IB policies, “believes that all students should be allowed to demonstrate their ability under assessment conditions that are as fair as possible”
(November 2015). As outlined in the AHS Special Education Needs policy, assessments will be given under the guidelines of a student’s IEP and/or 504 plan when applicable.
Assessment Policy Implementation, Evaluation and Review
Amelia High School believes in the need for collaboration between all stakeholders within IB and realizes that reform requires data-driven instructional and assessment analysis. That being said, the Amelia High School IB Diploma Assessment Policy was written as a collaboration between IB teachers and heads of school. This policy will be available to all stakeholders on our website, distributed to our IB students as they enter the Diploma Programme or Certificate
Programme, and reviewed on an annual basis within committee.

Assessment Policy Committee Members
Mrs. Stacey Novak: IB Coordinator/ IB English HL Teacher
Mr. Jeffrey M. Damadeo: IB Head of School & Amelia High School Assistant Principal
Mrs. Michelle Buten: IB Guidance Counselor
Mrs. Stephanie Walker: Amelia High School Principal
Ms. Stacy Recker: IB History of the Americas & IB Psychology Teacher
Mr. Ron Poince: Theory of Knowledge Teacher and C.A.S. Coordinator