Campus International School
an International Baccalaureate
Primary Years Program Candidate School
Assessment Manual
(2013-2014)
Campus International School Assessment Manual
2012-2013
The purpose of this manual is to provide guidelines, which meet the needs of the
school, district, state and International Baccalaureate, in regards to the gathering of
information about student performance.
Campus International School, an IB PYP candidate World School, is required to
adhere to the PYP’s Programme Assessment Handbook. In addition, Campus
International School is responsible for administering mandatory assessments as
determined by the district and the state of Ohio.
The goal of the Assessment Committee is to clearly define what, when and how to
assess and report student progress. Essential agreements support assessment
practices within the school.
Campus International School Essential Agreements on Assessment
Analysis of assessment information determines what students know, understand,
apply and feel at different stages in the learning process. This manual clarifies
Campus International School’s approaches in the areas of assessing, recording, and
reporting student data. The teacher will use this information for guiding
instruction, documenting individual student growth on the report card, and discuss
progress during parent/student/teacher conferences.
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Data will be collected at the beginning of the first quarter, throughout each
quarter, and just prior to each parent conference.
The teacher who is primarily responsible for the student’s parent/teacher
conference and for organizing the student-led conference is the primary
custodian of that child’s assessment documentation and defined as the
“responsible teacher”.
Parents and all school staff should have access to the information.
All requests for access to this information should go through the responsible
teacher.
Learner Profile
International Mindedness
One of the primary aims of the PYP is to send students out into the world who
exemplify the qualities express in the Learner Profile. We realize that these learning
outcomes are value laden but provide the framework for a comprehensive schoolwide character education program. The Learner Profile must be actively taught and
modeled by all adults in the building and serve as the basis for meaningful reflection
for all members of the learning community.
The Learner Profile is the central tenant of the IB programmes and is central to the
definition of what it means to be internationally minded.
Monitoring the IB Learner Profile
Responsible teachers with input from other staff members are required on behalf of
all students to report on the development of the attributes of the Learner Profile.
This is done by using the Learner Profile for self and peer assessments, and as a
basis for teacher/student/parent conferencing. Attributes of the Learner Profile
will be communicated to parents through Campus Communicator. The teacher may
choose to include anecdotal comments on the Learner Profile attributes
demonstrated by the students regarding the Units of Inquiry in the student portfolio
as well as in unit newsletters.
Campus International School
Essential Agreements on the Learner Profile
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All adults at Campus International School will model the attributes of the
Learner Profile and actively teach those attributes within the context of their
position.
The teacher will provide opportunities for discussion and reflection on the
Learner Profile.
Students will complete a profile-based self-reflection at the conclusion of
each unit of inquiry as developmentally appropriate for the learner.
Teachers may use an existing reflection form or may create one of their own.
If a new reflection form is created, it will be shared with the faculty and
posted on the wiki. A reflection form will be completed by all students within
one week of the completion of the summative assessment.
The completed forms will be kept in the students’ working portfolios in their
classrooms and will be used for discussion in all conferences to provide
evidence of the development of international mindedness and reflection.
Teachers will not limit the reflective opportunities to the units of inquiry, but
will provide opportunities for reflection on the attributes in other areas of
their instruction.
Student Portfolios
According to the Making the PYP Happen: A curriculum framework for
international primary education, a collection of student work to show growth
over time is required. At Campus International School, portfolios were
established to meet that requirement. These portfolios are collections of
children’s work that are designed to demonstrate successes, growth, higher
order think, creativity, and reflection. Student portfolios may be viewed as a
showcase of the student’s work. The portfolio consists of work that the
student wishes to keep or which the student and teacher discuss and then
keep.
Please note:
Work samples and data collected by the teacher for the purpose of
documenting student progress, the report card and for parent conferences
(such as running records and anecdotal notes) should be maintained
separately.
Campus International school
Essential Agreements on Student Portfolio
What Our Portfolios Show and How They Are Used:
 Portfolios are collections of student work that reflect each child’s learning
throughout their years of study at Campus International.
 They contain authentic reflections of the whole child and help portray a full
picture of the student’s school years. Collecting work that is submitted into
Portfolios is ongoing. Throughout the school year we provide time for
students to work on their portfolios.
 Portfolios are used to discuss learning with our students. They can be used
to assess a student’s understanding and to document the process of learning.
 They are used as a communication tool during student-led conferences and
parent meetings and are available to relevant teachers, staff, students and
families, as well as district personnel.
How Portfolio Items Are Selected:
 Portfolios will include self-selected pieces of student work, goals, reason for
including the piece, and reflections.
 Portfolios will include a product (often the summative assessment) and a
reflection from each Unit of Inquiry each year.
 Portfolios will include evidence, reflections, photos, etc. of the Learner
Profile, Attitudes, Actions, and Leadership.
 Portfolios will contain examples of work that reflect student inquiry.
How Portfolios are Organized and Managed:
 Portfolios are kept in three ring binders and can be found in each student’s
current teacher’s classroom.
 There are 8 sections in the portfolio: Learner Profile, Who We Are, Where
We Are In Place and Time, How We Express Ourselves, How the World
Works, How We Organize Ourselves, Sharing the Planet, and
Action/Reflection.
 All portfolio items must have a date and grade (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) on them.
 Items will be added into the portfolio in sequential order behind the
appropriate tab. Therefore if you view a section you will see the oldest items
first and as you turn the pages you will move forward in time with the most
recent item being the last in each section.
 Where a hard copy of the product isn’t feasible (e.g. video or audio files, etc.)
the item is to be stored electronically on a CD or an USB drive with a notation
made in the portfolio including a dated description of the item and its
location and file name. Large items may be photographed and the
photograph placed in the portfolio.
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At the end of the school year, teachers keep their students’ portfolios. Then
at the beginning of the next school year, teachers can pick up the portfolios
after they have their class list. At the end of PYP, students take portfolios
home.
A reflection form will be completed by all students within one week of the
completion of the summative assessment.
The completed forms will be kept in the students’ working portfolios in their
classrooms and will be used for discussion in all conferences to provide
evidence of the development of international mindedness and reflection.
Teachers will not limit the reflective opportunities to the Units of Inquiry, but
will provide opportunities for reflection on the attributes in other areas of
their instruction.
Students are responsible for their own part in the learning process and it
makes the process itself more transparent to them as learners.
Students are involved in the selection of the work to show parents, and
identify points of strength and areas for further growth within their chosen
work.
It gives parents an insight into the kind of work their child is doing and an
opportunity for them to discuss it with them.
Related Arts/Resources/Reading Recovery
Portfolio Artifacts Collection Procedure
All related arts, resource, and reading recovery teachers will present each
responsible teacher with 1 artifact and accompanying reflection each year.
Rational for Student-Led Conferences
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They support our IB PYP curriculum.
They help develop qualities from the student profile and give a chance for the
students to show their work to their parents.
Students are taking more responsibility for their own part in the learning
process and it makes the process itself more transparent to them as learners.
Students are involved in the selection of the work to show parents, and
identify points of strength and areas for further growth within their chosen
work.
It gives parents an insight into the kind of work their child is doing and an
opportunity for them to discuss it with them.
Roles of Students, Parents, and Teachers
During student-Led Conferences
Student
 Stay on topic with the
prepared work
 Speak clearly
 Complete reflection
form with parent or
adult
 Be prepared to discuss
the learning evidenced
in the artifact
 Organize portfolio
according to the
portfolio checklist
Parent
 Be on time for the
conference
 Be positive
 Be concerned
 Be interested
 Ask questions
 Listen
 Be prepared to write a
brief comment to
encourage your child
further
Teacher
 Manage the time
 Facilitate the conference
 Provide probing
questions and highlight
achievements
 Clarify where necessary
Teachers may need to instruct students on how to conduct their conference so that
it moves smoothly and focuses on the topics at hand. Teachers may show the
students how to emphasize the areas in which they are doing best and those in
which they intend to improve. A role playing activity prior to the conference will
show students how to direct their comments when the parents are present.
Campus international School
Essential Agreements on Student-Led Conference
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Students will be involved in discussing their work and progress with their
parents. The students will utilize their portfolios during this conference;
therefore it is crucial that the cumulative portfolio be completed prior to this
conference date.
Both the student and parent will reflect on this conference opportunity
utilizing a Student-Led Conference Reflection form. This reflection will be
added to the cumulative portfolio, at the end of the school year’s artifacts.
Units of Inquiry
Each unit of inquiry will include both formative and summative assessments using
formal and informal methods. They will be fair and consistent throughout grade
levels within the planner to maintain the integrity the written curriculum. All
assessments will be explained to the children by detailing the essential elements
being assessed: Knowledge, Concepts, Skills, Attitudes and Action. The purpose and
means of assessment will be clearly explained to the children.
Formative assessment is interwoven within each unit of inquiry. Pre-assessment
is considered a form of formative assessment and will determine a students’ prior
knowledge to plan the next stage of learning within the context of the lines of
inquiry. Formative assessment and teaching are directly linked; neither can
function effectively or purposefully without the other. The tools and strategies of
formative assessment can be, but are not limited to:
Tools:
Anecdotal notes
Checklists
Open-ended tasks
Performance tasks
Strategies
Observations
Performance
Process-focused
Selected response
Summative assessment takes place at the end of each unit of inquiry and is an
opportunity for students to demonstrate what has been learned highlighting the
knowledge, concepts and skills acquired through acquisition of data, synthesis of
information, application of knowledge and process.
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Evaluation methods to measure proficiency may be through performance
based assessments, student initiated action or through selected response
items.
Those involved in evaluating student responses, products or performances
may include any one or combination of the following; teacher(s), student(s),
parents, community members, expert judges.
Feedback methods may be in one or any combination of the following;
numerical score, letter grade, developmental proficiency scale, narrative
report, checklist, verbal report/conference.
Student generated reflections will take place at the end of each unit. They may
be one of the following:
 A general reflection on the unit of inquiry, including knowledge and
understanding gained about the central idea and possible future
investigations
 A response to a piece of work from the unit of inquiry
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Each student will maintain a running record of “big ideas” taken from
each unit to be passed from grade to grade so students/parents will have
cumulative student generated assessment from their PYP experience.
Teacher assessment/reflection of each unit will occur during and after a
unit of inquiry is taught. As a grade level team, teachers will
rewrite/revise numbers 6, 7, and 8 in their planners.
Special Needs Assessment Policy
The PYP philosophy acknowledges and accommodates the diverse learning styles of
all children. To this end, we seek to offer a differentiated teaching and learning
environment. When educationally appropriate, we provide an inclusive experience
for students with special needs. We also acknowledge that in order to fulfill the
requirements of an IEP, a student may require individualized instruction to reach
their academic goals. Designated special education teachers are IB trained and
participate in the collaborative planning process at each grade level. The six
transdisciplinary themes provide learning opportunities for each student at their
level of understanding.
Campus International School Language Policy
2012-2013
Beliefs:
We believe that language plays a critical role in all areas of learning. Students are
encouraged to communicate effectively in a variety of ways, both verbal and nonverbal. As students engage in activities throughout the curriculum, it is imperative
that they are proficient in language. This assists them as they become contributing
members of the learning community. In addition, language supports students as
they inquire into a variety of concepts in order to make sense of the world. All
teachers at Campus International School are responsible for teaching language in
order to foster a love of learning. In addition, learning an additional language aids in
the development of our students as global citizens.
Language Practices: The primary language of instruction at Campus International
School is English. Language learning takes place in a variety of ways across the
curriculum. In addition to English, students at Campus International receive
instruction in Mandarin Chinese.
Language of Instruction:
 Language instruction is incorporated into all content areas of instruction.
 Instruction is aligned to Ohio Academic Content Standards and the Common
Core English Language Arts Standards.
 The Language Arts curriculum is literature-based, focusing on guided reading
and writing workshop principles.
 Student assessment is used to differentiate the curriculum.
 Appropriate resources are selected at differentiated levels within each Unit
of Inquiry to meet students’ needs.
Reading and Writing Instruction Practices:
Campus International follows the “Reading Workshop” and “Writers’ Workshop”
approaches for reading and writing instruction. Reading Workshop and Writers’
Workshop practices include the following:
 Guided Reading Groups:
o Teachers meet with small groups of students to provide direct
instruction of specific literacy skills using materials written at the
student’s instructional level.
 Shared Reading and Writing:
o Teachers engage students in reading and writing experiences using
fiction and informational text to support learning of reading and
writing strategies.
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Whole Group:
o Teachers and students use a variety of materials (big books, language
experience stories, student writing, technology, etc.) to model and
present reading and writing strategies and skills.
 Literature Circles:
o Students practice different ways of collaborating to read a work of
literature.
o Used in upper grades (3-4)
 Independent Reading and Writing:
o Students have access to literature materials written at their
independent and instructional levels.
o Teachers provide time for independent reading and writing.
 Author Studies
o Teachers use a variety of texts from one author
 Genre Studies
o Teachers use a variety of texts to explore different types of literature
 Reading Response Journals
o Students use journals to record and monitor their learning in the area
of reading
 Word Study
o Students learn about the meaning of words in a variety of contexts,
weekly tests, and teacher demonstration
 Phonemic study
o Students learn about the sound/symbol relationship of words
 Speech Language Therapy
o Students identified with a speech/language disability work with a
licensed speech language pathologist to develop language and
communication skills
 Research skills
o Students use technology to conduct inquiries (gather, analyze and
report information)
Oral Language Practices:
The skills of speaking and listening are incorporated into reading and writing
instruction in a variety of ways including: sharing pieces of writing during
writers workshop, read-alouds, shared reading, listening centers with books
on tape, poetry, songs, nursery rhymes, plays, reader’s theater, buddy
reading, presentations, class meetings/sharing circles, reading fluency,
school-wide presentations, including annual play and weekly morning
announcements.
Additional Language (Mandarin Chinese):
 All students in grades K-4 receive Mandarin instruction from a qualified
Mandarin instructor. Kindergarten through fifth grade students receive
Mandarin instruction for at least 20 minutes each day.
 The overall focus for each grade level is to help students develop five areas of
communication through listening, comprehension, speaking, reading and
writing in Mandarin Chinese. This includes a cultural introduction so
students develop background knowledge about the language they learn. In
order to expand the communication skills, students participate in a variety of
activities, including: storytelling, cultural crafts, performances using Chinese
language, etc.
 Visual labels in Chinese are used throughout the school to reinforce Chinese
instruction.
 We are beginning to integrate our Chinese curriculum - Chinese culture,
language and customs into IB units at each grade level.