Assessment Policy

Philosophy 

Sarah Smith’s assessment process of collecting, analyzing, and reporting data drives instruction, allows for effective communication with stakeholders, and leads to reflection on the art and science of teaching styles. Our assessments effectively guide students through five essential elements of learning: 

1. The understanding of concepts 
2. The acquisition of knowledge 
3. The mastering of skills 
4. The development of attitudes 
5. The decision to take action 

We address these elements through collaboration and planning units of inquiry within the PYP framework. At Sarah Smith Elementary, we use a variety of assessments, continually modifying instruction in order to reach students’ individual learning styles. 

Assessment Practices and Tools: 

Formative assessment connects instruction and learning to provide instant and frequent feedback on the learning process. This allows teacher and student to guide instruction, providing a glimpse into the effectiveness of instruction and enthusiasm of the learner. Examples may include writing portfolios, anecdotal records, student reflections, student/teacher feedback, peer evaluations, graphic organizers, thinking maps, student conversation, classroom participation, individual and group information or progress, and skill development. Formative assessment can be used both to evaluate academics, as well as the learner profile and student growth. 

Summative assessment allows the learner to show their learning outcome at the culmination of the unit. Expectations clearly defined by teacher provide a model for students and a learning strategy to demonstrate the desired result. This allows the teacher to measure the understanding of the central idea and inquiry points, but also can inform and improve student learning and instruction. This form of assessment looks like: presentations, tests, individual, or group projects to demonstrate the understanding of an entire unit or problematic scenarios at the conclusion of a PYP unit. 

Mandatory assessment stems from campus, district, state, and federal required assessments. 

• Student portfolio-reflections 
• Classroom based assessments - pre and posttests, observations, anecdotal records, discussion, conferring, conferences, running records, DRA, Fountas & Pinnel, AR, STAR, rubrics, formative, summative 
• APS district selected benchmarks 
• Physical Education Assessment: Fitnessgram K-5th 
• Georgia Milestones Test (3rd – 5th) 
• English Language Learners – ACCESS Test 
• Gifted and Talented – MAP, and and CogAT 
• Any other assessments that match this criteria and as required by our stated curriculum and resources. 

Assessment Reporting: 

In a comprehensive assessment approach, Smith uses quality strategies and tools to address, “How will we know what we have learned?” 

Campus and Classroom Assessments Units of Inquiry 

Each unit of inquiry will allow the student and/or teacher the opportunity to assess and reflect. Work samples collected in the portfolio are shared with parents at the spring conference. 

Progress Reports 

Formal Report Cards/Progress Reports 

Every nine weeks the parents will receive a formal report card. Additionally, parents receive a mid- term report for each nine-week quarter. Students will assess their learner profile progress each nine weeks, to include in their portfolio. 

Individual Assessments 

The state and the district administer individual assessments connected with reading, math, intelligence, and state accountability for 3rd through 5th grades. 

Student Portfolios 

Purpose: The portfolio provides data for parents, teachers, and students concerning student progress, student conferences, parent-teacher interviews, and teacher reflection/data collection. Portfolios allow students to collect their work, reflect on their strengths, and plan for their own improvement. As a collection of work, portfolios give students the opportunity to identify what they understand, what they can do, and what they need or want to learn. Portfolios allow students and parents to celebrate learning and target future goals during student led conferences. 

Portfolios will include the following sections: 

Learner Profile Progress: Students evaluate their development of the learner profile. 

Unit Planner Work: This section allows students to “show off” the work from units of inquiry with reflection on their learning outcome. 

Specials Reflection: Work from art, music, PE or French can be highlighted in this section. Core Curriculum: This section allows the student to select any work piece of work from reading, writing, or an oral language project. 

Language: Select a written product from the writing portfolio. 

Reading: Select a piece of work showing development of reading skills or concepts 

Math: Select a math project demonstrating math skills. 

Conferences 

Purpose: Positive and timely communication between teachers, students and parents is a Sarah Smith core value. Students are successful when we share our expectations and goals through teacher/parent, teacher/student, and student-led conferences. 

• Parent/Teacher Conference: Teachers and parents will conference at least once during the fall to address goals and concerns for the year to come. Additional parent/teacher conferences will be scheduled throughout the year as needed to discuss pertinent information to achieve academic success. Teachers will also communicate with parents through a weekly take-home folder. 
• Teacher-Student Conference: Teachers will conference with students on a continuous basis throughout the school year. This is an on-going informal or formal process that happens almost daily. 
• Student-led Conference: During the spring, Smith students will lead a conference with their parent. Students will have the opportunity to highlight their best work, reflect on the learner profile, and set future academic and behavior goals. Student led conferences allow for self-assessment and communication with the parent about future expectations. 
  • Items to include in Student-led Conferences:
    • Reading: Present an activity, project or manipulative that demonstrates success in a specific reading skill
    • Language: Select a writing sample from the writing portfolio (grades 2-4) in lower grades; select an example of written work. 
    • Math: Present an activity, project or math manipulative that demonstrates success in a specific math skill 
    • Science /Social Studies: Select samples from one of PYP planners that demonstrates understanding of a science/social studies inquiry 
    • Learner Profile: Grades 2-4 Complete and share from a Learner Profile assessment and reflection. 
    • Grades K-1 Complete and share from a Learner Profile picture page 
    • Goals: Complete and share academic and Learner Profile goals for the next year 

Assessment Shared Responsibilities: A core value at Sarah Smith is the shared responsibility of assessment between the student, teacher, and parent. Each has critical roles in the assessment process. 

Students can: 

• Base their learning on real life experiences 
• Celebrate learner profile strengths and target growth for profile weaknesses 
• Set learning goals based on their own reflections, goal setting and expectations 
• Use their own learning strategies and build on their own strengths 
• Expand on multiple intelligences to enhance their understanding 
• Build confidence in their own work and self 
• Express their points of view and understanding 
• Understand what their own needs are and how to improve 
• Use their prior knowledge to build on and guide the inquiry process 

 

Teachers can: 

• Create instructional plans to guide inquiry based on assessments 
• Allow for student reflections and student input for future learning goals 
• Clearly identify students’ needs 
• Provide direct instruction but also facilitate differences in learning styles & multiple intelligences through small group instruction 
• Define expectations and outcomes for students and teacher lead inquiry 
• Acquire quantitative and qualitative data that can be used to inform students, teachers, grade levels, school, and community 
• Prepare for future inquiries and student questioning 
• Organize & display a grade level portfolio which summarizes each unit of inquiry 

 

Parents can: 

• Recognize their child’s academic and moral accomplishments 
• Be an active partner in their child’s academic success 
• Celebrate learning and target future goals 
• Observe and track student progress and growth