New Kensington-Arnold rolls out new grading scale for youngest students

Report cards for New Kensington-Arnold kindergarten students will look a bit different this year.

Previously, students would get a letter grade for a subject area. Now, the report card will list specific academic skills in each subject and how well the student has mastered each skill.

“I want kids to realize their full potential. It’s up to us as adults to communicate to students where they’re making a mistake and how to correct those mistakes, for higher levels of achievement for students,” said Superintendent Chris Sefcheck.

For example, a reading skill for kindergarten students in English would include the understanding of reading from left to right, from top to bottom. Students would then be graded on their “mastery” of that skill, either scoring Advanced, Proficient, Basic or Below Basic, Sefcheck said.

There are numerous other skills outlined for each subject.

“We’re breaking that down even deeper,” Sefcheck said. “We listed standards and the level of achievement for those standards.”

Sefcheck said the grading shift was suggested by New Kensington-Arnold elementary staff who recognized a shortfall of communication between what skills students know and what they need to continue to work on.

“We’ve got the pieces in place and the brainpower to make it right,” he said.

The standards-based grading will be piloted at Martin Elementary — the district’s kindergarten building — this year. If it goes well, the grading system could later be implemented districtwide, Sefcheck said.

The district plans to provide more information on the new grading scale to kindergarten families this year, Sefcheck said.

Other business

The district continues to make preparations for the upcoming school year, which starts for students Aug. 20.

School directors tasked The Efficiency Network to work on its energy savings project for the renovation of Valley High School’s auditorium, Sefcheck said.

That project doesn’t include anything on the stage but instead includes replacing seats, painting walls, fixing lighting with energy-efficient lights and more, Sefcheck said.

The district hopes to have that complete this year, he said.

The board also approved hiring Miranda Lucero, a fifth-grade teacher at Roy A. Hunt Elementary; and Joseph Skura as athletic and activities director.

It also appointed Tahlon Kirkland to a social studies teaching position at Valley High School; Michelle Haracznak as a fourth-grade teacher at Hunt; and Julia Garmong as a special education teacher at Hunt.