International Baccalaureate

4 Key Policies

Assessment Practices

Mission Statement

The mission of the Groton Public Schools is in partnership with parents and community to enable all learners to achieve their highest potential by fostering excellence through a challenging program of study and a safe environment. Our schools will promote the pursuit of lifelong learning, responsible citizenship, and informed decision-making in a culturally diverse world.

Assessment

We believe that the purpose of assessment is to give students, teachers and parents accurate, transparent, fair, and consistent information about student proficiency with content and skills. The district uses a student information system for reporting grades and progress. Teachers are expected to update their student information system (SIS) grades regularly during the grade-reporting period.

The IB Learner Profile will inform our NEASC “Portrait of a Graduate”, and shape our approaches to formative and summative assessments. To that end, our School-Wide rubrics assess student proficiency with Approaches to Teaching and Learning. On a periodic basis, all classroom teachers assess students using at least one of the School-Wide rubrics that align with each of the five ATL clusters. These rubric scores are reported in the SIS and shared with parents and students.

Formative Assessment

We believe that formative assessment is necessary to give students practice and feedback in attaining specific content information and skills applications. Because learning is a process, we acknowledge that it is important to provide teachers and students with ample, specific, and sustaining feedback about ways in which they can improve. Because formative assessment is an opportunity for students to develop and build their skills, we use completion rather than qualitative grading, when grading is required.

An important component of formative assessment in Groton Public Schools is the periodic use of benchmark assessments commonly developed and implemented by subject and grade level. Teachers meet to review and standardize their expectations for student performance, and to establish benchmarks for whole-grade-level performance at least once per grading period, and use information from this process to guide instructional practice and curriculum revision.

Summative Assessments

We believe that summative assessments should accurately reflect student proficiency with content and skills application. Therefore, summative assessments, whenever possible, will be student-centered, open-ended, inquiry-driven, and have real-world application. Summative assessments will directly connect with the Inquiry Questions for MYP units or Big Ideas in other classes structured using Understanding by Design principles.

Teachers will minimize the use of simplified recall-based assessments such as multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and matching.

In MYP and DP classes, teachers will give common end-of-unit assessments, and standardize their grading of these assessments in order to ensure that grading is fair, consistent, and accurate.

MYP teachers will assess students at least twice per criterion strand each year. They use their best professional judgment when reporting MYP grades, rather than averaging them. MYP teachers may also choose to use assessment-specific scoring in addition to the MYP criterion. Teachers report their qualitative assessments in Powerschool.

Reflection

Because reflection is an important component in learning, teachers build reflection time into reviewing assessments. Students are asked to informally and formally assess themselves and to make concrete, specific plans for improving based upon their rubric scores and teachers’ feedback. During common planning periods, teachers reflect on the results of common assessments and determine how they can shape instruction and revise existing unit plans to maximize and improve student learning.

Assessment Practices Specific to Middle Years Program

ATL skills:

Approaches to Teaching and Learning are assessed through the use of school-wide rubrics aligned with our Groton public Schools Portrait of a Graduate.

Using criteria-referenced assessments:

Teachers will choose criterion strands specific to their subject areas in order to assess student performance, with their common formative assessments, as well as with their common summative assessments.

Assessment Practices Specific to Diploma Courses

Staff collaborate on an internal calendar to ensure that students have ample time to complete required IB assessments without becoming overwhelmed.

Additionally, teachers are encouraged to post all their assignments to the SIS Schoology, so that the work-load balance function can be accurately used for all homework and regular coursework assessments.

Students are given formative practice for Internal and External Assessments. That practice is scored according to the IB rubric for feedback purposes, but the actual Fitch course grade reflects a completion grade, rather than a qualitative conversion from the IB rubric.

Internal Assessments are graded according to IB rubrics. Internal Assessments comprise an important component of Fitch course credit. In courses that have more than one instructor, instructors collaborate to standardize their scoring of student work. Many teachers use Internal Assessments in place of final exams in junior year and midterm exams of senior year. IB exams that take place in May of senior year replace Fitch final exams for those IB courses

Academic Honesty

General Background

The school district places a high value on academic honesty. The school district has established procedures to communicate expectations of academic honesty and prevention of malpractice, including plagiarism, cheating, and collusion. At the beginning of each semester, teachers review the definitions of academic honesty and academic malpractice with students.

The school district has established consequences for academic malpractice, including reporting instances to the International Baccalaureate organization when appropriate. School-based consequences are listed in the specific school handbooks discipline matrix.

Academic Honesty promotes personal integrity and good practice in teaching, learning,

and assessment. Academic honesty is expected of all students and teachers should model this practice.

Academic honesty is supported by several of the IB Learner Profile traits, which encourage students to be:

A. Communicators: Expressing ideas and information confidently

B. Principled: Acting with integrity and honesty, taking responsibility for their own

actions

C. Caring: Having respect for the needs and feelings of others

D. Knowledgeable: Acquiring knowledge and developing understanding

Definitions

A. Academic Honesty is a set of values and skills that promote personal integrity and good practice in teaching, learning and assessment. This is further defined as respect for the intellectual property of others and submission of only authentic pieces of work with the ideas of others fully acknowledged.

B. The IB Organization defines malpractice as behavior that results in, or may result in, the candidate or any other candidate gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessment components.

C. The IB organization defines academic misconduct as behavior (whether deliberate or inadvertent) that results in, or may result in, the candidate or any other candidate gaining an unfair advantage in one or more components of assessment.

D. Intellectual Property includes different forms of property rights, such as patents, registered designs, trademarks, moral rights and copyright. Forms of intellectual and creative expression must be respected and are protected by law.

E. Plagiarism: this is defined as the representation, intentionally or unwittingly, of the ideas, words or work of another person without proper, clear and explicit acknowledgment

F. Collusion is defined as supporting malpractice by another student, including allowing one’s work to be copied or submitted by another.

Role of Teachers

A. Prevention

Teachers provide students with a convention for acknowledging all sources with an organized and consistent approach across subjects. Teachers guide students on proper ways to express the work and ideas of others and warn students of the consequences of academic dishonesty, in addition to doing the following:

Teachers will give all IB students the IB’s Guide to Effective Citing and Referencing

Teachers will spend at least 30 minutes at the beginning of each grading period/marking period discussing the importance of academic integrity and what each type of malpractice might look like in the context of student assignments..

Teachers will require all written summative assignments to be submitted to www.turnitin.com for plagiarism detection.

B. Detection and Reporting

It is the responsibility of the teacher to confirm that, to the best of his or her knowledge, all work accepted is the authentic work of each student. Teachers are encouraged to make use of online services that prevent plagiarism. Diploma Programme teachers shall follow the guidelines of the IB when authenticating the work of candidates and report suspicions of malpractice to the coordinator.

C. Support of Policy

Teachers shall support and act on the school policy. Teachers shall model good academic practice by practicing appropriate citation of sources in lectures and class presentations. In addition, improper conduct by staff during IB examinations (internal or external) shall be brought to the attention of the IB.

Role of Students

Communication of Policy

Consequences of Malpractice

Inclusion Practices

Purpose

Definitions

A. Special Educational Needs (SEN) –refers to any student who shows a need for extra support or for challenge beyond the general curriculum. We recognize the wide spectrum of needs and abilities along a continuum, including students with learning disabilities as well as the gifted and talented.

B. Inclusion – refers to providing access to all components of the IB program for all students. School/program culture addresses stereotyping and judgements, affirms individual identity and celebrates diversity (race, creed and language)

C. Differentiation – an instructional design model that adapts the written, taught, and assessed curriculum in order to meet individual needs.

Principles

A. All students can learn and have a right to a holistic and inclusive education in a caring and stimulating environment.

B. We place great emphasis on the responsibilities of all teachers to be aware of and provide for students with special educational needs.

C. Our district and school embrace open enrollment for our MYP, DP, CP, AP and ECE courses, so that all students may seek challenging coursework.

D. We believe all students should be responsible for their own learning by taking an active role in identifying, monitoring, reflecting upon, and meeting their own learning needs and abilities.

E. We view a student’s education as a partnership between the student, the parent(s)/guardian(s), and the school.

Common Practices

A. Program Components

We promote the development of International Mindedness in all of our students through the IB Learner Profile.
We are committed to teaching through inquiry in all subject areas.
We provide pathways to second language acquisition for all students in addition to supporting mother tongue languages.
Full IB Diploma Programme (DP) students complete the Extended Essay.
Students are encouraged to take action to extend their learning and to help their community through our service learning programs.

B. Assessment

All teachers will formatively assess student skills and understanding to determine individual student needs and abilities and to adjust subsequent instruction.
Teachers will develop summative assessments that are differentiated to provide necessary modifications, challenges, and student choice.
Students who appear to have special educational needs and abilities will be given further internal and/or external assessments to identify appropriate accommodations or modifications.

C. Support

Classroom Support: Support for students with special educational needs and abilities may include curriculum modification, enrichment activities, classroom accommodations, small group instruction, or one –to- one support.
Prior to being identified as a special education student, tier 1 and tier 2 interventions will be implemented in order to best serve the child’s learning needs.

D. Documentation

Data relating to the academic achievement of all students will be organized in an assessment database. Teachers will have access to this database and it will be used to track student progress and make educational decisions.
Documentation of services received will be provided for students with SEN.
Progress will be reported midway through each marking period through the Student Information System (SIS).
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are written for students who are identified for special education services. These plans will be revised annually, are confidential, and are shared with other school staff on an as needed basis.
504 Accommodation plans are written for students who have a need for accommodations that are not covered by an IEP.
Other Services: When it is determined that a student would benefit from additional support outside of the classroom, resource services are provided to meet academic, social, or behavioral needs. Additionally, paraprofessionals may provide further support to some students.

E. Staff Development and Collaboration

All teachers receive IB training to promote an understanding of the components of their respective programs.
Teachers receive staff development on co-teaching as a strategy to meet special educational needs.
All teachers (including SEN teachers) regularly meet horizontally and vertically within their specific disciplines to collaborate on curriculum and assessment, to reflect on student learning, and to plan for differentiation.

F. SEN in the Diploma Programme

Any student with a need for special arrangements must be identified prior to starting the program. Special arrangements may include modifications to exam papers, extensions to deadlines, assistance to practical work, additional time, information and communication technology, scribe and transcription, or readers.
Special arrangements for IB assessments must be authorized by IB Cardiff.
Support mechanisms for students needing special arrangements are outlined in the IB publication Candidates with special assessment needs. (occ.ibo.org)

Related Policies

Language Acquisition

Philosophy

1. Understanding that all students progress at different paces, we view the on-going language development for Groton students as the shared responsibility of all stakeholders: parents, students, teachers, administration, and staff.

2. English is the language of IB instruction at Groton Public Schools and admissions and instruction and assessments are conducted in English to ensure students can access the curriculum delivered in English. There are sheltered learning opportunities for new English Language Learners to provide support as they assimilate into regular education classes. As well as Spanish for Spanish Speakers offered to students in grades 9 and 10.

3. We believe that all students should have the opportunity to learn a second language, enabling students to understand the thinking and culture of other peoples. Through effective communication in another language, students are sensitized to cultural diversity and better able to understand the global world in which they live, preparing them to be active participants in multilingual communities at home and around the world. To that end, Groton students, beginning in grade 6, year 1 of MYP, will engage in a language carousel -- students will take one semester of each Spanish and French. Students will select one of the two languages to pursue in year round instruction, beginning with MYP years two through five. All students will have the opportunity to learn a second language, with the exception of students whose legal documentation in the form of Individualized Education Plans and 504s recommend other placement.

Students will have the additional option to study American Sign Language (ASL) or Latin in grades 9-12. Students who speak Spanish as their mother tongue can take Spanish for Native Speakers, and eventually, IB Self-Taught Language A in Spanish or another language. Students who have chosen Spanish or French, as their Language Acquisition option, will have the opportunity to continue that language study in IB French and IB Spanish. For students who have not yet had a strong language foundation, or those who wish to switch their language, Ab Initio Spanish, or Ab Initio French are additional options for those who would like to pursue the IB Diploma. All students in the IB DP at Fitch are required to take Language A Literature HL in English.

5. All students, regardless of their legal status, will be admitted to the school and IB Program.

6. We employ a variety of instructional methods in all areas of the IB curriculum to show the interconnection among reading, writing, speaking, and listening in Languages A and Language Acquisition option; such interdisciplinary planning happens during dedicated collaborative time on Tuesdays with IB MYP or DP colleagues or in department-specific settings. All Fitch MYP and DP students receive focused ATL instruction in the area of communication. IB Diploma Program students learn language through context and by relating new information to existing knowledge in all classes.

7. The school and community are informed of this policy through its posting on our school’s website, on the internet, and in the IB Programme handbook

Guiding Principles

1.Every IB Diploma Program candidate must take one Language Acquisition and complete all assessments in the subject, with the exception of candidates pursuing a Bi-Lingual Diploma, and taking Language A Self-Taught SL in their mother tongue. Language Acquisition options include Standard Level Spanish, Standard Level French, Ab Initio Spanish, Ab Initio French, and Classical Studies in Latin SL.

2. Identification of the language needs of each student is done when scheduling in the IB MYP and DP by using a combination of previous school records, oral interviews, and MYP rubric scores for summative assessments from previous language classes.

3. Groton provides all students equal access to academic programs and services. For IB students with Special Education Needs (SEN), tailored Language A and Language Acquisition courses are available. SEN students can choose to enroll in Language Acquisition option classes beginning in grade 6 or MYP year 1. A student with an IEP may have language requirements waived, depending on their disability, although a student attempting the full Diploma must take four years of Languages A and Language B. These decisions are made in the Special Education team meetings.

4. For modern languages spelling, reference protocols, and bibliographic styles are presented as part of the curriculum.

5. The main responsibility for the professional language development of staff members lies with each individual. The program coordinators’ responsibility is to ensure that staff is made aware of professional development opportunities, and evaluate and acquire suitable professional development resources. A variety of resources provides teachers with current research and best practices in language learning. Teacher university work, attendance at IB training, availability of the My IB, other online resources, and District sponsored workshops are a few of the ways that Groton staff members keep themselves informed and up to date.

6. This Language Policy is to be reviewed as a working document at the start of each academic year by a committee consisting of the IB Coordinators, a representative of the Administration, and the instructors of IB English and Language Acquisition classes. When deemed necessary, students and parents will be surveyed as the language policy continues to serve the needs of our school and district. It is the responsibility of the IB DP Coordinator to ensure the success of the Language Policy review.

Scope and Sequence Grades 6-12

Grade 6: 45 hours of each: French, Spanish

Grade 7: Spanish 1 or French 1

Grade 8: Spanish 1 or French 1

Grade 9: Spanish 2 Honors or French 2 Honors or Latin 1 or ASL 1

Grade 10: Spanish 3 Honors or French 3 Honors or Latin 2

Grade 11: IB Spanish B SL(1) or IB French SL(1), IB Self-Taught Language A, IB Spanish Ab Initio, (1) IB French Ab Initio (1), IB Latin SL (1)

Grade 12: IB Spanish B SL (2); IB French B SL (2) IB Latin SL (2) IB Self-Taught Language A, IB Spanish Ab Initio (2) IB French Ab Initio (2).

International Baccalaureate

4 Key Policies

Assessment Practices

Mission Statement

Assessment

Formative Assessment

Summative Assessments

Reflection

Assessment Practices Specific to Middle Years Program

Assessment Practices Specific to Diploma Courses

Academic Honesty

General Background

Definitions

Role of Teachers

Role of Students

Communication of Policy

Consequences of Malpractice

Inclusion Practices

Purpose

Definitions

Principles

Common Practices

Related Policies

Language Acquisition

Philosophy

Guiding Principles

Scope and Sequence Grades 6-12

Paperless Registration / Update

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