Boerum Hill School for International Studies
Grading Overview for Students & Families | 2024–2025

At BHS, we believe grading should support learning, growth, and confidence. Our grading policy is designed to be fair, clear, and focused on helping students succeed—not just measure performance. Below is an overview of what you can expect from our grading approach this school year.

💡 Our Philosophy

We believe that students learn best when:

• They receive regular, meaningful feedback
• They are assessed in different ways throughout a unit (not just at the end)
• Their progress is measured based on skills, content understanding, and reflection—not effort or behavior

Our grading practices are designed to be:

• Accurate: We measure what a student knows and can do—not factors outside their control
• Equitable: All students are given opportunities to show growth, and grading avoids penalizing students who may face challenges outside of school
• Supportive: We encourage academic risk-taking, learning from mistakes, and continuous improvement

📊 What Counts Toward Your Grade

• Summative Assessments (1–2 per unit): These are major tasks like essays, projects, or tests that show what you’ve learned
• Formative Assessments: These are smaller assignments, like classwork or quizzes, that help you build toward the summative. They support your final grade

   

• IB Criteria-Based Grading: Instead of points or percentages, we use IB criteria (1–8) to assess your skills in different categories. Your final grade is based on mastery of the standards and skills across the course—not an average. However, IB 8 is NOT given on the final report card
  • For example, a criterion score of 4 out of 8 does NOT mean you scored a 50%. The 4 refers to a specific description of your ability in that criterion. 

❌ What Does Not Count Toward Your Grade

• Attendance, effort, or participation (though teachers will give you feedback on these!)
• Extra credit
• Behaviors like attitude or timeliness

🔄 Redo & Resubmission Policy

• All students are encouraged to redo assignments if it helps their learning
• You do not need to get a certain grade to qualify for a redo
• You must have attempted the assignment in order to redo it
• It’s your responsibility to let the teacher know if you’d like to redo something
• Sometimes, detailed feedback may help you move forward without needing to redo the work

📆 Late Work & Communication

• Students should not be penalized for submitting work late, as long as communication happens
• If a student is going to miss a deadline, families and teachers should connect to agree on a new deadline
• Students who are experiencing trauma, transition, or need additional support may have assignments excused or modified
• Every student is expected to complete summative tasks. If work is missing, teachers will enter a temporary “0” and leave a note explaining the next steps

📅 Grade Updates & Progress Reports

• Teachers update grades every two weeks so students and families can stay informed on progress
• Regular updates will be visible in Toddle or shared directly with families
• You’ll also receive progress reports during the semester and official grades at the end of each semester
• Teachers will contact families if a student’s grade drops significantly or if additional support is needed

🧠 How Final Grades Are Calculated

• • Grades are based on the mastery of key content and skills demonstrated across the semester—not on averages
  • Progress is cumulative. That means students can grow over time, and their grade should reflect that growth
  • If a student hasn’t submitted any work, the teacher will leave the grade blank on Toddle for Progress Report and reach out to discuss a plan

• A grade of “55”will be entered as your “final grade” on the report card indicating that the students has failed the marking period/semester, and a plan with students will be coordinated along with the support of their counselor 

📝 What Families Can Expect

• Clear comments and feedback on major assignments via Toddle or written feedback on paper-assignments. Comments/feedback can also be written on the actual assignment (if it’s paper) instead of Toddle. Also, teachers provide a great deal of their feedback to students verbally during the lesson as they are monitoring student progress. 
• A focus on helping students improve, not just assigning scores
• The primary method of communication regarding teacher feedback and comments will be through Toddle. When concerns arise, families will be notified through Toddle comments, assignment notifications, or email, with suggestions for how to partner in support of their child. Please note that Toddle is our main platform for sharing feedback on student progress, and we encourage families to check it regularly for updates.
• There are many opportunities during student lunch and after school for students to get additional support from teachers. Students must speak with their teachers to arrange a time. 

Appendix 2

Appendix 3

*IB Total = Total of each subject’s 4 criterion scores added together. For instance, 4+5+5+3=17