Report cards distributed
By Donnie A. Lucas
Albany students and parents should receive report cards for the fifth six-weeks starting today for the junior/senior high campus and on Friday for elementary students.
School officials are sending report cards in the mail to parents of secondary students, while elementary report cards will be included with student assignment packets to be picked up on Friday.
Teachers at both campuses reported that the majority of students have adjusted to either online instruction or weekly packets of printed materials, although a few have still not complied by participating in assignments during the shutdown for the coronavirus.
“I turned in several incompletes for students that have let me know they are having communication problems or other issues,” high school science teacher Dwayne Norton said. “If we are able to get hot spot access set up around town, then I may not be as lenient.”
Science teacher Andre Raymond reported that he has only four students out of 102 who have not turned in work for him.
The offices at both campuses still have limited staff on hand from 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday, but have become more stringent about contact with the public after a shelter in place order was issued by the city last week.
Parents or students without internet access can pick up printed packets at the high and turn in the previous week’s work on Monday from 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
At the elementary campus, work for the upcoming week can be picked up only on Fridays from 10:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Tables will be set up in the front traffic circle by grade level. Completed assignments from the previous week should be turned in at the same time.
Report cards will be included in the packets this week.
Parents are asked to stay in their vehicle and let staff members bring work to each vehicle.
Improved WiFi
The district is working on improving WiFi connects to more sections of the town for students that do not have regular access to the internet.
In his Zoom meeting with teachers and staff on Monday, superintendent Jonathan Scott said that technology director Daniel Key was working to improve coverage.
“Mr. Key went up the tower behind the junior high building last week to install more antennas,” Scott said. “We are waiting on permission to set up receiving antennas to create more hot spots and improve coverage around town.”
The school is providing the WiFi without charge, but the service will be filtered to access only school approved sites.
Scott also told staff members that contingency plans are formulated by the state and local staff to accommodate students if they are allowed to return to class after the current closure expires starting May 4.
The superintendent congratulated the staff for the extra effort to continue instruction remotely since the closure started on March 16.
Scott noted that some students may not have taken seriously the need to continue completing assignments.
“Students still have to pass each class to get credit,” he said. “We are developing plans to help those who fall short of receiving credit. We don’t know exactly what that will look like, whether it will be summer school or some other form of remediation.”
Scott said that TEA is directing all districts to develop a plan to assist those students who may need extra help.
“Our staff has been trying hard to keep parents and students notified, but ultimately it comes down to students sharing in the responsibility for their own education,” he said.
New Grading
Both campuses are also enacting new grading policies for the final six weeks that started on Monday.
At the high school level, each class will still be required to have 11 grades; however, they will all be weighted equally as daily grades.
Grades for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors for the entire spring semester will not be used to calculate overall GPAs, while grades for class rank for seniors will be capped at the end of the fourth grading period that ended Feb. 14.
Students will still need a passing grade through the end of the school year to receive credit for classes, but those grades will not affect GPAs or ranking.
Temporary policies were also enacted at the elementary school, with fifth and sixth grade students receiving eight daily grades. The remainder of students in K-4 will have work issued based on established daily time limits. Grades for younger students will be given on a pass/fail basis.
