Wiki Page, HEALTHCARE FOUNDATIONS A: Grading Policy-Walker

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2025-12-02T09:35:25-08:00

Grading expectations & philosophy

The most important elements to understand are the following:

1. The directions must be read

2. The rubric must be read

3. Questions are still expected after both are read, but they must be asked for them to be answered.

The only bad questions are the ones that make it obvious you didn't read the directions

In many cases the directions have gotten very long to address common confusion from students who were unfocused or absent, which in turn results in less students reading the directions and more confusion ... but less questions.

In most cases I am allowing resubmissions or multiple attempts, including in many cases after after grading, but am grading relatively firmly based on the rubric itself which is what is being used to assign points. There are times when specific deficiencies are not well addressed by the rubric; in these cases comments will be added to Canvas in order to direct subsequent attempts. If the student does not understand the posted comments in Canvas they need to email directly as subsequent student return comments in Canvas do not trigger notifications to the teacher.

Overdue / Late Assignments / Resubmissions

The most common concern I have received recently has been regarding the acceptance of late work:

I accept late work

For all assignments through Week 10 I accept late work for ONE additional week after grades have been POSTED to Canvas &/or Skyward

For due dates after Week 10:

All expectations above remain true with the following additions:

All work due prior to Finals Week is due BEFORE the first finals day

ALL work is due no later than the last day of the Trimester

Grading will be delayed and it is likely updated scores will not be available until after finals

All work due ON the last day of the Trimester is accepted for one additional day (If the last day is Friday, late work is accepted on Saturday)

Whole-class extensions beyond 2 weeks will be identified in the individual assignment

Many assignments have an option to resubmit work for rescoring

When accepted, resubmissions of written work will be accepted for 1 week following grading and entry to Skyward, not to extend beyond the last day of the term

When accepted, resubmissions of tests will be accepted for 2 weeks following grading and entry to Skyward, not to extend beyond the last day of the term

Specific assignment rules:

Performance assessments are almost always eligible for resubmission, but each assignment will individually identify the resubmission timeframe

Safety assessments are expected to be redone until they reflect excellence. As such, while they may be worth partial points, a deficient score may make the student ineligible to participate in a hands-on activity resulting in that being scored either as if absent or observing but not participating.

Projects lose 20% per class period overdue

Presentations are due the first day of student presentations.

Late work on presentations is accepted only through the last day of student presentations, but the grade may reflect it being late (proportional to the time late).

After the end of other students' presentations some points may be available for the project portion, but no points are available for the presentation and these cannot be made up except for special situations like hospitalizations or extended leaves.

Additional allowances may be approved on a case-by-case basis following 2-way communication occurring before the extended acceptance window expires

Scoring of late work and resubmission is a priority for the student, but cannot be a priority for the teacher because the regular work needed by everyone else remains the priority

All properly submitted late work and resubmissions will be graded and applied towards the final grade

Some properly submitted late work and resubmissions may not be able to be graded until weeks after submission and some after the end of the term

Extra Credit is rare because like an employer I am concerned about your assigned duties being done well and when needed much more than your ability to take on additional tasks

Employability Skills / Professionalism Scoring

As a CTE course, preparing students for the world of work is the paramount goal, even above preparing them for a possible healthcare career. With this in mind, students are graded on "soft skill" elements that would impact their employment such as being hired or promoted, getting raises, disciplinary action, and developing a positive reputation that results in supervisor recommendations useful for further education and employment opportunities. Scoring for this category is explained in the assignment.

Attendance

Attendance of and by itself is not graded, but participation in hands-on activity can be graded

Excused absences grant permission to be eligible for make-up work, but does not grant points for participation

Excused absences can be recorded in 2 ways:

Formal absence excuse through the school (attendance office or note from other staff member)

Student communication before the time of class

Consider class like a job, and those wishing to be paid (with their grade) have to tell their boss they'll be absent before their shift

For this purpose, even events that would not normally be excused formally will be treated as excused

Some hands-on activity can be made up, others cannot

If Make-up work is available

Students with excused absences can earn full points

Students without excused absences lose a small percentage of points

If Make-up work is not available, but Alternate work is made available

All students can earn alternate points. This means an alternate assignment worth less total points is made available and only scored for these students and the other assignment will be recorded as excused.

If neither Make-up work nor Alternate work is made available

Students with excused absences will be excused from the activity

Students without excused absences will receive no points

Distinction between tardiness and absence is based on the total time out of class which may include arriving late, leaving early, or taking extended breaks out of the classroom

NOTE: a student who arrived to class on time may still end the day being reported as being absent due to time out of class during the period

Accommodations & Modifications for IEPs and 504 Plans

Some accommodations and modifications are not relevant to a specific class but other accommodations not previously identified may be discovered to be needed. The majority of all plans for students eligible for services under IEPs or 504s require some degree of individualized adjustment to identify the accommodations &/or modifications needed in the individual class. I strongly encourage the following for all students receiving services through IEPs or 504s:

Students must learn to advocate for themselves, by identifying which of their accommodations &/or modifications they need to utilize

Students &/or parents to communicate with me to me early & often about accommodations &/or modifications because what was written last year in the classes you were taking then may be very different from what is actually needed or helpful today

Students are encouraged to talk with me to discuss how I can adjust your accommodations &/or modifications in the classroom, as well as what I can pass on to your support team that is either working or creating additional challenges that may require new accommodations &/or modifications to be documented

Cheating

Part of character education is Integrity. Academic dishonesty occurs when students obtain or assist others in obtaining credit for work which is not their own. The consequence for this begins at no credit for the assignment and with additional consequences as determined by Administrators. Each student in my class is expected to perform the work assigned and resist peer pressure to violate rules.

Examples of cheating may include, but are not limited to:

Copying or duplicating assignments that will be turned in as your own.

Allowing another student to copy one’s homework, assignment, or assessment

Writing codes and or key words on objects or skin to use on an assessment.

Accessing supplemental materials not allowed during testing.

Exchanging answers with others (giving or receiving) related to an assessment

Submitting material written or designed by someone else without giving the author/artist name and or source (plagiarizing, or submitting work created by family, friends or tutors)

Taking credit for group work, when little contribution was made.