Effingham County Board of Education ‘405 N. ASh Street, Springfield, GA'31329 « 912-754-6491 « FAX 912-330-1590 ‘Superintendent Assistant Superintendent Dr. Randy Shearouse Dr. Yancy J. Ford April 20, 2020 Dear Parents, Never in a million years would I have imagined that we would be in the position we are in today. I started my career in 1988, and for the past 32 years, the school year has always come to a close in the traditional way. Now, our daily lives have been tured on a dime with the onset of a virus previously unknown to any of us. This new pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives including how we shop, travel, work, and learn, Who would have thought that, within weeks, we ‘would be facing a shortage of toilet paper and cleaning supplies! This is certainly new territory. Hopefully, all of our students have been working diligently to complete their assignments over the last several weeks. This week is their fourth week of assignments, and plans are to add one more week of assignments through Friday, May 1 with no new assignments given after that date. However, teachers will continue to collect grades through Friday, May 15. These additional weeks will allow time for students to complete any assignment they may be missing or may have failed to return, It will also allow teachers and administrators an opportunity to work with students experiencing difficulty or who are at-risk of failure. Final grades will be computed by calculating a student’s COVID-19 average (i. the average of the first three nine-week grading periods) and then adding a half point for each of the t assignments given over the five-week period. For example, a student who completes all ten assignments per class for the last five-week period will receive five additional points to their COVID-19 average. As a result, final assignments given over the last five weeks can only enhance a student's grade. I strongly encourage students to take advantage of the next several weeks to complete their assignments. The following example should help to explain the concept: + Example: Final course grade for a year-long course Ist 9 weeks average + 2nd 9 weeks average + 3rd 9 weeks average = COVID-19 avg = 79 ‘The COVID-19 average for this student is a 79, The student also completed all ten of the Leaming At Home assignments given during the last five-week period. This student would receive five additional points added to the COVID-19 average resulting in a final course average of 84,+ Example: Final course grade for a semester-long course 3rd 9 weeks average = COVID-19 average Ex: 86 = 86 ‘The COVID-19 average for this student is an 86, The student also completed all ten of the Learning At Home assignments, This student would, therefore, eam five additional points to the COVID-19 average resulting in a final course average of 91. Elementary Instructional Supervisors continue to hold conversations as they collect feedback and look through data from the first three nine-week grading periods to collaboratively make Gecisions for promotion and retention concerning Kindergarten. Since Kindergarten grades are standards-based, efforts are being made to mirror the grading guidance provided to teachers for grades one through twelve while also taking into consideration age-developmental appropriateness. The PreK classes continue to work toward kindergarten readiness. T was encouraged Sunday morning when I read about a 94 year-old gentleman who fought in WWIT and endured many hardships along the way. He encouraged all of us to look at the glass half-full instead of half-empty and to lend a helping hand to others in need along the way. I encourage everyone to use this experience to become a better person, make a difference in the world, and never let a hardship or difficulty rob you of happiness. Supefintendent