HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020_06_24 Board Minutes
Moreno, Brandi -D91
From:D91 Zone 2 - Paul Haacke, Board Trustee
Sent:Monday, July 13, 2020 1:32 PM
To:Moreno, Brandi -D91
Subject:Re: statement from June 24th meeting
Attachments:Motion on Grading 3rd trimester.docx
Sorry Brandi, tried to get this to you several times last week but the email was done until I left for Lake Powell
where I didn't have access to wifi. Glad the email is now working again. I've attached my motion for the
record. Thank you and see you Wednesday.
Paul
From: Moreno, Brandi -D91
Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2020 6:41 PM
To: D91 Zone 2 - Paul Haacke, Board Trustee
Subject: statement from June 24th meeting
Paul
rd
Would you like to send me a copy of your statement you made when making the motion for the appeal process for 3
trimester grades so I can include it in the official minutes? Thanks!
Brandi Moreno
Administrative Assistant to
Superintendent Boland & Board Secretary
Idaho Falls School District 91
p 208.525.7518 f 208.525.7596
1
Questions:
1. Will there be any notation on transcripts with what has been recommended?
Madam Chairperson, I would like to make a motion. I would first like to thank Superintendent Bolland
and the District 91 staff, teachers and parents who took hours of time to come up with their
recommendation on what to do with the third trimester grades. I know that hours of research has been
done and hours of discussion took place for them to come to the conclusion and recommendation they
have. I have also spent my time researching what other districts both inside and outside of Idaho are
doing which is moving towards letter grades. In my research I have spoken to administrators at colleges
and universities on how they evaluate applications and review transcripts. I have personally reached
out to parents of District 91 students and have spoken to them about their personal experiences
working with universities and how their child has been disadvantaged with our current Pass or
Incomplete system. I believe the District 91 Board made the best decision on a pass incomplete system
at the time with the information we had. I believe the pass incomplete system will still meet many of our
student’s needs today. I also believe that we are placing some, not all but many of our students at a
disadvantage by not providing them the opportunity to have a letter grade. I feel, as I’m sure we all do,
we need to place our students first and give them an opportunity to compete on an equal playing field
with students not only in Idaho but across the country. Now for the motion. Based on what I have
learned from my inquiries and research I propose we follow the special committee’s recommendation of
allowing students to petition their teachers, as outlined, class by class, for a letter grade. I would also
like to emphasize the point that was made in the presentation which is students should receive the
benefit of the doubt. We, as a Board, placed the bar at the 70% mark. We set that standard. Students
may have worked to surpass the 70% mark but other students whose history shows they are a better
student but also set the mark at 70%. They should not be penalized by the bar we set. I ask that
teachers take this into account as they consider the petitions from those students who elect to petition
for a letter grade.