Pass/fail grading system prompts discussion
Lyah Muktavaram ’22 and Anastasia Thumser '22
April 28, 2020
Lyah M · Pass Fail...
Pass-fail system decreases motivation, detracts from learning efforts
Anastasia Thumser '22, Web Opinions Editor
April 20, 2020
March 11 was a routine day for Staples students: classes changed at the ring of the bell, teachers assigned work, messages were received about “Seussical,” sports practices and concerts, the song of the day lady blasted a pleasant German tune. However, by 2:15 p.m. that day, school and all corres...
Pass-fail system decreases motivation, detracts from learning efforts
Anastasia Thumser '22, Web Opinions Editor
April 20, 2020
March 11 was a routine day for Staples students: classes changed at the ring of the bell, teachers assigned work, messages were received about “Seussical,” sports practices and concerts, the song of the day lady blasted a pleasant German tune. However, by 2:15 p.m. that day, school and all corres...
Board of Education implements optional pass-fail grading
Remy Teltser ’21, Paper Features Editor
April 6, 2020
Staples High School students will have the option to report their fourth-quarter grades using a pass-fail system or with a standard letter grade due to the new distance learning system. Grades from quarter one through three, which ended on April 3, will be reported by traditional grade letters. Interim Superintendent Da...
Unlimited PowerSchool access toxic to Staples
Remy Teltser ’21, Paper Features Editor
November 11, 2019
Hardly seven seconds after receiving an “it’s posted” text message, PowerSchool is loading its web page onto my phone browser. As the all too familiar gray dial spins around, I am internally freaking out. Simultaneously, my AP Lang group chat is blowing up talking about how this one essay affect...
Teachers grading tactics can have a negative impact on students’ grades
Betti Kobak '22, Staff Writer
October 14, 2019
Grades are undoubtedly something that occupies every student's mind at Staples High School. Being able to perform highly in every class, whether it is an AP, honors or A class can be difficult, regardless of course. I know I am constantly looking at PowerSchool, even if I know there are no new grades...
Data overload hurts students’ brains
October 22, 2018
PowerSchool is the open grading system we use at Staples, and it forms the cornerstone of the Staples community. But do we know what it is like from a teacher’s perspective? Former Staples English teacher and girls’ cross country coach Amanda Parrish Morgan released an article referring to her time...
Test correction policies promote learning
October 28, 2017
By Lauren Wasserman '19 “Test corrections will be offered this year.” This is a policy that every student hopes to hear on the first day of school. Test correction policies give students the opportunity to redo the problems they got wrong on a test, and write an explanation for why it was wrong. If t...
PowerSchool accessible today
September 15, 2017
By: Dana Perelberg '20 According to a Westport Education Association [WEA] email sent Sept. 13, PowerSchool should be up and running Friday afternoon, potentially ending a two week stretch where students and parents could not access the online grade book. As of Sept. 14, the Staples PowerS...
Teachers asked to stop giving extra credit
Shane Rabacs, Staff Writer
October 2, 2016
Shane Rabacs '19, Staff Writer In August, Principal James D’Amico, who was voted as principal in March of this year by the Westport School Board, asked teachers at Staples High School to consider not giving extra credit anymore. “My feeling is that when we offer students something simply for...
An Opportunity For Second Chances
Victoria Lubin, Staff Writer
October 15, 2015
When you live in a town like Westport, people are always obsessing over their grades. The idea that the GPA scale and its fluctuating digits can make or break one’s college career and set-up for life leave students hard-wired to be concerned solely on the information that appears on home access cen...
Control the Controllable
Grant Sirlin, Staff Writer
May 5, 2015
Serious injuries can be demoralizing. In just an instant, the flow of life can come to a halt and the near future can quickly become out of reach. Even though you were just battling for a rebound in the heat of the FCIAC championship game, or driving home from a fantastic lunch with your girlfriend,...
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Claire Redmer '21, Editor-in-Chief
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont issued an executive order closing public schools on March 15, beginning an unprecedented time of completely online schooling. While this se...
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