GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Schools across Wisconsin closed their doors indefinitely, weeks ago.
While students and parents are still adjusting to alternative learning, Green Bay Area Public School District school board members are talking about alternative grading.
One Green Bay mom is still torn about the changes.
“I mean it has its ups and downs to it,” said Denia H. “They still have to know this information to graduate and succeed in life.”
District leaders say the policy change ensures a “Do No Harm” philosophy. It means students can’t be downgraded from whatever their grade was on March 13.
Parents and students also have a choice between two grading options: either a typical letter grade, or a pass due to COVID-19.
“We want to make sure nobody is penalized for the crisis,” said John Magas. He’s the associate superintendent of continuous improvement for the district.
“But some might ask that question of will students, hypothetically, quit trying as hard and our hope is that they won’t,” he said during Monday night’s meeting.
Denia says it’s a valid question if students can’t be downgraded, and one of the reasons why she isn’t sure she is on board with the policy.
“Don’t baby the kids,” she countered. “Now, I kind of agree with that you can’t get lower than what you had but you shouldn’t be able to just pass because you didn’t do anything.”
Other questions circulated the school board meeting, too.
Like how to celebrate students who achieve higher grades, and allowing future changes to the policy.
And even though not all of those questions have definite answers, the policy passed, unanimously.
