Policies

Below are the Del Mar's math department's policies for the 2021-2022 school year.

Homework 

Homework assignments are learning opportunities that encourage students to take initiative and responsibility for completing a task, and are integral to the success of our middle-school math program.
  • Homework will be assigned approximately ​three times per week.
  • Students will receive a check mark for homework turned in complete and on time.  Students will also receive a check mark for late (but complete) homework with "late" noted. An "IE" (Insufficient Evidence) will be recorded for any assignments left undone/not turned in. Homework may be spot-checked periodically.
  • 2 late assignments = 1 missing assignment
  • Completion of homework (as well as some of our class work) will be factored into the Habits of Learning grade, as it is critical in developing good habits of learning.  Each trimester, 8-12 missing assignments ("IE's" for homework) garners an "AP" for approaching. Additionally, 13 or more missing assignments will result in a "BG" for beginning. This policy assumes that day to day classroom deportment is also satisfactory.
  • It is the expectation of the math department that students will be checking their nightly homework with the answer key provided online.  It is incumbent upon the student to seek assistance for any problems that are still unresolved after checking them.  Possible avenues for assistance are the summaries at the end of each lesson, the family resources on the IM website, parental and peer help, Khan Academy, IXL, Study Island, and of course, the teacher!  
  • Late work (IXLs and projects) will be accepted for the CURRENT and PRIOR week's assignments only.  For work left not completed, the assignment grade will be changed from "Not turned in" to received late with an "IE" for Insufficient Evidence, and that assignment will no longer be eligible to be completed for credit towards standards proficiency.  
  • Late WORKBOOK homework can be turned in up to one week after a homework check.
  • Homework checks will occur twice a unit, at the mid-point and the end-point.

Reporting on Student Progress

​Over the last few years, the math department has evolved our teaching practices with the intent to adopt more accurate and equitable grading practices for the purposes of creating a full picture of student learning.  This year, we will continue working towards our strategic goal and implement practices of proficiency-based grading using the rubric outlined below for assessments.
Download rubric
  • Advanced Proficiency in Meeting Standards (ADV) - Any errors and/or mistakes did not impede demonstration of meeting the standard. You showed a thorough understanding of the concepts and skills involved.  You clearly showed/explained your reasoning and had few or no errors. You are able to work independently and can teach it to others.
  • Proficiency in Meeting Standards (PR) - Any errors and/or mistakes did not greatly impede demonstration of meeting the standard. You showed a general understanding, but made a few errors.  You may not have shown/explained your reasoning. You have not yet proven you have a thorough understanding of the content, and can work independently most of the time.  You are almost there!  
  • Approaching Proficiency in Meeting Standards (AP) - Errors and/or mistakes may impede demonstration of meeting the standard. You showed inconsistent reasoning, did not completely answer the question, made several errors, or repeated the same error.  You may require prompting or scaffolding. It is recommended you seek support from the teacher.
  • Beginning Proficiency in Meeting Standards (BG) - Errors and/or mistakes do impede demonstration of meeting the standard. You showed inconsistent reasoning, made numerous mistakes and your work demonstrated little understanding of the concepts involved.  You may require prompting or scaffolding. It is important that you seek additional support from the teacher.
There may be SOME standards that span past one trimester. Because we will not have covered the entire standard in that particular trimester, the report card will reflect up to proficient (PR). Once the standard has been fully taught, the report card may then show advanced proficiency (ADV). Additional feedback is found on the test itself.

Retaking End-of-Unit Assessments

Correction Form (PDF)
  • Mid-Unit exams are formative in nature and will not count towards a student's final standing.
    • ​Because they are formative in nature, retakes are not offered on quizzes or mid-unit assessments
    • End-of-Unit Exams are summative in nature and will be used to assess students progress toward meeting standards.
      • Students who receive an AP or BG may retake exam questions covering that standard.
      • ​​Before retaking an end-of-unit assessment, or a portion of it, a student must do the following:
        • complete all the homework assignments (including IXL's) and show them to their teacher at least two days before the scheduled retake
        • fill out an end-of-unit (summative) assessment correction form
        • attach the original exam paper to the correction form
        • meet with teacher during office hours and complete additional assigned practice problems (such as Khan Academy) for every standard the student wishes to retake
      • Retakes will be offered ONLY for the most recent end-of-unit assessment on a specific day decided by the teacher.
      • The student's retake grade will replace their original end-of-unit assessment grade (by standard) if it is higher.
      • The highest score that a student can receive on a retake is PR​.

Category Weighting

  • Habits of Learning and Formative Assignments/Assessments will be worth 0% of a student’s academic math grade, however they count toward their habits of learning grade as stated above. The highest standard a student can score on a quiz is “proficient” due to the fact that all components of the standard may not have been taught at the time of the formative assessment and mastery has not yet been demonstrated. ​
  • Summative Assessments and Projects will comprise 100% of their final trimester grade.

Habits of Learning Grade

  • During the last three school years, Del Mar Middle School has been moving to make our citizenship grade more than simply how a student behaves in class.
  • "Habits of Learning” includes things like being on time and ready with all materials needed for learning.
  • It includes whether homework, class work, and projects are turned in - and whether or not they are done in a timely manner.
  • It is meant to represent the components that go into our vision of a Reed Union Graduate. ​

Pathways

It is district policy that all students take one of the math courses (listed below) with a classroom teacher each year. Engaging in mathematics with their peers in an environment led by a skilled teacher provides them with many opportunities to not only master the grade level content, but also to engage in the 8 Standards for Mathematical Practice. In addition, they are exposed to alternative methodologies and have opportunities to go deeper into the grade-level mathematics. 

All ​6th grade students are promoted to math 7C
Upon completion of math 7C, students have two pathways available to them:
  • Pathway 1 :  In 8th-grade students will complete Math 8.  This pathway prepares them to take Algebra 1 as a high school freshman. 
  • Pathway 2:. In 8th-grade students will complete an Algebra 1 course. This pathway prepares them to take Geometry as a high school freshman. If your child is accepted into Pathway 2, they can expect a rigorous, faster-paced math course with additional homework each night. Students must maintain a preponderance of Advanced Proficiency to remain in this course.

​At the end of 7th grade, students will be assessed for appropriate placement using a variety of criteria.  Criteria for placement into the 8th-grade Pathway 2 (Algebra) include consistent demonstration of excellent work & study habits, and the following minimum thresholds:
  • 70% or above on the Algebra Readiness Test  (MDTP).
  • A majority of Proficient (PR) for Habits of Learning 
  • 70% or above on MAP test
  • A majority of Advanced Proficiency (ADV) on standards assessments
  • Teacher recommendation

Absences

  • When students are absent, they will have the same number of days that they were absent to make up missed work or take any missed tests/quizzes. For example, if a student is absent for two days, they will have two days to complete any missed work.  It is the responsibility of the student to find out what was missed and get any needed materials or papers in order to complete the work missed due to absences.
  • If distance learning becomes necessary and students miss a class, they are expected to attend the next office hours for that class to discuss what they missed with their teacher.