HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

POLICIES

VII    ASSESSMENT

Basic Guidelines

The SBCA High School Department basically follows the Dep Ed Guidelines on the System of Rating and Reporting Student's Progress under the New Secondary Education Curriculum (NSEC, 1989). This is the Modified Cumulative Grading System.

1. There are four quarters in a school year.
2. A combination of the cumulative and averaging methods is used for assessing student performance.
3. There are two semestral grades for each subject area in one school year.
• The first semestral grade is one-third of the first quarter and two-thirds of the second quarter grade
• The second-semestral grade is one-third of the third quarter and two-thirds of the fourth quarter grade
4. The final grade for each subject area at the end of the school year is acquired by averaging the two semestral grades.
5. The numerical system of grading is expressed in multiples of one
• The quarter grades as well as the final grades per subject are computed up to the second decimal place and rounded off, following the rules for rounding off numbers, to the nearest whole number.
• The semestral grades per subject are computed up to the second decimal place and not rounded off.
6. Promotion is by subject only. No general final average will be used as a basis for promotion.

Types of Grading a Student's Performance

SBCA High School Department utilizes two types of grading a student's performance, the formative and the summative.

The Formative is conducted during and/or after every lesson. It assesses the degree to which a student has successfully assimilated knowledge leading to his total formation. It has the following general characteristics :

• It may be given orally or in written form;
• It takes the form of any of the following: a quiz, a long test, an activity, recitation, classroom drills, themes, value clarification, etc.
• It is usually graded.

The Summative is conducted at the end of every quarter and is aimed at determining the extent to which the student has acquired the mastery of the skills established for that particular period. It has the following general characteristics:
The 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarter examinations are given in written and practical form. They cover all the lessons and skills taken up during the quarter. The subject matter covered in the examination and the pointers are given to the students in advance to prepare them for the examination:

• The final examination which is comprehensive in nature is given in written or practical form in the fourth quarter;
• These exams are departmental in nature; the year level examination is prepared by the subject teachers teaching the subject, then reviewed by the Vice Principal and the Principal;
• The greater percentage of the questions is geared to challenge the students to the higher levels of comprehension, analysis, thinking, etc.

Subject Formation

Class Standing is composed of the following elements: quizzes, recitation, long tests, insights, formal and informal themes, projects, homeworks, drama presentations, researches/termpapers, etc. The composite grade of all these elements comprises seventy percent (70%) of the quarter grade. The general qualities of each of the above mentioned elements are the following:

• Assignments: correctness and neatness.
• Themes: content-complete, organization, mechanics.
• Recitation: participation and involvement in the learning activities.
• Reports: organization, content, mechanics, punctuality in submission.
• Projects; creativity, originality, relevance, use of materials, quality, punctuality in submission.

Quarter Examination, as described above, comprises thirty percent (30%) of the quarter grade.

Policies in Assessing Student Performance

1.      The highest grade is 99% and the lowest is 65%.

2.      The passing grade in all subjects is 75%.

3.      Quizzes, long tests and quarter tests are on a 50% equals 75% basis.

4.      Recitation grade must be based on participation and involvement in the learning activities and not only on correct answers. Graded recitation are given once in a while.

5.      When a project is given, the criteria for grading are explained to the students. A project plan is submitted to the subject area coordinator and the progress of the work is followed up by the subject teachers concerned.

6.      For grade in Physical Education, Health and Music (PEHM), a proportionate percentage in the computation in PE, Health and Music is given (for Fourth Year students, plus CAT).

6.1.   All students are required to attend PEHM classes regularly.

6.2.   Accumulated unexcused absences of five (5) meetings and more in P.E. automatically means getting a failing mark for that quarter

6.3.   Only competing athletes, SBCA Brass Band, San Beda Alabang Chorale, CAT-I Officers and model flights are exempted from attending Physical Education, Music and CAT-I Classes.

6.3.1.      Athletes are students who are official members of recognized leagues participated by the school.  The school teams are as follows:

·        Basketball (Boys/Girls)

·        Volleyball (Boys/Girls)

·        Lawn Tennis (Boys/Girls)

·        Soccer (Boys/Girls)

·        Athletics (Boys/Girls)

·        Swimming Team

·        Competing Clubs

·        Cheering Squad

6.4.   Non-competing athletes, training teams, paying athletes are not exempted from CAT-I, except in Physical Education and Music Classes.

6.4.1.      Paying athletes are those students who are paying in a certain club in order to learn basic skills in sports.  Clubs of these category are:

·        Taekwando

·        Aikido

·        Karatedo

·        Arnis

·        Gymnastics

·        Others

6.4.2.      Exemption of non-competing athletes from CAT-I will be determined through their one year residency or their required level or belt category (to be determined by affiliated organizations)
Anyone who is recognized as varsity player will be given automatic privilege by non-payment of club fees.

6.4.3.      In-active training teams may not quality for exemption.

6.5.   All fourth year high school students, both male or female, shall register for CAT-I instruction every enrollment period.

6.6.   The following students are exempted from CAT-I instruction:

6.6.1.      Those with permanent physical disability. Only military doctors shall certify to this effect. School physicians and other practitioners can only forward endorsement, based on their findings, to military doctors concerned.

6.6.2.      Aliens (Foreign students with ACR only)

6.6.3.      Such other cases as may be recommended by the PEHM - CAT Head:
Competing Athletes
San Beda Alabang Chorale and Brass Band 
Scouts who are fourth year high school who have attained at least Outdoorsman or First Class Rank or who have participated in recognized international scouting event.
Exemption from CAT-I course shall entitle the student to graduate from his/her course.

6.6.3.1.The successful completion of the prescribed CAT-I course is a pre-requisite for graduation in the academic course.

6.6.3.2.If non-completion of the course is not due to the student's neglect or fault, as determined by a board to be created by the School Head with the CAT-I Commandant as a permanent member, a certificate shall be issued to the effect that the student shall be allowed to graduate from the academic course.

The Report Card

The report card is an official document of the school which shows the students' performance per quarter. This card is intended to give them and their parents an idea how well or how poorly they have performed in a particular quarter. The students receive the report card every quarter.

Parents are encouraged to confer with teachers and/or other school authorities during the regular Parent-Teacher Conference and at other opportune time regarding the performance of their children in school.

On Examinations

1. Long Tests
1. Two (2) long tests are administered per subject area per quarter.
• All long tests in all subject areas are administered within the span of two (2) half-days such that a maximum of four (4) subjects are given in each half- day, forty five minutes for each subject per year level.
• Printed copies of the schedule of long test are given to all students at least one week before the actual examination to give students ample time to study. The schedule of long test is also posted in strategic places.
• Long tests are departmental in nature, i.e., the same type of test is administered to the students of the same year level in each subject and at the same schedule. Adjustments are made with regard to Career Tracking System (CTS) enrichment subjects for the 3rd and 4th year levels.
2. Quarter Exams
1. Quarter examinations in all subjects are administered within the span of three (3) half-days such that a maximum of three (3) subjects are given in each half-day, one-hour for each subject- per year level.
2. Printed copies of the schedule of quarter exam, are given to all students at least one (1) week before the actual examinations to give students ample time to study. The schedule of quarter exam is also posted in strategic places.
3. Examination permits are required during all quarter examinations. To avoid unnecessary delays and further inconvenience, all students are enjoined to acquire their clearance slips within one week before the examination days.
4. Students are expected to observe all examination rules and procedures that are enforced by the Proctor, such as:
• Honesty
• Presentation of examination permits
• Bags, notes and other materials not to be used during the examinations must be placed on the platform upon entering the examination room.
• Strict observance of the seat plan.
• Absolute silence in the examination room and adjoining corridors.
• Questions to proctors are not allowed, except for corrections in the test questions.
• No borrowing of materials.
• No eating.
• No one is allowed to leave the examination room once the examination has started.
• No loitering along corridors.
• Strict observance of testing time. No time extension is allowed.
5. Moratorium on Activities
   All school activities are suspended one (1) week before the examinations so that the students can concentrate on their preparation for the examinations.
6. Special Examination For Students with Excused Absences
• Quarter Examinations
  A student who fails to take the scheduled quarter examinations may be given the permit to take special examinations upon submission of an excuse letter from the parents/guardians. This letter must be submitted to the Prefect of Students and must contain the reasons for his/her failure to take the exams. If the failure to take the exam is due to illness, a medical or doctor's certificate must be attached to the excuse letter. The Prefect of Students issues the special quarter examination permit form. A minimal special exam fee per subject will be charged and must be paid to the Accounting Office before the Vice Principal schedules the special quarter examinations.
• Long Tests
  A student who fails to take the scheduled long tests may be given the permit to take special test upon submission of an excuse letter from the parents/ guardians. This letter must be submitted to the Prefect of Students and must contain the reasons of his/her failure to take the test. If the failure to take the test is due to illness, a medical or doctor's certificate must be attached to the excuse letter. The Prefect of Students issues an admission slip before the subject teacher concerned schedules the special long test. The said special test must be administered before the next scheduled long test or before the scheduled quarter exam