Carver Middle School's purpose is to serve the educational needs of its students and provide ongoing support for its families. Our mission is to enable all students to become positive and productive citizens and members of a global society. To achieve this, we aim to develop the student intellectually, socially, ethically, and physically. The overall climate encourages life-long learning through self-discipline, tolerance, leadership, and service to others.

Vision Statement:

Carver Middle School is an inclusive learning community in which families, students, and teachers work toward the common goal of educational excellence using innovative teaching techniques in a personalized and safe learning environment.

Philosophy

It is the belief of Carver Middle School that assessment is an ongoing and systematic process that is implemented in order to evaluate the instructional practices and measure the learning taking place in the classroom. We are committed to providing a quality international education that will develop able-minded global citizens. In order to uphold the authenticity of quality assessment practices, the school community is encouraged to embrace and exemplify the traits of the IB Learner Profile that will develop the high achievement that we strive for at Carver Middle School. Students who are authentically assessed are:

• Inquirers - One who possesses the skills to conduct inquiries and work independently;
• Principled - One who approaches assessment practices with integrity;
• Risk Takers - One who demonstrates courage in assessment practices;
• Reflective – One who thoughtfully considers strengths and weaknesses in academic skills.
• Knowledgeable - One who acquires knowledge and understanding in many subjects;
• Thinkers - One who demonstrates a curiosity and enjoys the learning process.

It is through these qualities that students will become effective and lifelong learners. Such practices will be introduced, modeled and encouraged in each classroom and all areas on campus.

Types of Assessment

Carver students' work is evaluated internally by their professors using a variety of methods. Diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments are the three types of assessments used. Diagnostic evaluations are administered at the start of a unit or lesson to help teachers gather information about a student's prior knowledge and ability level. Pretests, polls, interviews, and teacher observation are examples of such assessments. Formative assessments are used throughout the unit to assess student learning, guide instruction, and provide feedback so that future learning can be informed and improved. Quizzes, discussions, reflections, journaling, content-specific inquiry, cooperative learning activities, assignments, and self (or peer) assessment are examples of these types of assessments.

Summative assessments are used in each course for each unit and are based on subject-specific assessment activities and Florida education standards to assess the cumulative learning that occurred over the unit. The MYP rubrics will be used to mark the summative assessment, which will be based on the MYP interim objectives. Students will be assessed on each criterion at least twice in each year of the curriculum in all eight subject areas (Math, Sciences, Individuals & Societies, Language & Literature, Language Acquisition, Arts, Physical & Health Education, and Design). Summative assessments can include written assignments, performances, unit exams, lab and/or research reports, presentations, and other tasks.

Grading Policies

In each unit, teachers will use the GRASPS assessment design process to give students authentic, real-life, criterion-related scenarios. The GRASPS evaluation and accompanying rubric will be given to students at the beginning of each unit. Students are expected to use the rubric to inform their progress during the preparation of their summative assessment. The rubric will be used to mark the summative assessment. Throughout the year, teachers will work horizontally and vertically in their subject group to ensure that MYP accomplishment levels are standardized before deciding achievement levels for student work. In each year of the program, each criterion will be evaluated at least twice. The District-wide grading system will be used to grade diagnostic and formative assessments:

Grading Scale

 Failure to complete an activity will result in 0.

Reporting Practices
Diagnostic and formative assessment data are reported to students and parents on the Student Info System platform known as SIS. Palm Beach County School District report cards are distributed on a quarterly basis in alignment with District and State of Florida requirements. Parents, Guardians, and students are able to view student progress and all posted grades by visiting https://sis.palmbeachschools.org/focus/Modules.php?modname=misc%2FPortal.php. In the SIS platform, Parents / Guardian create secure accounts linked to their student’s academic record. Students are also able to view their academic progress in SIS by using their District portal with a secure password. Parents / Guardians can contact Carver Middle School Staff as needed to establish access to student online academic data. IB MYP report cards are distributed to students and parent/guardians on a quarterly basis to report MYP scores by subject area and criterion. MYP Final grades are determined according to the MYP International Grade Boundaries defined by the International Baccalaureate Organization. Such final grades are reported through SIS and are communicated using the General Grade Descriptors (see below). Carver Middle School is a three-year Middle Years Program. Therefore, students are not eligible for IB-validated grades, records of achievement or MYP certificates.

IBMYP Grade Descriptors

Further Requirements

Carver Middle School students, as a public school within the State of Florida are required to take the Florida State Assessments (FSA) every spring. Students in grades six through eight are tested in English Language Arts and Mathematics in order to determine student learning growth and placement for Language & Literature and Mathematics courses. Year 3 (8th grade) students also take the NGSSS Science assessment. Achievement levels are on a scale of 1 through 5. Further information is available at http://fsassessments.org/. Depending on year level and student needs, students may be tested in Science, Mathematics, English Language Arts and Individuals & Societies as mandated by Palm Beach County School District. These assessments are diagnostic and formative, occurring at the beginning and end of courses in order to establish baseline data and cumulative learning data. Language Acquisition teachers (Spanish, French, English for English Language Learners) assess students individually, as needed, to determine placement for the phases of Language Acquisition courses. English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students are administered the WIDA Access for ELLs 2.0 assessments to determine student needs and to assist with placement for Language & Literature and Language Acquisition courses. WIDA is an acronym for World-class Instruction Design and Assessment. Additional information is available at https://www.wida.us/index.aspx

Inclusion

All stakeholders understand that our children come from a variety of backgrounds, which is in accordance with Carver Middle School's Special Needs Policy. As a group, we recognize and appreciate our students' diverse academic, physical, social, and emotional requirements. We value and encourage this diversity of students, and we commit to make every effort to give each student a meaningful and exceptional international education, regardless of unique educational requirements. Our teachers are devoted to offering differentiation, accommodations, and changes as needed to suit the needs of our students. Differentiation will allow all students to meet the MYP objectives that have been developed for each year of the program. When the demands of the students necessitate a change in the curriculum, modifications are made. Accommodations are instruments that will help the student achieve the goals, such as note copies, proximity control, and technology support, among other things.

General Guidelines

Carver Middle School recognizes that assessment is an important part of good teaching and learning. Assessment, we believe, exists to help students and foster learning by providing useful feedback throughout the learning process. We are committed to delivering internal, criterion-related, and ongoing assessment, as well as authentic and standardized reporting processes to ensure fair and reliable assessment data, as we integrate our assessment policies and practices with those of the IBO. Carver Middle School therefore expects the following of our staff and administration:

• View planning, teaching and assessing as integrated processes
• Use a range and balance of assessment strategies
• Involve students in self- and peer-assessment
• Use a range and balance of recording tools and reporting strategies
• Seek student responses in order to evaluate their current understanding
• Give students regular and ongoing feedback throughout MYP units of work
• Enable students to see assessment as a means of describing learning and improving learning
• Assess the levels of students’ current knowledge and experience before embarking on new learning.