BY DARRELL HALEN

According to principal Beth McGuire, Golden Brook School’s quarterly report cards are “progress reports,” with the grades reflecting the amount of progress made: E (excellent), G (good), S (satisfactory) and L (limited).

All students also receive a designation in reading that indicates their level of achievement: AL (above level) or BL (below level).

In all major subject areas, students receive a mark to indicate their level of effort.

Parents receive the November and April report cards during conferences with teachers.

“We feel much can be explained during a conference that is not communicated by the report card alone,” McGuire said.

The other two report cards, issued in January and June, are sent home.

At Windham Center School, fourth- and fifth-graders receive marks under a traditional grading system (A through F) while third-graders are assessed on whether their work is satisfactory or not, according to principal Andrew Desrosiers.

All students receive a grade (satisfactory, improvement needed or unsatisfactory) for effort in each subject, he said.

Windham Middle School uses a letter grade system that does not include a D-minus. Grades below 65 are failing grades.

Each student is also placed on one of three levels in each subject area: above-average ability, average ability and below-average ability.

Report cards also include comments by teachers on conduct and effort.

The school’s honor roll recognizes students who achieve high honors and honors. To make high honors, a student must achieve no less than an A-minus in all subjects. To make honors, students must earn A’s and B’s in all subjects.

Any grade below B-minus excludes a student from the honor roll.

The school also has recognizes good citizenship. To achieve this honor, students must meet at least four of five requirements: involvement in school sponsored activities, showing respect to peers and school employees, helping others with academic and personal problems, following school and team rules, and demonstrating positive leadership.

Pelham

At Pelham Elementary School, students in readiness through Grade 3 receive skills-based report cards, which address milestones reached by students. Marks are: M (mastery), S (satisfactory progress) and R (reinforcement needed).

Students in grades 4 and 5 receive letter grades.

In effort and conduct, students receive marks of outstanding, satisfactory or improvement needed.

At the end of the school year, fifth-graders receive certificates for outstanding effort in their unified arts classes, extra curricular activities and perfect attendance.

At Pelham Memorial School, students are graded in academic and special subjects in a traditional grading system. Scores 59 and below are F’s.

Effort and conduct in all subjects is graded with four marks: O (outstanding), S (satisfactory), I (improvement needed) and U (unsatisfactory).

The school has two honors programs. High honors list students who receive A’s in academics and special subjects and no I’s or U’s in effort or conduct.

To make honors, students must earn a grade-point average of 3.0 with no C’s, D’s or F’s in any subject and no I’s or U’s in effort or conduct.

The school also has a citizenship roll for students who do not receive I’s or U’s in effort or conduct.

Pelham High School’s grading systems does not include D’s. Anything below 70 is a failing grade. Several years ago, school board members dropped the D as part of a plan to raise academic standards, said Dr. Dorothy Mohr, the school’s principal.

Students who achieve high honors have no less than an A-minus on their report cards. Students must have no lower than a B-minus to make the honor roll.

They must have at least three graded courses to be eligible for the honor roll.

Teachers have the option of making student participation a factor in grades, and all courses have a final assessment that is worth 20 percent of the final grade.

The school uses weighted grades when calculating grade point averages, with Level I and Advanced Placement courses carrying more weight than others.

“It’s a nice incentive for students to challenge themselves and take higher classes,” Mohr said.