As you have hopefully read earlier this week, the PYLUSD school board and administration have modified high school teacher grading and high school teacher scheduling for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year. You can read the official announcement HERE. Below are some “questions and answers” about how this affects our classes. If you want to take a deep dive, the California Department Of Education’s FAQ about grading during COVID-19 can be found HERE.

Q: WHAT HAS CHANGED WITH REGARDS TO GRADING?
A: It is my understanding that all students who had “A to D-” grades as of March 13th 2020 (the last regular day of school) now have a “Passing” grade for the semester. Also, work started after that date may NOT lower a student’s grade. So, if you were “Passing” on March 13th, you must pass for the semester. Students that had an “F” grade as of March 13th will be given an “Incomplete” for the semester if the grade is not raised, and have the opportunity to bring that grade up by the end of the semester and beyond.

Q: WHAT ABOUT FUTURE ASSIGNMENTS FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR?
A: In my opinion and for my classes, since any grade I would assign to current and future work has no effect on your grade, there is no point in assigning or grading new work. Work that I cannot grade, and work that does not affect your grade, constitutes “busy work” in my opinion. So I will no longer assign new “required” work for students in any of my classes from today until the end of the school year.

Q: WHAT ABOUT ASSIGNMENTS WE ARE WORKING ON NOW?
I will continue to provide help, assistance, and lessons for those “willing and interested” students who wish to finish assignments we have started. In particular, I will do the “roof” demo and other demos for the Animation Projects students to continue to create/build their 3D house. However, this assignment has no effect on your grade, so you are not required to complete it.

Q: WHAT ABOUT QUIZZES AND SEMESTER FINALS?
A: Since all but one student had a “D-” or higher grade as of March 13th, I honestly don’t see the point in having a second semester final exam in any of the classes that doesn’t count.

Q: WHAT ABOUT AP COMP SCI EXAM PREPARATION?
A: I will 100% support AP Comp Sci. students who are taking the AP Exam. However, I will not be officially “grading and recording” the practice work they do for the exam. Instead I will go over work practice work as a group and assist students in correcting mistakes, fixing code, and preparing for the shortened exam. Students still taking the AP exam will get as much of my attention and help as they want.

Q: WHAT ABOUT MOBILE GAME UNITY CERTIFICATION?
A: I will 100% support Unity Certification for the 10-20 Mobile Game students who wish to complete certification. This will not change. Certification is optional, and as stated above, does not affect the student’s grade.

Q: WHAT ABOUT PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND NOT YET GRADED?
A: I will be grading the few remaining assignments (AP Comp Sci Picture Lab, Mobile Game Create With Code Unit 5, Mobile Game Personal Project Game, Animation Assignment 12) that were started before March 13th, since students who completed the work deserve to know how they did. However, only “Create With Code Unit 5” can count for the course grade (in Mobile Game Development) since almost all of the work on that assignment was completed on or before March 13th.

Q: WILL ZOOM LESSONS CONTINUE? CAN WE STILL EMAIL YOU?
A: Absolutely! I plan to continue with AP Exam prep, Unity Certification, and the Animation Projects “House” assignment. However, for all three classes, these will be the final “assignments” that I give. Any work beyond that will be optional, based on student desire to continue learning, and as stated above, does not affect your grade. I can provide additional work/help for interested students in each class, and I will evaluate any such work so you know how you did. Email me please with those requests.

Q: WHAT ABOUT TEACHER COMMENTS ON REPORT CARDS:
A: As far as I know, teachers continue to be allowed to make both “positive” and “negative” comments on report cards with regard to citizenship and effort. I will fill those in as I normally would based on where the student was as of March 13th, 2020.

Q: WHAT ASSIGNMENTS ARE WE NO LONGER DOING?
A: In Animation Projects, the final “movie project”, and the semester final. In AP Comp Sci, the Robotics lab (or a replacement coding lab) and the semester final. In Mobile Game Development, Unity Certification for all students (now optional), a final game project, and the semester final.

Q: HOW DO YOU REALLY FEEL ABOUT THIS MR. ELIOT?
A: The district was in a very difficult position, during an unprecedented global epidemic health crisis, so I understand why they made the decision they made, and I support the thoughtful administrators that made this choice. I am however, very disappointed that the normal grading system has been abandoned, that grades cannot “drop” in any way, and that “real/important/accountable” teaching and learning can no longer take place. I feel this basically removed an important motivating factor from the student learning equation. I am also disappointed that hard working students who earned an “A” grade in a class, now have the same grade as a student who earned a “D-” grade in class. I don’t think I will be comfortable with this aspect of this unique situation for a long time to come 🙂


If you have any additional questions, please email me,
Stay well, stay happy, stay safe,
Sincerely, Mr. Eliot