No grades?!?!

Middle School Narrative Report in lieu of report card/grades.

No grades? No report card? How will I know how my child is doing? Not to worry, our narrative reports paint a clearer picture of your child as a learner, friend and community member than any number or letter ever could. Welcome to your child’s biannual Narrative Student Report.

Why no grades? First, the dynamic  project-based, inquiry-driven learning that happens at PCS goes well beyond the confines of a traditional grading system. Project-based learning at PCS affords students the opportunity to design and complete projects tailored to their interests. These projects, ranging from scientific experiments to artistic expressions to full-scale built-out models, also serve as authentic assessments, allowing facilitators to witness their growth firsthand. 

In addition, authentic materials such as notebooks, journals and reflective written pieces become invaluable artifacts in the assessment process. Facilitators diligently review these materials to glean insights and capture the essence of each student’s learning experience. 

We’ve created Narrative Student Reports to document these learning experiences. The reports speak to the children’s learning across the areas of the integrated unit, literacy, mathematics, enrichment areas, social emotional learning and the capstone and internship projects for Middle Schoolers. The reports highlight not only achievements, but challenges and areas for growth, as well as the problem-solving processes, critical thinking and joy of discovery so crucial to the learning journey at PCS. 

In addition, based on Patricia Carini’s Descriptive Review process, in the Early Childhood narratives, you’ll find details about the students’ progress as friends, their overall well-being and their experiences within the learning community. Topics include disposition and temperament, interests and preferences, and connections and relationships.
For PCS, it’s not about memorizing facts and figures; it's about developing problem-solving skills, creative thinking and a genuine love for exploring the world around us. Our commitment to authentic assessment ensures that your child's progress is not only seen but deeply understood, fostering a learning environment where curiosity flourishes and individuality is celebrated.