April 10 Update
Dear Naples Family:
As another week comes to a close, I wanted to take a minute to provide a handful of updates from NCS. However, as always, please do not hesitate to reach out if I have skipped over something or failed to provide enough detail.
Regents Exams and Learning Standards
After cancelling the June Regents examinations, the State Education Department (SED) released a series of helpful documents outlining how the decision will impact students moving forward. Essentially, students currently enrolled in Regents classes will receive credit as long as they successfully complete their coursework. To its credit, the information provided by SED is clear, logical, and it errs on the side of students.
Importance of Continued Learning
Last week, I let you know that the High School would be using a rubric to provide 3rd Quarter feedback for students in grades 7-12 as opposed to traditional grades ranging from 0-100. However, I have spoken with a handful of parents over the past week who have questioned whether the tool will be able to motivate and reward student excellence in the weeks ahead. The conversations have been honest and thought-provoking, and I would ask that you take a minute to share the following thoughts with your son or daughter when you have time.
First, the shift to a rubric reflects the reality that all organizations are being forced to modify long-standing practices at this point in time. Naples is not unique in this regard, and colleges across the country will be developing admissions policies that reflect the changes related to COVID-19. Second, the closure provides students with a real opportunity to show how they respond during times of crisis. Rather than approach the time away from school as a vacation, motivated students should treat it as an opportunity to take a free online course, line up a future internship, or explore a possible service opportunity. Finally, and most importantly, the shift in grading reminds us all that learning is not a means to an end, but instead an end in itself.
Meet the Principal Facebook Live Event
A few days ago, I announced that Nicole Green had been selected to be our next High School Principal. The support for her appointment has been overwhelming, and I would invite you to visit the Naples CSD Facebook Page at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening to learn more about Mrs. Green.
Making Time to Listen
With all the changes over the past month, we have tried to provide regular communications using telephone calls, emails, and social media posts. However, a few days from now, we will be making time to listen. If you could begin collecting your thoughts about what is working and what could be going better when it comes to home-based instruction, we will be sending out a brief survey to gather feedback for navigating the coming weeks together.
The Sky is Blue
A couple years ago, a friend gave me a notecard with the following quotation printed on one side: “The sky is blue even on a cloudy day.” Since that point, I have kept it by the computer in my office as a reminder that we have much to be thankful for even in the darkest of times. As we move further into spring, please know how thankful we are to be part of this community, and how much we are looking forward to being back together again.
Wishing you and your families a wonderful Easter weekend.
Matt
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