Grades & Reporting Periods

Grades

Frequent and honest assessment of the Overlake student's progress helps students, parents, teachers, and administrators identify strengths and weaknesses in learning and instruction. Parental involvement and awareness has clearly been demonstrated to help students learn more effectively. Overlake encourages parents to discuss schoolwork at home, and faculty and administrators are always prepared to assist parents in understanding the expectations of classes and teachers. Although subjectivity is inevitably a part of evaluation, Overlake teachers work from a position of respect and trust, as well as a shared set of community standards. Students should familiarize themselves with a teacher's specific requirements and expectations.

All courses are graded on a percentage basis rounded to the nearest percent. The following scale provides the relationship between the percent and letter grade equivalent:

A     93 – 100%
A-    90 – 92%
B+   87 – 89%
B     83 – 86%
B-    80 – 82%
C+   77 – 79%
C     73 – 76%
C-    70 – 72%
D+   67 – 69%
D     63 – 66%
D-    60 – 62%
F     Below 60%

The Overlake School reports only the percent average to colleges on the student transcript.  However, if you are interested in how this translates to a 4.00 grade point average (GPA), the following table displays the grade points earned for each equivalent letter grade. The grade point average is computed by dividing the sum of the grade points earned by the total number of potential credits. The grade point average is calculated and available for viewing in Family Connection, or by calling the registrar at extension 638.

A     4.0
A-    3.75
B+   3.5
B     3.0
B-    2.75
C+   2.5
C     2.0
C-    1.75
D+   1.5
D     1.0
D-    .75
F     .0

Evaluation of Student Academic Progress – Reporting Periods

Academic progress is communicated to parents and students several times during the year:

Fall/Winter:

• MS end of 1st quarter / US mid-semester - Rubrics, grade percentages* or ranges and abbreviated comments from teachers
• November - Parent teacher conferences
• MS end of 2nd quarter / US end of semester - Rubrics, grade percentages* or ranges and comments from teachers

Winter/Spring:

• MS end of 3rd quarter / US mid-semester - Rubrics, grade percentages or ranges and abbreviated comments from teachers
• MS end of 4th quarter / US end of semester - Rubrics, grade percentages* or ranges and comments from teachers

*The 5th & 6th grade students do not receive cumulative grade percentages on report cards, though they may receive grades on individual class assignments and assessments.

For all Middle School students, each quarter begins a new grading period and quarters are not averaged together at the end of the semester or at the end of the school year.

For all Upper School students, the full grading period is a semester long.  The mid-semester grade is a picture of student performance about halfway through the semester. Only semester grades are listed on student transcripts.  

The parents of a student whose performance falls to a 70% or below during any grading period will be notified by a written progress report, email and/or a phone call. The only exception would be if the 70% were the result of the final exam.

Incomplete Grades

An incomplete grade is given at a teacher's discretion when illness or other circumstances beyond a student's control prevent completion of course work by the end of the semester.

Both the student and the teacher must complete an incomplete form and file it with the Registrar.  The teacher will prepare an evaluation with the incomplete grade, an explanation of the student's plan for completion, and the due date.

A student is required to complete all work for the course by March 1 for the fall semester or September 15 for the spring semester or the incomplete will change automatically to the grade recorded by the teacher on the Incomplete Grade Form.

Class Ranking

Overlake does not rank its students; therefore, this information is not available to colleges, parents, students, or any other person requesting it. The only exception is to military academies where our students apply, to whom we will send the ranking on a confidential basis.