Date(s):
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Time: 12:00pm ET
Grading and assessment are emotionally charged topics even in the best of times. But as schools face the unknown long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, how schools manage assessment and grading will have a direct impact on student well-being, learning, and performance, as well as families’ sense that their child is recognized and cared for.
Explore what you should do during this time to be student-centered, mission-appropriate, fair, and consistent.
Watch every ISM webinar run between March 1 and August 31, 2020 for only $880. Learn more.
The transition to online learning has been challenging on every level. Schedules, homework assignments, and “classroom” activities all must be altered to suit a distance learning format. As the pedagogy changes, so must grading and assessment policies.
Grading and assessment are major considerations as schools balance accountability, presumed expectations for college admission, deep learning and understanding, equity, and student stress. But the sudden switch to distance learning has introduced unique problems. Many students are working amid emotional and financial stress, fear and anxiety, upended routines, and grief.
While student wellbeing should always be your school’s primary focus, now you must take extra care in ensuring that grading and assessment policies are student-centered, mission-appropriate, fair, and consistent. Join us as you consider your school’s philosophy, policies, and practices. Your actions now will have a lasting impact on your future grading and assessment policies.
You will:
- examine mission-appropriate and student-centered homework and assessment policies and practices, grading policies, and transcript reporting;
- consider how policies may differ between grade levels and divisions;
- learn how to communicate the research-backed reasoning for your grading and assessment decisions;
- and ensure you can take lessons learned during the crisis into your school’s thinking about grading and assessment in the future.
This webinar is great for:
School Heads, Division Heads, and Academic Deans.
Barbara Beachley
ISM Director of Organizational Learning and Development | Consultant
Expertise
Barbara provides her expertise in the areas of organizational systems and culture, academic leadership, employee evaluation and growth, student-centered and brain-based pedagogy, survey design, and data analysis.
Current Role
As Consultant and Director of Organizational Learning and Development, Barbara:
- coordinates growth and leadership development programs for ISM employees;
- tracks and curates ISM principles and curriculum;
- consults; writes for Ideas & Perspectives; co-authors books; and conducts webinars in her areas of expertise;
- facilitates workshops such as ISM’s Engaging Students in an Extended Period, Support Student Success with Faculty Growth and Evaluation Teachers Love!, and Transformative Academic Leadership;
- presents at national and regional association conferences;
- provides one-on-one leadership coaching to academic administrators
- facilitates Board and school leadership retreats; and
- conducts school survey data presentations for employees, students, Boards, and parents.
Prior Experience
Barbara joined ISM in 2011 after working in the field of education since 1996. She served as an ESL and adult literacy teacher at Boston University, MA; an upper school modern language teacher at the MacDuffie School, MA; and a language teacher and lead advisor at Collegiate School, VA. She also served as Academic Dean at Cape Henry Collegiate School, VA, where she oversaw curriculum and professional growth in grades PK−12.
While enrolled at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, she attended a year of high school in France through School Year Abroad. She later lived in Spain and Brazil, where she learned Spanish and Portuguese.
Education
Barbara holds a bachelor’s degree in French and Spanish from Trinity College, CT; a master’s degree in applied linguistics from Boston University, MA; a master’s degree in educational administration from Harvard University, MA; and a master’s degree in independent school leadership from the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University, NY.
Personal Mission Statement
For all beings to be seen, heard, and valued.
Mike Gwaltney
ISM Director of Online Learning | Consultant
Expertise
Mike is one of the pioneering leaders in online learning within the American private-independent school community. He is a recognized thought leader in developing constructivist learning experiences that connect students to each other online in highly collaborative, "high-touch" projects. Mike shares his expertise in blended, online, and project-based learning, along with faculty development and evaluation, high quality project-based learning, mission-based curriculum development, and transformative school leadership.
Current Role
As a Consultant for ISM, Mike advocates for progressive school approaches that include project-based and inquiry-based learning, equity-focused and evidence-based leadership, and connecting students with online communities and other learners around the world. Mike presents at regional and national conferences, and facilitates on-campus trainings and workshops for private-independent schools.
Prior Experience
Over his many years working in schools, Mike has led a variety of strategic academic initiatives while providing leadership and mentoring to scores of teachers. As a previous Head of Upper School at Rocky Hill School, RI, Mike helped lead school decisions on all issues related to academic and co-curricular programs.
Mike is the recipient of numerous teaching awards, including recognition as “Most Inspirational Teacher” by the Mayor of Los Angeles six times. His work has been featured on National Public Radio, the New York Times Learning Network, Edutopia, and in several recent books.
Mike was given the annual Friends of the Muslim Educational Trust Award in 2016 for envisioning and designing project-based blended-online learning opportunities between students at an Episcopal independent school and students from the muslim community in the Pacific Northwest. In February 2017, Mike was given the OESIS “Innovation Leader” award for Digital Citizenship, Project-based Learning, and Interdisciplinary Learning, and in 2020 Mike was named a OESIS Faculty PD Pathways Leader.
Education
Mike received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from California State University at Fullerton.
Bryan Smyth, Ph.D.
ISM Senior Consultant | Director of Research
Expertise
Bryan’s central purpose is to help students flourish. He believes that the enhancement of school environments and cultures is the best way to facilitate growth in children and adults.
Current Role
As a Senior Consultant and ISM’s Director of Research, Bryan:
- Oversees ISM’s research initiatives by designing studies, conducting statistical analyses, and advancing our knowledge in areas important to independent school leadership
- Conducts onsite scheduling consultations, having had extensive experience creating and implementing unique daily schedules and annual calendars for both boarding and day schools
- Helps schools analyze and strategize their operations, conducting Strategic Performance Analyses, Strategic Planning/Strategic Financial Planning, and Strategic Academic Planning consultations
- Writes frequently for Ideas & Perspectives and co-authors books in the areas of scheduling, student-centered policies, faculty growth and evaluation, finance, social-emotional well-being, and research
- Leads ISM’s Student-Centered Scheduling workshop and The Assistant Headship workshop
Bryan joined ISM as a Consultant in 2013, following 13 years in independent school administration.
Prior Experience
Bryan came to ISM from Mount Pisgah Christian School, GA, where he served as the Vice President, Head of the Upper School, Guidance and College Advisement Director, varsity head coach, and psychology teacher over the course of his tenure. Prior to that, he was the Associate Head of School at Brandon Hall, GA.
He is also a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the psychological assessment and treatment of adolescents and their families. This varied background and set of experiences affords him the ability to view a school’s form and function from multiple viewpoints, leading to solutions that take into account all perspectives.
Education
Bryan holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree in clinical psychology from Marquette University, WI, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Illinois. He also earned an MBA from Reinhardt University, GA, that focused on the application of business principles to the management of independent schools.
Andrew Taylor, Ed.D.
ISM Consultant
Expertise
Andrew shares his expertise in school management, professional growth and development, project-based learning, faculty evaluation, and more. He worked in private-independent schools for 22 years before joining ISM in 2017.
Current Role
As an ISM Consultant, Andrew:
- writes for ISM’s advisory letter Ideas & Perspectives, distributed to school leaders in almost 1,000 schools
- Leads and co-leads of ISM workshops in student-centered scheduling, leading effective lower schools, executive leadership, and summer program development;
- co-facilitates ISM’s annual Heads Retreat;
- hosts webinars in the areas of leadership, change management, and learning theory;
- presents at association conferences;
- conducts national and international on-site consultations; and
- facilitates Board and school leadership retreats.
Prior Experience
Andrew previously served as Head of Tower School, MA, where he was charged with rationalizing the operating budget, right-sizing the staffing model, and reconfiguring the school schedule to facilitate interdisciplinary instruction and project-based learning.
Before that, he was Head of Lower School at St. Paul’s, MD, where he oversaw the adoption of the International Primary Curriculum. He also facilitated the creation of a project-based learning initiative, implemented a re-defined teacher observation process, and supported asynchronous, online professional development.
Andrew began his career as an undergraduate instructor in Human Genetics, Human Social Biology, and Anatomy & Physiology at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia. He also taught Biology at the high school level.
After immigrating to the United States, he taught science at Brentwood School, CA, where he developed its Lower School Summer Program. Later, he was Director of Admission and Assistant Head of School at St. James’ Episcopal School, CA, with significant involvement in fundraising and growing enrollment. Andrew was also the Assistant Headmaster and Director of Summer Programs at The John Thomas Dye School, CA.
Andrew has presented at CAIS, SAIS, and NAIS Conferences.
Education
Andrew earned his Doctorate of Education at UCLA, and his master’s degree in Educational Administration from California State University, Northridge. Andrew’s two bachelor’s degrees are in Human Biology and Science Education.
If several of us at the school want to attend the webinar, do we each have to register and pay?
If two or more people at your school want to attend the webinar in the same location (for example, in a conference room with one monitor), then you only need to register and pay for one person who will receive the email and link. If you have people in remote locations, each person will need to register and pay separately. Essentially, a registration and payment gives you one link to the webinar.
Will I receive a reminder about the webinar I’ve just purchased?
Yes. A message will be sent to the email address you registered one or two days before the run date. You will receive a link to the webinar as well as PDF slides of the presentation you will be attending.
What happens if I miss my webinar? Will the fee be refunded?
If you’ve missed your scheduled webinar, don’t panic—you will automatically receive a link to the recorded webinar, barring any technical difficulties that prevent us from recording the session.
Will I receive a recorded version of the webinar after it concludes?
Yes, a recording of your webinar will be sent 24–48 hours after the recording concludes.
What if I have questions about the presentation? Whom do I contact?
You will be able to type questions, thoughts, and concerns in the communication box throughout the webinar. Each webinar allows 15 minutes for answering questions.
Confirmation and Cancellation Policy
We will correspond with you through email as soon as your workshop is confirmed, no later than two weeks prior to its start date. Occasionally, we may be forced to cancel an unconfirmed, scheduled workshop due to insufficient registration. So we ask that you do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until you receive notice that your workshop is confirmed. (ISM will not be responsible for any change/cancellation charges assessed by your airline or travel agent.)
Tuition Payment and Cancellation Policy for In-Person, Group-based Programs
Tuition must be paid in full 10 business days prior to the start date of the in-person, group-based program. An attendee with a balance due on the start date will be denied entrance to the program until the balance is paid in full.
Cancellation requests must be made in writing by emailing workshops@isminc.com, faxing to 302-656-0647, or mailing to: Professional Development Coordinator, ISM, 2207 Concord Pike, #417 Wilmington, DE 19803.
- Cancellations received more than 15 business days prior to the start date of the program will be fully refunded. Gold Dollars will also be fully refunded.
- There will be no refunds for cancellations made less than 15 business days before the start of the program. For registrations paid for with membership Gold Dollars, the member school will receive a 50% refund of Gold Dollars.
- Non-payment of tuition or no-show to the event does not constitute a cancellation. Full tuition will be due and payable.
The Substitution Option and Wallet Option
Should an attendee need to cancel less than 15 days prior to the start date of the workshop, the school has two options to avoid penalty. Schools may also exercise these options at anytime for cancellations.
- The school may substitute another employee.
- The school may bank the funds for a future ISM registration. These funds must be applied to a professional development event within one year from the start date of the original workshop. After one year, the funds will be forfeited. To use banked funds, please call the Professional Development Coordinator at 302-656-4944 x152.
*We DO NOT accept enrollments from consultants.
Our Guarantee
ISM believes in providing quality and excellence in all of our events and in ensuring the satisfaction of everyone who attends. Nearly 100% of our participants say they would recommend our events to their colleagues. If you are not satisfied with your event for any reason, ISM will credit the fee you paid toward another similarly priced workshop or will refund it.