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ASMS Academics
Curriculum
The focus of the ASMS curriculum is on student learning. It is designed to help students meet the highest academic standards in order to be well prepared for high school. Careful consideration went into the selection of curricular materials in all content areas to ensure a rigorous research and development process, age appropriateness, and relevancy to the lives of the students. Limiting class size to 19 students maximizes all students’ opportunity to learn by assuring that they receive individualized attention, are able to interact with peers and teachers to exchange ideas, and can participate in classroom projects that are collaborative in nature.
Students at ASMS receive 50 minutes of instruction per day in the core curricular areas of English, math, science and social studies. With each student having their own Gateway Profile PC, technology is an integral part of all instruction. Students are able to conduct research, develop multimedia presentations, utilize interactive CD-ROM-based multimedia components, and develop their word processing skills. Writing across the curriculum is also an important instructional strategy at ASMS, and consistency in scoring student’s writing assignments is achieved through the use of diagnostic scoring criteria.
Afternoon classes are devoted to those courses that add depth to the learning experience. All students are enrolled in a language course that meets three times a week. Music, visual arts, theater and dance courses also provide unique learning experiences for the students. To ensure that students participate in physical activity and maintain physical fitness, the local YMCA has designed and oversees the school’s physical education program.
One unique feature of the academic program at ASMS is the instrumental program. Every student participates in the band and plays an instrument of choice. Band meets three periods each week and students receive a 30 minute private instrumental lesson. The band performs 5 to 6 times each year for parents and other community organizations. Every student also participates in general music and chorus, which meet twice each week.
Assessment System
The basis for assessing students at ASMS is twofold. Thoughtfully designed assessments provide valuable information about students’ progress towards meeting the school’s learning objectives and the New York State Learning Standards. Just as importantly, assessments at ASMS are used to improve classroom practice and the quality of learning for all students. The dual purposes of the assessment program require that assessment be an ongoing process that provides multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. Some of the assessments will be indistinguishable from everyday classroom activities and will be used to help a teacher decide which students need additional support or which lessons need to be modified to ensure that students better understand important concepts. Other assessments will be more summative in nature, meaning that they will be administered at the end of a unit and will be used to judge how ASMS students are performing against the school’s learning objectives.
Sixth and seventh grade students at ASMS also take the Tests of New York State Standards (TONYSS) which is a criterion-referenced assessment designed to measure students’ mastery of the New York State Learning Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Results from the TONYSS provide an additional indicator to help teachers identify students’ strengths and weaknesses in English Language Arts and Mathematics and to prepare students for the New York State Testing Program in eighth grade.
Eighth grade students take the New York State Tests in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Social Studies. They also take the Regents exams in Earth Science and French.
Reporting System
Narrative comments are the primary vehicle used to report students’ progress towards meeting the school’s learning objectives. The rationale for this type of reporting system is based on numerous research studies which make the case that thoughtful, criterion-based narrative feedback results in better student performance than numerical scoring or letter grades (Atkin & Coffee, 2001; Butler & Neuman, 1995; Cameron & Pierce, 1994; Kluger & deNissi, 1996). Formal comments are developed by the faculty for each student four times per year. They are based on multiple assessment indicators. Faculty members then meet to confer about each student’s academic progress and to develop a faculty consensus statement that describes each student’s overall performance. Parent/student/teacher conferences are held to review the narrative comments and to address issues and concerns about student progress. At the conclusion of the conference, students collaborate with faculty members and their parents to set new learning goals.
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