Mr. Whitfield’s “ABC-NY”Policy/ 2018-19 School Year

OBJECTIVES: To improve student learning, to reduce failure rates

Procedures: The program is called ABC-NY. NY means Not Yet; if a student makes below a low-C on an assignment, the student has Not Yet sufficiently learned/mastered the material. A student who receives a failing or near-failing grade on an assignment may report to the weekly NY sessions to increase their learning. Remember, the goal is increased learning.

  1. I will designate Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning each week for NY, which will be held in my room. I reserve the right to postpone and reschedule any session as necessary, but will make every effort not to. I will advise of the postponement and rescheduling as quickly as possible, and will provide for makeup sessions.

a)No student will be given an alternative NY date/time for an assignment simply to fit into their schedule. If improved learning/grade is important to you, NY will be a priority and you will make sure you are here.

  1. Wednesday NY is 7:00-8:00. I arrive at school by 6:30 each morning, so you may come in as early as then to begin NY. It is advisable to come as early as possible for Wednesday morning sessions since they cannot be extended. The Tuesday afternoon session will be from 3:45 p.m.-until students are finished. Whichever session you come to, the entire NY assignment must be completed during that session or it will not be accepted. You MUST be on time. No student will be admitted to ABC-NY late for any reason. This is non-negotiable.
  2. After I have recorded an assignment’s grade and returned the assignment or input the grade into Infinite Campus, you have two NY sessions in which to re-do the assignment.Dates for the sessions will be posted on the NY calendar and one reminder will be given in class. Once the date for the second session has passed, the assignment is no longer eligible for NY and the original grade is permanent.
  3. While ABC-NY is primarily for grades lower than a low-C, any student who receives a grade that is less than what they desire/expect may choose to NY that assignment. Example: if a 92 is not acceptable to you, you may NY the assignment in an effort to get a better grade. Be aware that just because you NY an assignment you are not guaranteed a higher grade. You must earn it. I reserve the right to place a minimum class grade average for NY eligibility if I feel it is necessary.
  4. Can a zero grade be NY-ed? Absolutely. If for whatever reason you choose not to do or complete an assignment and receive a zero grade, and on reflection you recognize how bad this decision was, you may NY the assignment.
  5. By how much will NY improve an assignment’s grade? Because NY allows you to reclaim partial credit, it depends on how much each question is worth, and how many questions you miss. For example, a 4-point question would be worth 2 or 3 points; a 3-point question worth 1 or 2 points, etc.
  6. I retain the right to alter, change or upgrade this policy in any way that is found to be necessary throughout the school year.

No student has to fail my class. Every one of my students can learn and can be successful in the classroom. I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity! ABC-NY has meant the difference between passing and failing for many students over the years.

Mr. Whitfield

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):

On the other side of this sheet you will find an explanation of a policy I use called “ABC-NY.” ABC-NY is an excellent opportunity for a student to turn a failing grade on an assignment – even a 0 – into a better grade, and at the same time to learn/master the material covered by the assignment. The informationon the handout explains how it works.

I am sending this handout home for you to read and sign and your student return because I want you to be aware of this opportunity for your student at the beginning of the school year. I also want to emphasize that because ABC-NY is available all semester and students can and should take advantage of it as needed, I do not offer or give extra credit assignments at the end of the semester to students who are failing and are desperate to pass.There are no last-minute “bail outs” in my class; students are expected to exercise responsibility for their grade so as to avoid any end-of-semester crisis which will endanger their opportunity to graduate on time.

Please read the information and after doing so, sign below. Thank you very much,

Mr. Whitfield

For the parent/guardian:

I have read the ABC-NY policy and am aware of its benefits for my son or daughter.

Signature: ______Date: ______

Parent/Guardian of : ______

For the student:

I have read the ABC-NY policy and understand its benefits for my grade. I also am aware that because of the ABC-NY policy, Mr. Whitfield will not assign extra credit work at the end of the semester in an effort to help me pass.

Signature: ______Date: ______