Updates on Badging

--Badges should be given out to learners by this point in the year

--You should be giving out Badges weekly or bi-weekly

--We are not segregating badges by marking periods at Manheim Central. This means that we are not only giving out certain badges in a marking period. This completely contradicts an MCL philosophy where we meet all learners where they are on the learning continuum. If a learner is ready for a badge now that would "typically" be given out later in the year for the majority of learners, please give the child the badge now and do not wait until the third or fourth marking period.

---Remember that you do have "Leveling Up" Badges for each subject area should a learner earn all of the badges in the first half of the year.

Badging information should go home to parents at the end of each marking period. (November, January, March, and June) In additon, the ARC Parent Letter will also go home to parents each marking period.

The picture below shows the pages that will need to go home (Pages 6-9 of the Badge Book). All that you will do is write the date that the learner earned the badge).

ARC Parent Reports should be printed between November 21 and November 26 and shared with parents at conferences. You can print each learner in your class with one click.

I read an article last weekend on grading and reporting in our schools called: "Grading What Really Matters." In the article the author discussed how compliance factors often influence our grading procedures. The author descibed a neighbor who's son was failing his language arts class because he had failed to bring in a book each day for sustained silent reading and a parent signed course expectation sheet. The message this sent--"Compliance is the priority and grades have very little to do with learning."

As I reflect on the work we are doing in kindergarten with badging, I want to commend all of you for your efforts with this and on focusing on the learning. We are able to meet learners where they are and help them to earn badges that represent skills that will help them to be successful in reading, writing, and math.

I have always been a proponent of developmentally appropriate practices and wholehartedly agree with the NAECY quote that is in our Baron Badge Book. "Developmentally appropriate practices involves teachers meeting young children where they are, both as individuals and as part of a group; and helping each child to meet challenging and achievable learning goals."

Some of you have requested the Pre-K Badges to use with some of your learners who may not be at the level yet to earn kindergarten badges. I am attaching the link to the Pre-K Badges below and would ask that each of you think about those few learners in your classrooms that may not be able to earn any of the kindergarten badges this year. Please meet those learners where they are and use the Pre-K Badges with him/her.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1k-xLmHEEgENEYmU8WIEYXzr9Tq-9WrHj?usp=sharing