FAQ's

  • Q and A - Grading Counseling Attendance and More 

    Grading  

    How will my student be graded for the 3rd Quarter? 

    1. Quarter 3 Grading: The 3rd quarter grading policy is designed to ensure students have an equitable opportunity to engage in learning and remain on-track toward graduation. We have adapted our grading and make-up work policies to keep students engaged. We will re-examine grading practices for the 4th quarter, and continue to make progress on how we will implement grading policies for the full year. Please note the following adjustments:  
    2. Grades will be A, B, C, or I (incomplete). Students will have the opportunity to turn in missing assignments, retake tests and quizzes, or take other steps to boost their grades. We want to ensure students stay engaged for the remainder of the year and have the opportunity to end the year with a passing grade and course credit. 
    3. NO FAILS(F) ARE TO BE GIVEN AT THIS TIME  

     

    How will my student’s work be graded after March 12, 2020? 

    1. Packets and extended learning activities work completed March 12, 2020 - March 27, 2020 will count as extra credit for grade enhancement only. If a student does not complete any work, there’s no penalty. Please remember that we are in a moment of transition and our remote learning plans are designed to teach students content and engage them in a very new learning process. 
    2. Any make up work for Quarter 3 should be accepted and graded.  
    3. How will my student be graded for the 4th quarter and final grades? 
    4. We will launch our remote learning on March 30, 2020 and will need to determine the best way to assist our students to demonstrate their mastery of concepts and adjust to this new way of learning but not penalize them for the challenges of our collective situation. 
    5. We are awaiting supporting guidance from the Connecticut State Department of Education. 

     

    What is the context for the guidelines?  

    1. The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted every member of our school community in significant ways. As a community of over 21,000 students, and 3,000 staff, we are strongest when we work together.  We know that many of our students and families are navigating physical and mental health concerns, food insecurity, employment questions, housing and other many other issues.  Our NHPS students need our support and encouragement now more than ever. As a district, we will continue to do our very best to keep all students safe and engaged despite the disruption to the normal operations of school. To this end, please note the changes to 3rd Quarter grading are being implemented to ensure that our students remain engaged through Quarter 4, do not disconnect, and are not penalized for the current situation.   

     

    Why are we giving feedback? 

    1. As a school system academic achievement is the cornerstone of our work.  Grades are the most commonly viewed measure of achievement; but for a moment let us think about grades. What are grades?  Grades should be a way of communicating to students and families how a child is doing in relationship to learning and engagement in school. As a district we want students to get feedback and understand how they can improve in a particular area.  Grades are not meant to punish or penalize, but to engage in a conversation about growth and progress.  As our system has been disrupted, we need to pivot and assure we maintain ways for providing feedback and keeping the engagement. We are working to provide equitable opportunities to succeed, especially given variances in student access to the technology/internet connectivity necessary to complete and make up work.  Please be assured that we recognize there is no perfect solution, but we remain committed to helping every student grow during these ever-changing times.   

     

    Live Classrooms 

    Can our teachers conduct live classrooms? 

    1. We are aware that several schools across the nation are engaged in live classrooms.  At this time, we are stating that our teachers can engage in live classrooms if the camera is only on the teacher and not the students.  We will receive further guidance from the State Department of Education in the near future. 

     

    Attendance 

    Are we keeping attendance records daily? 

    1. Attendance is to be taken daily for the purpose of identifying students that are logging-on to complete assignments and to provide supports to the students that are not accessing their work.  Please be advised that our YFCE department is ready to support students that may need assistance. 

      

    School Counseling 

    Grade Level Specific FAQs 
     -     Seniors     

    School counselors will continue to be available to seniors to provide the following: 

    1. Review grades and graduation requirements 
    2. Provide social/emotional support 
    3. Connect with college and career resources 
    4. Webinars for students/parents on college and career planning 
    5. I am a senior; what should I do if I have not identified an appropriate post-secondary plan?  
    6. Start by utilizing your Naviance account and identify multiple plans.  Apply to Gateway Community College (https://gatewayct.edu/ApplyNow) and local state colleges, such as Southern Connecticut State University, Albertus Magnus, and University of Bridgeport to name a few (https://apply.commonapp.org/createaccount)  if you want to attend college.  Be sure to research and ensure that their application deadlines have not passed.   Make sure that you email your School Counselor to request that your transcript and supporting documents be provided to the school.  
    7. Be sure to complete your FAFSA as soon as possible! https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa/  
    8. If you are interested in trade school or career training opportunities, be sure to research your options based on your interests.  Job Corps (https://newhaven.jobcorps.gov), ConnCAT (https://conncat.org), Porter and Chester (https://porterchester.edu/campus-locations/hamden-ct), and Paul Mitchell (https://paulmitchell.edu/northhaven) offer career training for students interested in continuing their learning with a career focus in mind. 
    9. Military Options are a good choice as well! Research which branch is the best option for you! https://portal.ct.gov/MIL/Organization/Organization  
    10. If you are interested in going straight into the career field, https://portal.ct.gov/Services/Jobs-and-Employment is a great resource to identify potential companies of interest. 
    11. What should we expect for graduation?  
    12. This district is working with the Connecticut Department of Education to ensure that we are aligned with the Governor’s directives. We understand how the unknown can cause a great deal of anxiety and fear.  Trust in knowing that it is our hope that the end of the school year resumes normally.  In the interim, make sure that you remain on top of your assignments and tasks and in constant communication with your teachers and School Counselor to ensure that you are eligible for graduation without issue. 

     - Juniors  

    School counselors will continue to be available to juniors to provide the following: 

    1. Provide social/emotional support 
    2. Monitor student academic progress 
    3. Connect with college and career resources 
    4. I am a junior; what should I do with regards to the college application/identifying an appropriate post-secondary plan?  
    5. Start by utilizing your Naviance account and research potential schools of interest.  Naviance has a SuperMatch College Search tool that allows you to identify schools based on your own preferences!  Be sure to save schools of interest to your ‘Colleges I am Thinking About.’ 
    6. As you begin researching and narrowing down your list of colleges/universities of interest, be sure to research the website specifically for online college tour options.  Due to the Covid-19 situation, many colleges/universities are currently closed to the public.   
    7. Email your School Counselor to identify a plan for your junior meeting.  Although it is not ideal, there are several different options for scheduling and holding a junior meeting with your School Counselor. Inquire what they are able to do to ensure that you are able to have a personalized/individualized conversation. 
    8. Due to the uncertainty of the School Day SAT, juniors are encouraged to register for an upcoming SAT date (most likely post-May). Please request a fee waiver code from your School Counselor if you are eligible and register ASAP. Be sure that you are preparing for the SAT test. Utilize your Khan Academy account DAILY.  If you do not have an account yet, sign up here: https://www.khanacademy.org/signup  
    9. Now is a great time to start thinking about your college essay. Create a draft or jot down some ideas. We will return to school soon, promise! The essay prompts for Common App will be the same next year. https://www.commonapp.org/apply/essay-prompts 
    10. Create a Resume. Make a list of all of your coursework, employment, community service, skills, leadership role, honors/awards and extracurricular activities. Naviance has a resume builder which will help build one for you. 

     - Sophomores 

    School counselors will continue to be available to sophomores to provide the following: 

    1. Monitor student academic progress  
    2. Provide social/emotional support 
    3. Students should work on the following: 
      Completing your tasks on Naviance 
      Thinking about you courses for next year 
      Maintaining connections with teachers and counselor 
      Researching summer enrichment opportunities 
      Continue PSAT practice on Khan Academy 
      Keeping your grades up!  

     - Freshmen 

    School counselors will continue to be available to freshman to provide the following: 

    1. Monitor student academic progress 
    2. Social/emotional support 
    3. Students should work on the following: 
      Completing tasks assigned on Naviance 
      Thinking about courses for next year 
      Researching summer enrichment opportunities 
      Maintaining connections with teachers and counselor 
      Continue PSAT practice on Khan Academy 
      Keeping your grades up! 

     

    Advanced Placement 

    Unsure about your AP exams? Please refer to the links below regarding Advanced Placement 

    1. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/news-changes/coronavirus-update 
    2. The College Board has provided online course reviews beginning Wednesday March 25. Please refer to the link below to get specific dates and times for your course review session. They are also available on YouTube after the live session. 
    3. https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/coronavirus-updates#free-ap-classes 

    College Before College/Independent Study Seminar Program 

    1. Please refer to the district website for information 
      https://isspinfo.wordpress.com/ 

     

    Access to Naviance 

    1. Students will now access Naviance by logging into their nhps.net google account and clicking on the Naviance icon in apps. The log in experience for staff has not changed. Staff will continue to log in through the Naviance site directly. 

     

    Student-Athletes 

    1. First, make sure you are taking care of your emotional and mental state through this difficult time.  It is extremely difficult to be unable to participate in a sport that you have up until this difficult point.  Try to continue to stay active; go for a jog, plan and implement some healthy workouts.   
    2. Utilize the NHPS Athletics website https://www.nhpsathletics.com for important information. 
    3. If you plan on playing sports at the collegiate level, please be sure to register with the NCAA eligibility center as soon as possible to create an account.  Be sure to click fee waiver when it requests payment. Upon completion of the process, be sure to inform your School Counselor so that he/she can upload your transcript and confirm fee waiver. 

    Community Resources/Support 

    1. DCF - The Department of Children and Families are still taking calls.  1-800-842-2288.  
    2. Emergency Mobile Psychiatric Services (EMPS/211) - EMPS is still available and are still going out to families when needed. Crisis intervention, family support, mental and behavioral health referrals: E-mail help@211info.org, dial 211 or 1-800-203-1234, or visit: https://uwc.211ct.org/. 
    3. Suicide Prevention Crisis Hotline - 1-800-273-8255 or text 741741 

    Parent Guide for Talking To Your Children About Covid-19  

    https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/NASN/3870c72d-fff9-4ed7-833f-215de278d256/UploadedImages/PDFs/02292020_NASP_NASN_COVID-19_parent_handout.pdf 

     

    Students with Disabilities 

    My child has an IEP, how are PPTs being conducted?  

    1. At this time, no PPT meetings will be conducted until further notice. Current goals and objectives will remain in place. Special education teachers will frequently monitor and document progress accordingly. Quarterly progress marks will be completed and sent home in collaboration with report cards 

     

    My child was referred to special education and evaluations were recommended? 

    1. If your child was recommended for evaluations, the timeline is paused. NHPS is following state guidelines and testing will resume once we have guidance from the state.  

     

    My child is due for a triennial evaluation; will this be completed? 

    1. At this point in time, no evaluations will be completed until further notice. NHPS is following guidance from The Connecticut State Department of Education and will provide updates as they become available.     

     

    My child is a special education student; what services are available? 

    1. Special education services are being provided in collaboration with general education services. Special Education teachers will be utilizing various learning platforms to communicate with students and families. Please feel free to contact your child’s special education teacher, school principal, or special education supervisor with specific concerns.  

     

    My child receives related services will he/she receive these services throughout COVID 19? 

    1. Related services will be provided through direct and indirect services, such as phone calls, video conference and or other formats. NHPS will be seeking written consent from parents in order for direct services to begin. Please check your email frequently for updates and notices from the district.   

     

    My child has been recommended for Extended School Year (ESY) will this be offered this school year? 

    1. ESY is a PPT recommendation. ESY information will be shared once guidance is received from the state as to when 2019-2020 school year will resume.  

     

    Educational Websites: 

    1. https://www.educatorstechnology.com/2016/01/a-handy-chart-featuring-over-30-ipad.html 

     

    Social Emotional Learning Resources 

    1. https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/treatments-approaches/educational-strategies/social-emotional-learning-what-you-need-to-know 
    2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikehX9o1JbI 

     

    Resources for Students and Parents: 

    1. https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/Information-For/School-Resources 
    2. www.cpacinc.org 

     

    Connecticut State Department of Education 

    1. https://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Services/Special-Education 
    2. English Learners  

     

    My child is an English learner; what kind of support are they receiving?  

    1. Your child will continue to receive differentiated instruction through the general education teacher. In addition, the ESL teacher or tutor will provide support in English as a second language. If your child is enrolled in a bilingual or dual language classroom, their teachers will provide both native language support and English language development.  

     

    My child is dually identified as Special Education and is an English learner; what kind of support are they receiving?  

    1.      Your child will continue to receive support as defined by their IEP; as well as English language development. 

     

    Is my child, who is enrolled in a bi-literacy program supposed to do double the work? 

    1. No, bilingual and dual language students are not required to spend more time online than what is expected of the general education students. However, teachers in bilingual classrooms will continue to provide learning opportunities in both Spanish and English. 

     

    I do not speak English and cannot communicate with my child’s teacher-what should I do?   

    1. New Haven Public Schools use Voyance Translation Service to communicate with families.  This service provides access to live interpreters in over 50 languages. Please ask your child’s teacher! 

     

    Who should I call/email if I have any questions about bilingual and or ESL programs? 

    1. You can call 475-220-1134 or 1135 or 1130. In addition, you can e-mail pedro.mendia@new-haven.k12.ct.us 

     

    School Choice Placement Process 

    Will the School Choice Placement Process continue as scheduled? 

    1. School placement results for the 2020-2021 academic year were scheduled to be released on March 31, 2020.  However, the results of the School Choice Placement Process will be postponed until April 14, 2020.   

     

    New Student Registration 

    1. I am new to the district, how do I register my student during the COVID-19 school closure? 
    2. Any parent that requests for their school-age child to be registered in New Haven Pubic Schools will be temporarily placed in one of our schools. To begin the registration process please contact choiceenrollment@new-haven.k12.ct.us for next steps and instructions.  The registration process will be managed by our Choice and Enrollment Office.  Principals will be contacted by Choice and Enrollment to provide the students demographics and the principal will place the student in a class for the duration of the school closure. 

     

    Where will the student be placed after the COVID-19 school closure? 

    1. The student will need to show proof of immunization records to the school nurse.  Additionally, if English is a second language for the student the LAS Placement test will be administered. All language testing is based on the results of the home language survey completed by the parent/guardian at the time of registration.