J.H.S. 123 - The Bronx Urban Community Magnet School is proud to announce that it has been recognized as a Nationally Certified Magnet School. Nationally certified magnet schools provide high-quality, innovative educational options to families and students that promote choice, diversity and academic excellence. Thank you Magnet Schools of America for this wonderful recognition.
Hello Families. Please be aware that the New York State ELA exams will be administered on the following dates:
NYS ELA Exam:
4/11 - 6th & 7th Grade
4/12 - 6th & 7th Grade
4/16 - 8th Grade
4/17 - 8th Grade
The NYC area will experience a partial solar eclipse beginning at 2:00 p.m. on April 8. Please note that the partial phases of the solar eclipse can only be safely observed directly with specialized solar viewing glasses ("eclipse glasses") or a handheld solar viewer. Regular sunglasses, polarized or otherwise, are not a safe replacement for solar eclipse glasses. Additionally:
The eclipse will begin and occur shortly after 2:00 p.m., which may overlap with school dismissal. Note that there is no change to dismissal times.
Schools are encouraged to plan for this event to avoid potential conflicts with other school related events and activities. Afterschool programming will remain in effect.
For additional resources on the solar eclipse, including instructional materials, refer to NYSED New York State Total Solar Eclipse and NYCPS Total Solar Eclipse.
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Going forward we will be using a different grading system (Standards Based Grading) for the remainder of the year. Standards indicate, by subject, what students are expected to learn by the end of the marking period/year. We want you to be informed and understand that this decision is to help your child in the learning process and focus on understanding.
How does SBG work?
ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, Spanish, and Music are graded on set of learning goals called standards (Art, Magnet, ELA Enrichment, PE, and Non-Core Math which will remain pass/fail). Every assessment, whether a test or a quiz, may be on one or more standards. Students will receive feedback on each standard that will guide them on their progress.
Why change to Standards-Based Grading (SBG)?
SBG gives students more feedback and guides students on what they need to focus on. The focus of SBG is to provide students with feedback so that they can continue to improve in the classroom. SBG is focused on student learning and is not affected by participation or behavior, only student learning of the standard.
How is my child’s grade determined?
Students will be graded on a 4-point rubric, both in class and on their report card, similar to the system many elementary schools use. This will take effect for the following marking periods: marking period 2 (ending 1/19/24), marking period 3 (ending 4/3/24), marking period 4 (ending 6/26/24)
|
4 |
Excels Grade Level Standards |
|
3* |
Meeting Grade Level Standards |
|
2 |
Approaching Grade Level Standards |
|
1 |
Attempting Grade Level Standards |
*Student is passing and demonstrating grade level proficiency. Also, there is a percentage conversion that will be used for students applying to high school. For students with IEPs, teachers will continue to monitor student progress towards IEP goals and report progress to parents as indicated on their child’s IEP.
Additionally, students will be given multiple opportunities (including retesting/redo attempts) to show their understanding of standards that are deemed priority or “extra important” to the subject.
Below is an example of how a 6th grader may be graded in math:
|
Standard |
Grade |
|
6.NS.1 Dividing Fractions Assessment
|
3 |
|
6.RP.2 Unit Rate Assessment |
2 |
|
6.RP.A.3b Unit Rate Problem Solving Assessment |
2 |
|
Overall Final Grade |
2 |
In this example we can see that this student has an overall average of 2, but specifically needs support in standards 6.RP.2 Unit Rate and 6.RP.A.3b. Pease note that classwork, homework and class participation may still be tracked for purposes of progress reports and to show the effort a student is putting forth on a daily basis. However, only assessments and projects will count in a student’s final grade. Additionally, end of unit assessments will count more than earlier assessments in a unit. Therefore, if a student can show that they have met grade level standards by the end of the unit, then they will be awarded a grade of 3 for those standards.
Why change from Traditional Grades?
Traditional grades summarize all student learning into one number. It is easy to understand a traditional grade, but traditional grades do not provide enough information to help students know what to do next. Imagine taking a test on basic math operation: adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Your child is confident going into test, but is unsure of a few questions. The grade comes back as an 80. What do you do from here?
Traditional grades give students a judgement of how they have done and does not help students know what to do next. Students begin to view their ability and intelligence as something that cannot be changed. Traditional grades also punish students for missed or late work because a zero can make it almost impossible for a student to recover and achieve a passing grade.
Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions.
Sincerely,
Richard Hallenbeck
Hello Families! Looking to order additional school uniforms (polos or sweatshirts) for your student? Check out our vendor, Ideal Uniform, to place an online order. The attached .pdf file has a price and size guide for your reference. Feel free to reach out to the school with any questions or concerns.
Through STEAM exploration, our 21st century innovators become change agents. We are risk-takers, mistake makers, team players, and trend setters.
Our vision is to disrupt inequity by empowering students to shape a changing world.
Our Principal, Mr. Hallenbeck, helping an 8th grade student with an algebra problem.
We are proud to be a New York City Magnet School located in District 8! Magnet schools have a focused theme and aligned curriculum. Our Magnet theme is "STEAM Engines: Innovators Driving Change." Visit the Magnet Schools of America website to learn more about magnet schools across the nation.
