Grading Scale

All grades follow the Fairfax County Grading Scale which can be found here.  

Gradebook Set-up/Grade Calculation 

Classes will utilize a yearlong rolling gradebook to calculate final grades for the course.  This is due to the fact that we believe learning is a process throughout the entire school year.  This gradebook set-up allows teachers to better consider trends in mastery of skills and standards over time.  Quarterly Report Cards are a snapshot of the student’s level of achievement at that moment in time. 

Rolling gradebooks use a student’s performance throughout the year to calculate a final grade. Instead of averaging the grade of the four quarters, a rolling gradebook treats the entire year as one term where assignments count together in all four quarters. The grade reported at the end of the 4th quarter is the final averaged grade for the year. 

For seniors that have applied to colleges, grades are transmitted at the end of the first semester to any college the students request. This includes the grades seniors have in their current classes at the moment the first semester ends. While these grades may change as a rolling gradebook is, the grade that colleges request is strictly the progress the student has made in the first semester. Therefore grade changes that occur due to updates to a rolling gradebook will not be re-transmitted to colleges, as it reflects progress that occurred after the first semester.

Timeline for Gradebook Entries

Assignments will be graded and grades will be posted within 7 school days after the due date with the understanding that major projects/papers may require additional time to ensure quality feedback. 

Extra Credit Policy

Oakton’s focus is for students to master course skills and standards which is evident in our late work and reassessment policy. Extension-type extra credit questions on assessments can be available but no other extra credit opportunities will be offered. 

Final Exams/Culminating Activities

Students should expect a final exam, culminating activity, or combination of assessments that will be included as part of the quarterly grades. This assessment is typically completed during the final exam window. Some classes (for example AP classes) may elect to give a portion of the final exam outside of the final exam window. In those cases, at least 50% of the final exam grade will come from a final exam or culminating activity during the final exam window.

What is a rolling gradebook?

A rolling gradebook is a cumulative document that allows for progress towards a final mark that captures the total picture of student grades, regardless of length of quarter or number of assignments in each quarter. 

What are the benefits of using a rolling gradebook?

• Allows for increased opportunities for students to show mastery
• Provides flexibility in demonstrating mastery of content and opportunities for intervention, completing make-up work, and reassessments
• Helps students maintain positive momentum when setbacks occur
• Reports long-term progress to students as the year progresses
• Partners with standards-based practices
• Provides a more accurate reflection of the student grade at any given point in time
• Reduces number of tests or large projects due at the same time over multiple classes (usually at end of quarter)
• Negates imbalance of quantity of assessments within each quarter and timing challenges at certain times of year

What does a rolling gradebook look like?

What else is important to know about the rolling gradebook?

• Per FCPS guidelines, all rolling gradebooks must be paired with a flexible reassessment policy that allows students to reassess major assessments from past quarters or a grade replacement policy where later assessments replace the scores of earlier assessments.
• Teachers and teams communicate grading design through their syllabus, including the reassessment or replacement policy, how grades are calculated, etc

The following Oakton High School codes will be used in student gradebooks. 

• Did Not Submit (DNS) -  This indicates a student did not turn in the assignment/assessment within the two-week late work window and it is weighted at a 0%.   
• No Mark (NM) - This indicates a student was excused from the assignment and does not have a grade value. As such, it is not factored into the grade calculation. 

Report Card Codes

• Incomplete (I) - The student has several outstanding assignments due to an extenuating circumstance.  In these cases, assignments must be made up within a certain period of time to be calculated into the quarter grade.  Incompletes cannot be used for seniors at semester, or at the end of the year for any student.  
• Audit (T) -  In special circumstances, high school students may be allowed to attend one course without receiving credit for it. The audit application must be completed, submitted, and approved prior to the beginning of the course.
• Pass/Fail (P or F) - Students may elect to take on elective class each year pass / fail. This regulation helps define the circumstances. 

More information on codes can be found in FCPS Grading and Reporting.

Class syllabi will follow the same template and order for ease of access of information for students and parents.  It will include: 

General Course Information

• Course Description/Essential Skills
• Teaching Philosophy
• Teacher Availability 
• Student & Teacher Expectations

Mastery of Learning/Grading Information

• Gradebook Set-up/Final Grade Calculation
• Final Exam/Culminating Activity Information
• Standardized Test Information (if applicable)
• Reassessment or Replacement Policy 
• Late Work Policy
• Absences/Make-up Work

All Oakton Schoology accounts will be organized by unit/week, and there will be a folder for each week of the school year.

Each Schoology class will include the following: 

• Course Information
• Assignments
• Course Resources & Supplies
• Grading Information
• Parent/Student Communication
• Absences/Make-up Work 

If you need to access classes from a previous unit/week, you will be able to find them in the “Course Archive” folder.

Students are fully responsible for completing any missed assignments. Each day of absence affords at least one school day of makeup work opportunity. The period of time allowed to make up work may be extended at the discretion of the teacher/team.

Makeup work for excused absences is graded and recorded in the grade book by teachers without penalty to students. For a pre-arranged absence, students must fill out the pre-arranged absence form in advance and acquire all relevant signatures.  In these cases,  a student may request assignments in advance of the absence. Teachers will provide regular or alternative assignments in advance of the absence, when feasible. Following any absence, including a prearranged absence, students should make arrangements with individual teachers for make-up work and deadlines.

Unexcused absences do not mandate course failure. Students may choose to make up work following unexcused absences and teachers may help the student and parent or guardian identify missed work, but teachers are not obligated to provide makeup assignments. Make-up work is encouraged so that students will be prepared for future instruction.

Teachers will provide information on Schoology identifying how students should access make-up work.

At Oakton High School, all assignments can be turned in a minimum of two weeks following the due date. The maximum penalty for assignments turned in within the two week window is 10%. Teachers are not required to provide students with reassessment opportunities if they fail to turn in the original assignment on time or within the two-week late work window. Additionally, assignments not turned in within the two-week late work window can be assigned a score of zero.

Students will be allowed to make up any assignment two-week late work window unless they will not be penalized for missing the assignment. This exception will only be made for smaller assignments that do not exceed 10% of the total grade for the quarter. In those cases a code of “No Mark (NM)” will be entered into the gradebook which will have no grade value and will not be factored into the grade calculation.  

Collaborative teams may elect to adopt a late-work policy that exceeds the two-week minimum, and no team is required to impose a penalty on late work.

At Oakton High School, collaborative teams will provide students with at least one new opportunity to demonstrate proficiency on major assessments. Teams will adopt either a reassessment or replacement policy, and this will be clearly outlined in the syllabus. Details for each course’s replacement or reassessment policy can be found in their syllabus and on schoology. 

Please note that final exams or culminating activities are not eligible for reassessment or replacement. 

Replacement and Reassessment are defined below:

Replacement

Grade replacement policies that allow later assessments to replace the scores of earlier assessments may be used in lieu of reassessment.  In these cases, the most current assessment will be recorded in the grade book.

Reassessment

Teams will adopt one of the two policies below:

• Students who earn below a 90% on a major assessment may reassess and earn a maximum grade of 90%. Students who earn a 90% or higher would not be eligible for a reassessment. 

OR

• Any student who wishes to reassess a major assessment may do so and the highest earned grade will be entered into the gradebook.  

Reassessments may take the form of a retake, completion of test corrections, revision of work, or other similar type opportunity that is commensurate with the initial assessment. Some classes may reassess the same skill later in the year which can serve as the reassessment as well. Corrective action may be offered but will be optional for students.

Throughout the year, English classes will read a variety of texts from different genres, chosen to meet course objectives. Administrators, teachers, and parents from our school have reviewed and approved these books for use with our students. 

Please note that some of the books students will read this year may contain mature content and/or controversial material (i.e. offensive language, violence, and/or implied or explicit sexual situations). For texts that include sexual explicit material, you will receive notification from your student’s instructor at least 30 days before the text is assigned.

A list of titles for individual classes will be posted by teachers on the course Schoology page. Any updates to the reading list following the start of the school year will be shared on Schoology, as needed. 

The resources listed below can be used to see book reviews and get more information about the books we will use in our class. 

• Fairfax County Library 
• Bartleby.com: Great Books Online  
• Book Reporter  
• Book Spot  
• Teen Reads  

If a student or parent/guardian would like to review any of these texts or request an alternate reading assignment please have him or her contact the teacher directly via e-mail.

More information can be found in Regulation 3005.

Oakton High School strives to be recognized as a school of honor. Students, teachers, staff and parents uphold high moral values focused upon fostering a love of learning and pride in individual accomplishment. Students are expected to show respect for morality, personal honor and the rights of others as is demanded of good citizens.

Our website has more detailed information about our honor code and honor council process. 

We encourage parents and students to stay apprised of their children’s progress in each course by accessing SIS Parent Accounts and SIS Student Accounts as well as course pages in Schoology. More information on creating a parent SIS / Schoology Account can be found on Oakton’s website. 

If a student/parent has questions about the course or is struggling in a course, students and/or parents are highly encouraged to set up a time to discuss concerns and develop a plan with the following school personnel in the order provided.  

1. Classroom Teacher 
2. Student’s School Counselor
3. Department Administrator
4. Principal 

Fairfax County Public Schools uses a variety of resources to support student learning. In cases where FCPS contracts with a vendor to host student information, FCPS requires that the vendor adhere to the security and privacy requirements specified in a confidentiality agreement included in their contracts. FCPS does not have contracts with every instructional tool vendor. Some of the digital resources your child may use this year require parental consent. 

Listed on the FCPS website are the digital tools that are used in FCPS that require parental approval; please note not all tools are being used in every classroom. The tools have been carefully reviewed to ensure that they align with the FCPS Learning Model and FCPS conducts the same technical evaluations for all products that use student information. 

Parents are asked to complete the consent form found on Oakton’s website by Friday, August 25.

Eligible seniors may participate in the Oakton Internship Program during the final weeks of the school year, health circumstances permitting. Seniors may arrange to intern at local businesses, schools, or service organizations. The intent of this experience is to benefit Oakton seniors by helping them explore a possible area of interest for their future, which provides them a real world experience putting academic interests in action in a non-academic setting. 

Participating seniors will finish all of their classes and coursework prior to the start of the internship and be exempt from any senior final exams during the internship dates. 

All information related to the Oakton Internship program will be reviewed with the senior class during the school year. Applications are typically released at the start of the second semester (late January/early February).