STUDENT ASSESSMENT

The MVCS curriculum emphasizes developing understanding, knowledge and skills through active engagement with peers, caring adults, learning resources and authentic experiences.  Consequently we evaluate our students and our school in a variety of ways:

• Ongoing assessment through critique, revision and reflection
• Goal setting with parents, students and teachers
• Culminating assessments
• Portfolios
• Participation in "Passages" at the end of grades 3 and 6

Passages are presentations by students.  Portfolios of student work are kept throughout their tenure at MVCS.  During Passages students choose their most accomplished, highest quality work from the portfolios to present to a panel of adults.  Panels are comprised of teachers, board members and community members who ask questions and observe the presentation.  The portfolio passage system involves a great deal of student reflection.  More importantly than showing their collection of work to an outside audience, each student is able to see the physical evidence of personal growth and progress.