Low grades are a concern at HVRHS

FALLS VILLAGE — Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) Principal Matt Harnett addressed the unwelcome news that, in the first marking period of the school year, there are a significant number of students failing at least one class.Speaking to the Region One Board of Education at its regular monthly meeting Monday, Dec. 3, Harnett said the information had been published on a blog and he had received numerous inquiries.He said that 37 of 96 seniors have a failing grade — about 40 percent of the class. (One student has an incomplete.)Among the juniors, 38 of 122 have a failing grade (32 percent), and eight students have an incomplete.For the sophomores, 41 students (of 99) are failing a class (five with an incomplete), as are 20 of the 107 freshmen (three with an incomplete).“These numbers are not acceptable,” Harnett told the school board. He added that semester grades, not marking periods, appear on school transcripts that are used by college admissions offices.Harnett said he has taken the following actions:• Large study hall groups have been broken down into smaller groups, with teachers providing closer supervision and direction, to help keep the students on task.• Early Intervention Planning teams are holding meetings with seniors to address the reasons for the low grades and to take steps to improve performance.• A new policy requires teachers to get in direct contact with parents, starting at the end of the second week of a new marking period, if the student is below a C minus.• The parent and student portal section of the school’s website opens Dec. 5. Harnett said this will allow parents to directly monitor their children’s progress and to communicate directly with the teachers.Harnett said at least part of the problem lies with the students. Based on conversations he had with students, he said some students have calculated that they can get a poor grade in one marking period and still do well enough in the second to finish with a passing grade.