Frequently Asked Questions
as conditions within the classroom, will dictate the nature and content of the information.
Q1: Report Cards, how do they work at Stuyvesant High School?
A1. This should help…
* There are two terms to every school year (Fall and Spring).
* Each term has three report cards.
* The first report card contains letter grades (E, S, N, U). In the past, I did not award ‘E’ grades during the 1st marking period because most of the course work is yet to come. On a test basis, I will suspend this policy and award “E” grades for averages of “93″ and higher.
* The first two report cards of a term do not appear on a student’s final high school transcript.
* The last two report cards of a term use number grades.
* The third report card of each term is the critical one. It determines whether a student passed a course. That grade does appear on the final high school transcript.
* Teachers are restricted to certain numerical grades on the 2nd & 3rd report cards (50, 55, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 88, 90, 91, 92 ,93,…). Therefore, I usually round-down on the 2nd report card and round-up on the 3rd report card depending on the student’s overall course average. The rounding of report card grades is at the teacher’s discretion.
Q2: How do I signup for a QuizStar account?
A2. View this slide show.
Q3: How can a student standout academically in a class of 34 pupils?
A3. Being prepared for class instruction, participating throughout the term, and preparing appropriately for tests.
My advice for those who receive ‘E’ or ‘S’ ratings on the 1st report card: Keep the quality moving on an upward curve. The work as well as performance expectations will become more intensive in content as time marches on. What I have seen thus far is good.
My advice for those who receive an ‘N’ rating on the 1st report card is to avoid those acts or oversights that could adversely affect performance. Address those areas of your academic performance that you know require aid. Ask for assistance or guidance- don’t be shy. An ‘N’ means nothing more than that I’ve observed areas that could be improved with a little effort. It does not ‘brand’ you for life.
Q4: Will there be any opportunity to acquire extra credit?
A4. Extra credit can be acquired in a couple of ways under certain (limited) circumstances:
1. Serving as a monitor, or
2. Another, relevant activity of Mr. V’s choosing.
Q5: How can a student or parent communicate with Mr. V?
A5. EMail: mr.v@worldhistoryreview.org
Office: Room 222
Engrade: Send a direct message to Mr.V
Twitter: Mr.V’s profile is @WorldHistReview
Q6: How does a student apply for a Sophomore AP History course?
A6. When the time comes, the program office will publicize when and how to apply. The assistant principal for the History department will release the selection criteria as well.
Q7: How will a student’s grade be calculated?
A7. Please refer to the Policies webpage.
Q8: Is it OK to give Mr.V a gift for a holiday or other occasion?
A8. I have had the honor of knowing many students and parents who admired my efforts. Often, they wished to show their appreciation by offering gifts during various holidays. I’m humbled by this and I appreciate the sentiment greatly. However, I cannot, in good conscience, accept any gift for my work. If you insist on showing your support for my work, one way you can demonstrate it is by your active participation in Stuyvesant’s Parents’ Association. they have been instrumental in financially supporting our school’s initiatives. As of this term, my course is in need of a class set of The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. We are also in need of funds to pay for the use of certain online applications. Those applications are listed in the Utilities section of this website. For the last two years, I have been paying for the applications my students and I use. With your assistance, the PA may be able to help in this regard. If not, rest assured I will do my best to continue funding our use of these worthwhile applications.
