Class Policies
STANDARDS-BASED GRADING - Year One​
Hall will begin using standards-based grading this year. The standards for Digital and Studio Art are based on 2 sources: National Core Art Standards and Studio Habits of Mind.
Research shows that developmentally, adolescence is the age when children decide whether or not they want to continue their study of art (often based on whether or not they are able to draw realistically). The art class should be a safe space for risk-taking and self-expression. But how can students feel safe when they are evaluated using rigid rubrics with very specific expectations where there are ways to "fail", especially in the eyes of a student who does not view himself as an artist?
Art education that focuses on process over product, on effort over skill, nurtures an environment in which every student has the opportunity to be successful simply by fully engaging in the process, no matter the final outcome. The National Core Art Standards supports this approach to art education.
COUGAR CODE
We asked our community of students, staff, parents and graduates the question: What are the values we aspire to as a community? The Cougar Code forms the foundation for our Culture of Learning. We strive to live to these values, every day, individually and collectively, students and adults alike.
