Academics
What your student will learn in each grade
Course enrollment
All students will be enrolled in the following classes: English, History, Science, Mathematics, and PE or PE/Dance ( 7th/8th grade). Elective courses are designed to give students an in-depth experience in one area. Some electives are taken for two consecutive years. Any questions regarding schedules or schedule changes, please reach out to our Academic Counselor Marie Joiner at mariejoiner@berkeley.net. Please note: The deadline for schedule changes is Labor Day.
If you are in need of academic support in math or reading, you may be assigned an intervention or support class as your elective. If you are an English Learner, you may be assigned a language support class as your elective, such as AVID Excel. Once you meet the academic goals of the assigned class, there may be an opportunity to switch to an available elective of your choosing.
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Grade System
We grade using standards-based grading. It includes the students’ Habits of Work and standards-based proficiency. There are two (2) grading periods (quarters) each semester.
At the end of the semester, grades reported for the (2) quarters are averaged together to determine the Final Semester Grade. Students receive credit for the semester grade. The grading schedule is included in the district calendar. A HOW Rubric is in the student handbook. All academic class rubrics will be provided by individual teachers as needed.
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​Infinite Campus Parent Portal is the place to check your child’s grades, attendance, and other important information through the school year.​
Common core and standards
With the district-wide adoption of the Common Core Standards, Longfellow Middle School continues our tradition of academic achievement to equip our students with the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills that are vital to success in their future academic and professional endeavors.
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The school district has prepared helpful resources (2013) to help our families understand the nationally adopted Common Core State Standards (CCSS) at www.berkeleyschools.net/common-core.
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For more information about state content standards, refer to the following documents from California's Department of Education:
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Academic Performance
Find Longfellow Middle School Data newsletters and School Accountability Report Cards on the BUSD website: https://www.berkeleyschools.net/schools/middle-schools/longfellow-middle-school/