In grades kindergarten through 4th, the teachers at Bradford Prep use the portfolio approach to track the progress of each of our students. We assess academic progress through written examinations, multiple-choice questions, observational checklists, writing samples, journals with drawings, book summaries, open-ended questions, and teacher observations. Instead of sending out traditional report cards, the teacher meets individually with the student and their parent(s) four times per year to discuss the child’s progress in an effort to uncover their strengths and weaknesses while going through the portfolio of work. By meeting with the student and the parents together, the family has more involvement in the educational process and the student is given ownership for their academic journey. Beginning in fourth grade, students begin to receive grades on assessments to practice their understanding of the grading system. These grades will not be used as a means of competition between the students and their classmates, but will be used as a great tool for the individual students to understand their progress in each subject area.