Users Guide to the Middle and High School Online Calendar

MCDS has designed an online organizational system in which monthly calendars containing the due dates of major assignments, tests, and projects from all classes are compiled for each grade in the Middle and High School. Students can consult these calendars during their advisory time and throughout the day to help manage their organizational load and plan ahead for the coming month’s assignments. The monthly calendars will be posted online to provide easy access for students and parents. It is important that parents have the necessary information to serve as active partners in developing students’ organizational skills by having informed conversations regarding their homework. Likewise, it is critical that these calendars be viewed as the starting point for a conversation with a child, and not the endpoint. Faculty must continue to have the freedom to move assignments and test dates to reflect the changing needs of their classes and students. While the calendars will be updated on a weekly basis, it will continue to be the primary responsibility of the student to maintain an accurate accounting of the exact dates of assignments and tests through use of an assignment notebook. MCDS students have been utilizing assignment notebooks since first grade, and are prepared to keep their academic work organized with the support of the advisory program, their teachers, and you.

Please remember a few things while using this calendar system:

1. Generally, all staff will have posted major assignments/tests/projects a minimum of 14 days in advance of the assessment date.
2. Teachers may elect to change the date of an assessment based upon their professional judgment of class readiness. Viewing the calendar frequently and consulting with your child and their assignment notebook will help clarify any changes.
3. Please use this system as a tool, but remind your students they are ultimately responsible for maintaining their own system of organization in their assignment notebook. The use of their assignment notebook is critical in the development of their independence and will continue to be supported by their advisor and faculty.

Please follow the instructions below to access a Middle or High School Calendar:

1. Select the grade whose calendar you wish to view.
2. The calendar will open to the current month and will display all major assignments/tests/projects for the grade you selected.
3. While viewing a calendar, if you wish to select a different grade, click on the text “Click here to select a particular grade to view” found below the calendar or use your browser's back button.
4. You may wish to move your cursor over the entries you see. If the teacher has entered further description of the assignments/tests/projects, a text box containing this information will pop-up.