Elementary students will take home their first written progress reports Wednesday. For secondary students, in most cases only those who are struggling will get progress reports. Parents of any Vicksburg Warren School District student, however, should be able to check their child or children’s grades at any time — even daily.

Via the district’s Web site, parents can use the Internet to reach password-protected grade pages that have been set up for each student, and teachers are required to continually update grades and averages this year.

“In the past some teachers did this on a voluntary basis as we tried to make sure the system worked as it should,” Superintendent Dr. James Price said. “This year we have asked that every teacher do it.”

Price was to meet with principals this morning to see how the system is working and determine if any teachers have not complied. “We’ll want to know why,” he said.

Some passwords were sent home last week in elementary students’ QEP, or quality education program, folders, which contain student work along with notes or information from teachers.

The rest of the passwords will be sent home in QEP folders Wednesday, along with elementary progress reports.

Secondary students’ passwords will be sent home this week, either by mail or with the student.

Price urged all parents to regularly check grades online and contact teachers if needed.

Written progress reports — representing the halfway mark to the first report cards — still need to be signed by parents and returned to teachers. Parents will be contacted if a student does not bring back a signed progress report.

This school year is also the first in which letter grades are based on a 10-point scale. School district trustees approved the new grade scale by a 4-to-1 vote.

Under the new scale, a numeric class average of 90 to 100 is an A; 80 to 89, B; 70 to 79, C; 65 to 69, D; and 64 and below, F.

On the previous scale, a 93 to 100 was an A; 85 to 92 a B; 75 to 84 a C; 70 to 74 a D; and 69 and below was an F.

Price said he has “not heard good, bad or ugly” from parents about the new scale and does not expect to hear from parents about grades until after report cards are issued during the week of Oct. 5, after the end of the first nine-week session on Oct. 2.

Classes began Aug. 4 and the year is divided into four 9-week segments. Students who need additional help are offered remedial classes during weeklong breaks after each nine weeks.

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Contact Pamela Hitchins at phitchins@vicksburgpost.com