December 21st, 2023
The WRDSB will continue to implement exam/evaluation calendar days in a 2:3 split each semester, as shown on the secondary school year calendar. The three days occurring at the end of each semester allow staff to support and administer a variety of final evaluation tasks and determine a grade for students.
SEM 1 FINAL EVALUATION PERIOD – Monday, January 29th to Wednesday, January 31st
During the pandemic, great strides were made to adapt assessment and evaluation practices to meet student needs. The return to a 70/30 split is an opportunity to take stock of what we have learned and refine these practices in service of fair and reliable evaluation of student learning aligned with Growing Success. With regard to the 30% final evaluation, teachers, in the latter portion of a semester, have the flexibility to provide a variety of methods for students to demonstrate their growth, and confirm their learning. Classroom teachers will clearly communicate with their students and their families what they need to be doing on the Instructional Support Days.
The expectation is that students complete all parts of a course’s final evaluation. Students who do not complete their final 30% (in its various forms) do not take advantage of the opportunity to provide recent evidence to verify or confirm their consistent level of performance, at the end of a course. If a student does not provide some significant evidence in the form of final evaluations and exams, it may result in the student attaining a reduced grade and/or loss of credit based on the overall evidence as reflected in the term work and final evaluation components.
ACE students and students in other congregated Priority 1 Programs will attend school with regular programming on these evaluation dates.
Study Week: There will be NO field trips, WCSSAA games or practices, and no school events beginning on January 22nd, 2024 to the end of semester Assessment and Evaluation Days.
Forms of 30% Final Evaluation: The types of evaluation tasks take on a variety of methods (i.e. performance based tasks, portfolios, demonstrations, projects, exit interviews, conferences, and exams for select courses in Grades 11/12).
Exams: Exams will only be administered in select Grade 11 and 12 courses as a means to help expose senior students to the types of experiences they may encounter after graduation in a supportive and familiar environment. All exams will be 75 minutes in length and represent only a portion of a student’s final 30% evaluation of the overall course. All students will have up to double time (150 minutes) to complete the exam. This practice aligns with EQAO testing.
Credit Rescue Opportunities: Some students will be invited to attend on these days in order to complete demonstration of expectations in order to earn their credit.
Student Attendance – Similar to previous Instructional Support Days/Exam days, attendance will be taken and submitted for scheduled exams or evaluations, and in-person credit rescue opportunities.
Study Areas: The Library will be open for those who wish to engage in quiet study. The cafeteria will also be open for those who need to work collaboratively together.
EXAM/FINAL EVALUATION DAYS SCHEDULE
| MONDAY, JAN. 29 | TUESDAY, JAN. 30 | WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31 |
| PERIOD A (8:20-10:55) | PERIOD A (8:20-9:35) | PERIOD B (8:20-10:55) |
|
Students in their Period A classes could be required by their teacher to be present in class during this time to complete forms of evaluation; complete credit rescue opportunities or, for Grade 11 and 12 courses, participate in a final exam. *Please note exams were set to be 75 minutes, but students have up to 150 minutes to write. |
Students in their Period A classes could be required by their teacher to be present in class during this time to complete forms of evaluation or complete credit rescue opportunities. |
Students in their Period B classes could be required by their teacher to be present in class during this time to complete forms of evaluation; complete credit rescue opportunities or, for Grade 11 and 12 courses, participate in a final exam. *Please note exams were set to be 75 minutes but students have up to 150 minutes to write. |
| PERIOD B (9:40-10:55) | ||
| Students in their Period B classes could be required by their teacher to be present in class during this time to complete forms of evaluation or complete credit rescue opportunities. | ||
| NUTRITION BREAK (10:55-11:55) |
NUTRITION BREAK (10:55-11:55) |
NUTRITION BREAK (10:55-11:55) |
| PERIOD C (11:55-2:30) | PERIOD C (11:55-1:10) | PERIOD D (11:55-2:30) |
|
Students in their Period C classes could be required by their teacher to be present in class during this time to complete forms of evaluation; complete credit rescue opportunities or, for Grade 11 and 12 courses, participate in a final exam. *Please note exams were set to be 75 minutes but students have up to 150 minutes to write. |
Students in their Period C classes could be required by their teacher to be present in class during this time to complete forms of evaluation or complete credit rescue opportunities. |
Students in their Period D classes could be required by their teacher to be present in class during this time to complete forms of evaluation; complete credit rescue opportunities or, for Grade 11 and 12 courses, participate in a final exam. *Please note exams were set to be 75 minutes but students have up to 150 minutes to write. |
| PERIOD D (1:15-2:30) | ||
| Students in their Period D classes could be required by their teacher to be present in class during this time to complete forms of evaluation or complete credit rescue opportunities. |
School Closure, Bus Cancellations, Inclement Weather, Student Illness
- School buses run on their regular schedule during these three days.
- Listen to local radio and check the school board social media channels/website at wrdsb.ca and the school website lhs.wrdsb.ca by 6:30 a.m.
- Evaluations may be postponed for various reasons including inclement weather, bus cancellations, plant malfunctions, illness etc.
- Please do not plan events which require your student to be absent from school on these days or on the days directly following the evaluation period as these will be the days in which the postponed evaluations will be rescheduled.
- If any WRDSB school bus is canceled due to weather in any area of the region, ALL evaluations/exams will move forward by one day. For example, an exam scheduled for Tuesday, January 30th would now take place on Wednesday, January 31st at the same time.
- The February 1 PD Day will not change if there are any weather disruptions.
The first day of semester 2 for students is Friday, February 2, 2024.
Report Cards for semester 1 will be handed out
the week of February 12, 2024
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