Dear WRDSB Grade 12 Graduating Students and Families,

We wanted to reach out to you and your families directly, understanding that you have some questions and are experiencing school closures in a different way than other students given that it is, in many cases, your final year of high school.

We know too that last week’s news about the postponement of graduations and proms has many of you feeling a sense of loss and that this just isn’t fair. And you’re right; it’s not fair, but we will find a way to celebrate and come together when it is safe to do so.

The Minister of Education has made it very clear that no student will be disadvantaged as a result of COVID 19 and we take the direction and promise very seriously.

The following overview is intended to help answer your questions and reassure you and your family that we have a clear plan to support you in achieving your goals. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your guidance counsellor or your teacher(s) for further information.

Midterm Marks:

All Grade 12 graduating students will receive midterm marks for all courses required for post-secondary admissions. Grade 12 students can view their mid-term marks by logging in to MyWay. (How to log in to MyWay)

  • Mid-term marks will reflect your progress up until March 13, 2020 including any additional task or assessments you’ve submitted since that time.
    • For those who have applied to college or university, your secondary schools are required to submit their midterm marks for graduating students to the OCAS/OUAC sites by May 1st.
    • The Ministry of Education has confirmed with universities that they will not look at grades, and will not offer admission to students or make decisions about scholarships, until after the May 1 deadline
    • If you are in Grade 12 and are applying to a special program in either university or college that requires the completion of a Grade 11 course, please contact your school guidance counsellor or VP and they will ensure those grades are also uploaded or communicated directly to the appropriate university or colleges office.

What will distance learning look like?

For the past few weeks, your teachers have returned to supporting your learning and have assigned tasks, assignments, projects and summatives to you. The goal is not to replicate the school day at home. Teachers have been asked to review their course curriculum, what they’ve covered and to focus on the most important learning concepts in that course. Teachers will continue to provide you with ongoing feedback to improve your learning. The number of assessments and evaluations will be reduced, but the assignments and tasks will be assessed.

  • Reduced Hours – Course learning for semestered courses is to be no more than 3 hours per week per course. This includes any Google Meets/Hangouts/live teaching/recorded teaching as well as assigned work for the week by your teachers.

How will your learning be assessed and evaluated during distance learning?

All of the learning you demonstrated prior to March 13 and until the end of June will be reflected in your final grade for each of your courses, and you will receive a final report card in June. To ensure that you are not negatively impacted as a result of these challenging times, teachers will only consider the following in determining your final grades:

  • Learning demonstrated prior to March 13; and
  • Demonstrated improvement in learning from April 6 to the end of June.

This means, for all students engaged in learning until the end of June, your marks can only improve.

We understand that for some students, engaging in distance learning will be challenging. Many students have limited access to WiFi, need to work to contribute to your family, or you might be caring for younger siblings or relatives. Whatever your challenge is, let your guidance counsellor or teacher(s) know and we will find a way to support you.