Dear WRDSB Grades 9 to 11 Students and Families,

We wanted to write to you and your families directly, understanding that you have some individual questions and are experiencing school closures in a different way than other students, especially as you look forward to moving on to your next grade.

We know too that last week’s news about the postponement of proms and year end events has many of you feeling a sense of loss. Please be reassured we will find a way to return to these important events and traditions 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.

For Grade 9 to 11 Students

  • Mid-term marks will not be issued for students in Grades 9 to 11
    • Students, please note that because of this a zero will appear in place of your mark in MyWay – please do not be concerned about this
  • Your midterm mark will be captured in your final mark
  • If you have questions about your progress, please contact your teacher
  • If you are currently taking Grade 10 Careers and Civics (GLC2O and CHV2O), you will have finished the first half as of April 15th and a mid-term mark will be issued for these courses and will be visible in MyWay.

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 and what they have already 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.