As we begin a new school year, we want to ensure that both students and parents/guardians are well informed about assessment practices in our division.
In GSACRD we will engage in on-going reporting and regular communication that provides feedback for students and parents. As parents/guardians, you can anticipate:
Current grades in PowerSchool (updated frequently and regularly) which is found in the Parent Portal.
Clear descriptions of which key learnings that were evaluated with each assessment
Indication if the assessment is formative or summative
Growth as a Learner* to be assessed three times per year (November, March, and June)
One culminating report card at the end of June with comments that include:
recommendations for further class placement (typically in grade 9)
any accommodations that were given for the final exam
if the student is on an Individual Program Plan (IPP)
Re-assessment:
In GSACRD, we are committed to authentic assessment that clearly illustrates what students know and what they are capable of doing. As such, we have processes in place that allow students to redo summative assessments when their results do not align with the student’s abilities.
Exam and Quiz Avoidance:
As a staff, we endeavour to be flexible in ensuring that students have multiple opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding. However, we have encountered issues around quiz and exam avoidance. Exam and quiz avoidance is when students are absent on days for scheduled exams or quizzes in order to write it at a later date. When students are clearly showing patterns of exam or quiz avoidance, we will be communicating with parents to address the underlying issue and address the situation. Please note that we are not referring to students who follow flexible schedules and who have already communicated with their teachers about upcoming absences.
We encourage all parents to use PowerSchool as a tool to remain informed about student progress. Questions or concerns about student assessments should be directed to the teacher of that course. Interviews to discuss student progress will continue to be a valuable opportunity for collaboration between home and school. In addition to this, reciprocal emails and phone calls will also be essential to maintaining a solid relationship that is focused on student success.
In the near future, we will be providing a video that outlines how to navigate the Parent Portal. This will provide instructions on how to create an account, view student grades, pay school related fees and sign permission forms. In the meantime, should you have any questions please reach out by phone to our school office.
We look forward to a wonderful year as partners in your child’s education.
