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Important Update for Secondary Students and Parents/Guardians

April 29, 2020

​Dear Secondary School Students, Parents and Guardians,

On April 26, the Minister of Education announced that all publicly funded schools will remain closed to students until May 31. During this period of continued school closure the government expects that every student will continue to learn. While teaching and learning in this evolving context will not look the same as the customary in-class experience, the shared goal of the Ministry and Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) is to support students to advance to the next school year, earn credits and to graduate.

Read a letter to parents/guardians from the Minister of Education.

Remote Learning for students in Grades 9 – 12

Teacher-led staff-supported remote student learning will continue to provide the opportunity for students to be engaged in learning for about 3 hours per week. This includes any teaching time led by teachers, as well as time for students to be engaged in the learning tasks assigned by their teacher. Teachers have posted office hours during which students are able to seek additional assistance with their assigned tasks. School support staff are also available to provide additional student support.

Remote learning is asynchronous – students have choice in how they organize their day. There is no set class time for students to be online. Students are encouraged to make every effort to complete all assigned learning tasks, assignments and projects, and to communicate proactively with their teacher if they are unable to complete assigned work. Continuity of learning is critical for students to be prepared with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in the next grade, course or postsecondary destination.

Graduating students

Students scheduled to graduate are a priority – graduating students should not have their eligibility to graduate impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Students on track to graduate will be supported to graduate. The graduation requirement to complete 40 hours of community involvement is suspended for this school year. As well, the requirement to successfully complete the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test will not be a barrier for graduating students. Mid-term marks for graduating students will be submitted Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) and the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) prior to the May 1 deadline. If you have any questions about your child's graduation status, please contact your school Principal or Guidance Department.

Secondary graduation ceremonies scheduled for June are postponed

As a result of the extended school closure and the uncertainty of when the Ontario government will lift restrictions on gatherings of five people or more, LKDSB has made the difficult decision to postpone June graduation ceremonies. We recognize that this will be disappointing news for graduating students and their families, but the safety of students, their families and our staff remains our highest priority.

Final marks for secondary students Grades 9 – 12

In determining final marks for students in Grades 9 – 12, teachers will use evidence that reflects work completed prior to the school closure period (March 13), as well as provide opportunity for students to submit additional assignments to demonstrate their learning. Any assessment submitted after March 13 may only be used to improve a student's mark should it demonstrate further achievement of expectations. Marks will not go down from what they were on March 13.

Full Disclosure for Grade 11 and 12 courses

For the 2019-20 school year, the full disclosure date is May 6, 2020. Students in Grade 11 and 12 courses can withdraw from a course up until the full disclosure date without the course showing on their transcript. If a student withdraws from a Grade 11 or 12 course after May 6 the course will show on the student transcript.

Focus on Instructional time

The Ministry has indicated that it plans to replace the remainder of Professional Activity (PA) days and examination days with instructional time. For LKDSB, designated PA days were June 5 and 26 and designated exam days were June 19 – 25.  These seven days will now be instructional days, in order to further support continuity of learning.  Final exams will not be administered for LKDSB courses. Additional clarification about culminating activities and summative assessments will be provided when it becomes available.

The Ministry also announced an expanded summer learning program that will focus on credit recovery, supports for vulnerable students, and course upgrading. Further information about the summer learning program will be made available in the coming weeks. In addition, any extension of the school year will be at the direction of the Ministry.

Final Report Cards for Secondary Students 

Final report cards will be issued for all students in June.

We will continue to provide updates, as required, in this evolving situation.

Wishing you and your family health and well-being at this time.

Sincerely,
John Howitt
Director of Education