General Information

• Each student will receive a grade out of 100% for each course.  This grade will comprise 70% based on evaluations conducted throughout the course and 30% in the form of an essay, exam, performance (or combination of the three) administered in May and June.  10% of the 70% is derived from our Wednesday Program.
• Marks will be reported using either achievement chat categories or strands from the curriculum document for the course.
• Students will be evaluated only on course expectations found in the curriculum documents.
• Learning habits such as participation, neatness, attendance (unless a part of the expectations of a course) will be reported on using the Learning Skills section of the Ontario Report Card.

Policy for Missing or Late Assessments

The staff at Ursula Franklin Academy believes that it is important that students complete and/or hand in all assignments or evaluations in order to best assess and evaluate a student’s progress, on-time.  Any policy dealing with late assignments must be fair to all of the people in the school, including students who do consistently meet established timelines, and the teachers who must be able to mark and return assignments or evaluations in a timely fashion.

In secondary schools, there is often a certain proportion of the student population that has difficulty completing assignments or evaluations on time. Sometimes the reasons are valid, but often it is the result of poor time management skills. It is important that students develop good time management skills, as post-secondary institutions and the workplace expect work to be completed on time. TDSB Procedure PR.614 – Evaluation of Late and Missed Assignments provides direction to teachers and students for the evaluation of late and missed assignments. Teachers are expected to help students improve their time management skills by clearly communicating important dates and checking on student progress at key points for major assignments or evaluations. Teachers will encourage students to use their agendas or an electronic planner of choice to plan their time appropriately.

The following policy has been adopted, consistent with the Growing Success 2010 document and TDSB Procedure PR.614 (Evaluation of Late Assignments), to deal with the assessment and evaluation of all late summative assignments.

• “Teachers can use a variety of strategies to encourage timely submission of assignments, including counselling the student and offering extra help.  The teacher should contact the student’s parent/guardian and enlist support in the effort to have the student submit his or her work on time.  Consultation with guidance staff, administration, and/or other teachers may be helpful.” 

TDSB PR.614

• Students may negotiate an alternative deadline for an assignment or evaluation for extenuating circumstances. 
• “Teachers will take into consideration individual circumstances that recognize:

a) The differences between uncharacteristic, repeated, and chronic behaviours;

b) Legitimate explanations;

c) Lack of requisite skills or comprehension to complete work assigned;

d) Student with special needs (IEP, ESL/ELD); and/or

e) Differences in maturity levels from Grades 7 – 12.”

TDSB PR.614

• When a significant number of strategies have been tried as per PR.614, late assignments may be subject to mark deductions and/or a mark of zero.
• If a student who has negotiated an alternative deadline fails to submit the assignment by the negotiated deadline, a mark of zero may be assigned.

Student Responsibilities When They Have Been Absent

• When students are aware in advance that they will be missing a class because of a field trip, sporting event, or personal appointment, they must inform the teacher as soon as possible prior to the event and make arrangements for making up the work that will be missed. 
• If a student has been absent, immediately upon returning to school (the day of return), it is the responsibility of the student to communicate clearly with the teacher regarding any missed evaluation (test, assignment, quiz, or presentation).  The student should be prepared to make up the missed evaluation the day of return.
• The reason for missing an evaluation must be supported by a note from a parent/guardian. This note must indicate not only the reason for the absence, but the parent’s awareness that an assignment deadline, or evaluation has been missed. Students over 18 who are unwilling to provide a note from a parent must submit a medical or legal note.
• If a student misses more than one major evaluation, or is absent during any component of a final evaluation, vice principal approval or a doctor’s note is required.
• If a student misses an evaluation or assignment due date, they must see the teacher on the day of return to discuss the reason for absence. For a legitimate absence, no deduction of marks will occur if the assignment is handed in the day of return.  For a legitimate absence resulting in a missed evaluation, an alternative means of evaluating the student’s knowledge and understanding, and/or thinking and inquiry, and/or communication and/or application skills may be determined by the teacher, in consultation with the student and/or parent and/or Principal/Vice Principal.
• A student who misses an assignment and/or evaluation for any reason, other than medical or legal reasons will be given a zero for the assessment(s) that is/are missed, except under exceptional circumstances as arranged by the Principal/Vice Principal.
• If a student is truant for a test or evaluation, then the student will receive a mark of zero.

Final 30% Summative Evaluations, M-Days and Formal Examinations

During the May M-Days and the final 6-weeks of classes (which includes the formal examination period), 30% of the students overall mark will be earned through summative evaluations. During this time, students will be assessed in a variety of ways including such tasks as tests, assignments, in-class essay writing, research reports, presentations, portfolio presentations, and formal examinations. Teachers typically inform students of their mark prior to the culminating activity/examination. The weighting of each task and examination will vary from course to course, but will be clearly explained in the course evaluation overview provided at the beginning of the school year.

The Ontario Secondary School curriculum does not provide for exemptions from summative evaluations, and this includes culminating activities and final examinations. Students are expected to complete all aspects of the summative evaluations. For this reason, there is a moratorium on students being taken out of school for field trips during M-Week, culminating activities and examinations. There may be some Board-wide activities such as sporting events, which may necessitate that students miss class. In such cases, arrangements will be made to ensure the completion of summative activities.

Because summative evaluations are a significant portion of a course mark and because, in many situations, a summative evaluation task may take the place of a formal examination, the policies and procedures in place during examinations are extended to cover the period of summative evaluations. This means that if a student is absent from any part of the summative evaluation, including both presentations and in-class written work, the reason for the absence must be substantiated with a medical, legal or Vice Principal note.  Students should discuss individual situations with either the subject class teacher or the Vice Principal.