Student Success Days and Exam Days for Secondary Students

Student Success Days and Exam Days for Secondary Students
Posted on 05/25/2023
Student Success Days and Exam Days for Secondary Students

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is committed to creating conditions that lead to an improvement in learning for all students. Below, you will find information on the Student Success Days/Exams Days taking place for secondary students in June 2023. These days provide an excellent opportunity for students to consolidate their learning and work towards improving their achievement.

On the last two instructional days of the school year, no new assignments or tasks will be introduced, allowing students to work on review, remediation, and conferencing with their teacher to determine what areas of growth to explore during Student Success Days. Regular attendance expectations and classroom schedules will be in place on these days.

On Student Success Days/Exam Days, students are only required to attend school to engage in student success activities or to complete final examinations (for students in grades 11 and 12) or final evaluation tasks. Expectations on these days will vary by course and grade level.  

Important Dates for Semestered Schools 

  • The last two instructional days for students will be June 19 and 20, 2023. 
  • Student Success Days/Exam Days will take place on June 21, 22, 23, 26, and 27, 2023. 

Important Dates for Full Year Schools 

  • The last two instructional days for students will be June 12 and 13, 2023
  • Student Success Days/Exam Days will take place on June 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, and 27, 2023. 

Students can make the most of their final instructional days and Student Success Days/Exam Days by ensuring they are attending all instructional hours, and by communicating with their teachers for guidance and to share ideas of how they can demonstrate their learning.

More information will be communicated to families from your child’s school. If you have any questions about your child’s progress, please do not hesitate to reach out to the classroom teacher.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Are Students Required to Attend School on Student Success Days/Exam Days? 

These are not regular instructional days. Students enrolled in grades 9 to 12 are required to attend school for the purposes of engaging in student success activities or to complete final examinations (grade 11 and 12) or other final evaluation tasks.

What is the Purpose of a Student Success Day? 

Student Success Days/Exam Days provide all students with an opportunity to improve their mark in a course, or, where applicable, rescue their credit. Expectations for students during these days will vary by course and grade level, but they are not regular instructional days. Students in grades 9 to 12 are required to attend school for the purposes of engaging in student success activities or to complete final examinations (grade 11 and 12) or other final evaluation tasks.

Are Student Success Days Effective? 

In January 2023, we saw more than 450 credits rescued during Student Success Days. However, we also received some parental feedback regarding students in grades 9 and 10 not having regular instruction or other assigned learning tasks on these days. With that in mind, we have met with school administrators to examine best practices and are implementing new standards of practice for June 2023. 

Will Students in Grades 9 and 10 have Final Exams? 

Courses for students in grades 9 and 10 will not have final examinations. However they may have a scheduled final evaluation such as a portfolio review, exit interview,  performance task, lab activity, collaborative task, and/or another method of evaluation. All students in grades 9 and 10 will have scheduled opportunities to come into the school during those days to work with their teacher.

Teachers of grade 9 and 10 courses have been asked to meet with students prior to the Student Success Days/Exam Days to discuss the student’s progress in the course and to plan for ways in which they can improve. Where applicable, this may involve plans to rescue their credit. This approach is intended to increase student success and credit accumulation, and to improve student performance. It also supports the commitment to destreaming grade 9 courses, in preparation for the further destreaming of grade 10. 

Is this different from what used to happen in Grade 9 and 10 courses?

In school years before the pandemic, students in grades 9 and 10 would typically have anywhere from one to five courses throughout the year which included a final exam or other final evaluation task during the formal exam period. However, it was also not uncommon for grade 9 and 10 courses to not have any formal assessment for students scheduled during the exam period. Where a formal assessment was scheduled, the minimum time commitment for students to complete the exam or task was usually one hour, after which students went home since no credit classes or events would be running during this time period.

Do Students in Grades 11 and 12 have Exams? 

The practices related to Grade 11 and 12 course final evaluation tasks have not changed. Grade 11 and 12 courses have final evaluation tasks that may include final exams, which are scheduled during Student Success/Exam Days. Examinations in Grade 11 and 12 courses are not mandatory; a different form of final evaluation task may be more appropriate in some courses and may be scheduled to occur prior to or during the Student Success Days/Exam Days. This information will have been shared with students by the subject teacher and will be clearly indicated in the Student Success Days/Exam Days schedule published by the school two weeks prior to the start of Student Success Days/Exam Days. 

How Can I Help My Child Prepare? 

Secondary schools will be communicating with parents regarding the plans for the Student Success Days/Exam Days through their usual communications channels.  Parents and guardians are encouraged to talk with their child about their progress and achievement and their commitments during the Student Success/Exam Days period.  Parents and guardians may always reach out to the teacher for clarification.

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