Final Assessments at the High School Level for Semester Two

The high school administrators and Education Centre education leaders have met a number of times to explore what makes sense for our students with respect to final assessment for this current semester. School administrators as well as the Education Centre administrators have had ongoing feedback from parents and principals have engaged in conversation with staff. These feedback loops were considered as part of the final decision-making.
First, we recognize that the current semester has been characterized by an increase in the number of instances of interrupted learning due to quarantine. Some individual students, classes of students, and teachers have been quarantined repeatedly. Second, students have been subject to isolation and lack of engagement with activities for an extended period of time. The combination of interrupted learning, lengthy and repeated periods of isolation, and absence of opportunity for activities has led to increasing levels of pressure. While some students thrive using interactive platforms for instructional delivery, there are many that struggle.
The discussion among high school and Education Centre administrators centered on trying to make the most balanced decision in the best interest of all students. The decision tries to genuinely balance the benefits of a final assessment with the impact that engaging with final assessments can have on some students relative to levels of stress and overall assessment impact on final grades. School administrators and teachers have cared deeply about the well-being of our students over the course of the year, adjusted instruction given the circumstances, and desire to continue adjusting to what is supportive of all learners.
Given what we know and in an effort to make a balanced decision with parameters, the following has been decided regarding final assessments in grades 9 to 12:

1. Final assessments that are currently weighted above 15% will be moved to 15%.

2. Teachers are doing their best to focus student preparation for a final assessment, as well as the actual assessment, on what students have had the opportunity to learn this semester.

3. Teachers have professional autonomy regarding the format of the final assessment.

In keeping with what some teachers have already explored, final assessments do not need to be paper/ pencil style timed examinations. Teachers have the autonomy to prepare final assessments that they believe will engage students in the opportunity to demonstrate their learning.
Final assessments may take the form of culminating projects, essays or writing assignments that are not timed, open book tests, interviews, interpretations/ analysis of presented information, presentations, and so on.
As a collective group of administrators at the school and division level, we believe these changes should reduce stress as well as provide opportunity for student success.