October 28th, 2016

This is the first in a series of answers to frequently asked questions about our move to being a semestered school for September 2017.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SEMESTERS – Issue 1, October 28, 2016

1. How does the timetable work?
A typical semester schedule divides the year into two halves; Sept to the end of January, and February to the end of June. Students take half of their 8, 7, or 6 credits each semester. Grade 12 students in their 5th year may choose one semester only and finish in January, or stay for their full year with 4, 5, or even 6 credits as long as they are in compliance with the 34 credit cap required by the Ministry of Education. Both semesters have a 5 day exam schedule at the end. A final decision on the schedule we will use will be made and posted on our website in the next month.

The periods are usually 75 minutes in length and often a Day 1, Day 2 schedule will ‘flip’ the last two periods so that student athletes are not always missing the same subject. In addition, the lunch period is 60 minutes.

2. When are report cards issued in a semester system? What about full disclosure?
There are two provincial report cards per semester. The first report is in mid-November, with a final report for the first semester classes in early February. The first report for second semester is in mid-April, with a final report for second semester classes issued at the end of June.

Full disclosure applies to non-semester and semester setting. For both semesters, full-disclosure is 5 days after the first report card. After this full disclosure date, under the terms of the “full disclosure” policy, all Grade 11 and 12 courses taken or dropped by students, including students who are identified as exceptional pupils, will be recorded on the Ontario Student Transcript, and with the percentage grades earned and the credits gained.

3. What are my options for a 4 or 5 year graduation plan?
One of the key factors in our decision to move to a semester system was flexibility for student regarding their graduation plan. The Ministry of Education has established a 34 credit cap that students must keep in mind. Families must plan for whether their student will remain for a 5th year. We continue to advocate that students consider a full or partial 5th year in order to allow time to focus on their University or College credits, gain academic maturity, and experience the many program options available in the Grade 12 program.

In a semester setting, or a non-semester setting, most students will chose to complete their 30 credit requirements for graduation in their 4th year. The additional courses they would then chose to take could be completed in one, or two semesters. Some students will want a ‘Semester 1 Only’ schedule so that they can upgrade or take additional courses and then work, travel or prepare for post-secondary programs the second half of the year. In order to be eligible to play sports, students must take a minimum of two credits in the semester(s) that they wish to be on teams, (provided they have a minimum of 22 credits). Other students may want to take 4 or 5 credits over the full year, with courses scheduled for both semesters in order to spread out their studies, or stay involved in sports or activities over the full year. Individual students will work with their Guidance counsellor if staying for a 5th year to determine; which year they want to attend Commencement, ensure their 34 credit count is taken care of, and determine a full year or Semester 1 only schedule.

4. With the subjects repeated every day, will there be too much homework?
Reasonable timelines still have to be established by the classroom teacher and homework assignments need to have a basis of quality work to improve student learning. Your son or daughter should experience similar homework expectations to our current practices.

5. Is it possible to have a two semester ‘gap’ on a core subject such as Math, English or Science?
An example of this scenario might be; Math semester 1 in Grade 9, and then a gap where Math is scheduled in semester 2 in the student’s Grade 10 year. Thus, the student could have a Feb to Feb ‘gap’ without Math. Yes, this can occur, but the curriculum spirals (repeats key learnings over each year) for this reason and is due to the challenges of retaining key information in a student’s long term memory each year. Thus, teachers plan for and allow for re-learning to occur in semester schedules. It may also be noteworthy that in terms of memory studies, students forget the material over the summer break in a similar manner to forgetting the material in a two semester break. The key is for any important learning to be transferred into long term memory, where it can be retrieved or referenced with ease regardless of how long ago the learning occurred. In terms of the potential for a gap in learning from a semester schedule some exceptional students, with an IEP or IPRC, will be hand timetabled to ensure this does not occur, or that their GLE or Resource support period is in the same semester as their greatest academic challenges.

Please visit the website again for another FAQ, or email your specific question to me at beth_bodkin@wrdsb.on.ca or my Vice Principal at carolyn_salonen@wrdsb.on.ca

Sincerely,
Beth Bodkin
Principal
Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School