January 14th, 2026
SNOW DAY – MONDAY, JANUARY 26TH – EXAMS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY WILL BE MOVED TO TUESDAY, JANUARY 27TH. ORIGINAL EXAMS FOR TUESDAY, WILL BE WRITTEN ON WEDNESDAY – JAN 28TH, AND WEDNESDAYS WILL BE ON FRIDAY – JAN 30TH. (THURSDAY, 29TH, WILL REMAIN A PD DAY)
At Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School, each course (Gr 9-12) includes a final evaluation portion worth 30% of a student’s final grade. These final evaluations provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the overall course expectations and to show evidence of further growth in their learning by the end of the semester.
Portions of these final evaluations may take place prior to the designated Assessment and Evaluation Days (January 23–28, 2026). New for this year is that all Grade 9 and 10 students will also participate in structured final evaluations during the Assessment and Evaluation Day period for certain compulsory courses (excluding eLearning courses).
Students may be required to write exams and assessments at school during the Evaluation Days. If students do not have an exam in a specific course they are permitted to work at home on their other courses for that day.
If a student is unable to attend a portion of their final evaluation for a particular course, teachers will adjust the weighting of the remaining components of the 30% final evaluation accordingly. Teachers will also apply their professional judgment to ensure the student’s final grade accurately reflects their achievement.
In situations where the evidence collected at the end of the course differs from what was demonstrated throughout the semester, teachers will also consider the body of work completed during the term (70% of the final grade) to make a fair and accurate determination.
Teachers use their professional judgment to ensure that each final grade reflects the student’s true level of achievement of the overall curriculum expectations, rather than factors unrelated to learning, such as attendance or behavior. Waterloo-Oxford remains committed to providing fair, consistent, and supportive assessment practices that recognize student learning and promote academic success.
During the Evaluation Days, the school will be open during normal school hours and bus transportation will be running as normal. Exams will be written in the morning for all courses and teachers will be available to offer additional support for students in the afternoon. In the event of inclement weather and if transportation is cancelled or the school is closed, all exams will be moved back one day. The PD Day on Thursday, January 29 will not be moved if exams are pushed back due to inclement weather. The first day of Second Semester is Friday, January 30 (which could be impacted if exams are rescheduled due to inclement weather).
If you have any questions about evaluation plans in specific courses, please reach out to the teacher directly.
Thanks,
Dave Linnerth – Principal, Waterloo-Oxford D.S.S.
