Message from M. Visca, Principal
Hello Students and Families of Sherwood Secondary School!
I hope this email finds you as well as can be expected. I also hope you are doing your best to find ways to balance your life and stay mentally well. These are truly the most difficult times in education for students and staff that I’ve seen in my 30 years as an educator. The resiliency you are showing in dealing with a pandemic, while moving between various learning models and platforms is inspiring and will only serve you well in your future.
If you are struggling with your mental well-being, please know that you are not alone and you can reach out for help through your teachers and guidance counsellors. The Board also has a lot of resources of support: Click HERE to explore these options.
Besides a check-in, this email is to clarify Credit Rescue Week and to share some changes to the start of Semester 2 and the Adaptive Learning Model (when we do return to face2face learning). Please read through carefully as it also contains information on Timetables, Report Cards and 2021/22 Option Selections.
Credit Rescue Week (formerly Exam Week) Jan. 25th-Jan. 28th
- Regular classes and course work submission ended Jan. 21st
- Only students failing their course(s) will participate and submit work during in credit rescue week
- Students were notified by their teacher on Jan 22nd if they need to participate in credit rescue week- individual plans for support were developed
- Jan. 25 – Jan. 28 (noon): students notified will work on the co-developed credit completion plan, meet with teachers virtually for support and submit evidence of learning for the outstanding curriculum expectations by noon on Jan 28th
- Please note that students must demonstrate all of the overall curriculum expectations at a minimum of 50% to earn a credit. Students will be evaluated using a teacher’s professional judgement of curriculum demonstration through conversations, observations, and product.
Semester Two (begins February 2nd)
Student Timetables:
Timetables will be emailed next week. We are hoping for Tuesday Jan. 26th. Please ensure you know your OEN# (found on previous report cards) as if encrypted, this will be the password. Many student cohort changes were made in order to adjust class sizes so that they comply with Public Health regulations. As timetable changes occur, additional cohort changes may take place. As a result, students can check in with their Block one teacher before returning to face to face instruction.
Timetable Changes:
- Very few courses have available space so timetable changes may not be possible.
- All classes will be adapted to a remote delivery model if students cannot attend in person
- Course changes should be initiated ASAP and by January 22.
- Course changes during the first week of semester 2 will be only for the following reasons:
- Semester 1 failure of a course needed for a semester 2 course prerequisite
- A pathway change (eg. Academic to Applied or University to College)
- A course needed for a post-secondary prerequisite
If you meet these criteria and require a timetable change, please book a Guidance appointment with your counsellor using the Book Appt app.
Sem 1 Report Cards:
These will be distributed in the same manner as report cards during the week ending Feb 19th.
Sem 2 Remote Learning (until Feb 10th unless otherwise informed by the Ministry) and the Face2Face Adaptive Instructional Model:
- Important! While we are remote (until Feb 10 or while under a stay-at-home order), we will be using the regular school schedule (5@75-minute periods–as follows):
- If the stay-at-home order is extended, when we return to face2face learning, the Sem 2 Adaptive Model (Cohort A & B) Calendar–see attached) will be used and the calendar attached will be adjusted to create equal face2face time for each period.
- When back to Adaptive Model with face2face learning, ALL students will have daily connected time (Cohort/Track A & B–even if at home, and full at-home learners) with their teacher during the morning Block 1. Teachers will communicate the daily schedule for Block 1 to their classes. **Please note that you still only attend face2face on your Cohort/Track day; the students on an off day and at-home learners will connect virtually on Teams.
- All students are present and engaged at the start of each period (attendance taken every day in each class including Block 1).
Option Selection for 2021/21:
Course selection for next year will begin mid-February. Students will be entering their courses with our new course planner program, Xello, which will replace Career Cruising and will be available through an icon in Class Tools when it’s launched. We expect Xello to be available to students in early February.
Information about the course selection process will be posted to the Guidance 2021 Hub page and the Sherwood website when it’s available and finalized. Counsellors will be visiting each class by grade to answer any questions about course selection and option entry, but parents are encouraged to work with their child at home to plan and submit options throughout the course selection process.
Thank-you for taking the time to read through all this important information. If there are any changes or updates, I’ll be sure to reach out to you. In the meantime, please follow us on Twitter and/or Instagram (both are @sherwood_hwdsb) as we post most information on school happenings there. Also, see our Website.
Take good care.
M. Visca
Updated on Monday, January 25, 2021.