Secondary School Exams and Graduation Requirements

Dear secondary school parents, guardians and caregivers, 

In mid-October, the Ministry of Education gave Ontario school boards the ability to adjust secondary evaluation processes to reflect the realities of learning and attending school during the uncertainties of a pandemic.  

After much consideration, and after hearing feedback from our families, students and staff, we have decided to cancel final exams for all secondary students (Grades 9-12) in both semesters of the 2020-2021 school year. Instead, student grades will be based on the specific learning activities and assignments throughout the semester and any final activities that demonstrate overall learning.  

Teachers will use their professional judgment to decide on the appropriate activities that best allow students to demonstrate their learning, and scheduled exam days will be used to provide additional opportunities for students to complete assignments.    

Changes to Graduation Requirements

The following three changes to graduation requirements are directives from the Ministry of Education.

Community Involvement Hours 
For the 2020-2021 school year, the 40-hour community involvement graduation requirement has been reduced to 20 hours. This change reflects that graduating students may have met barriers in earning the 40-hour requirement for community involvement hours during the last school year, and there may continue to be such barriers this school year. Any student having difficulty earning the 20-hour requirement should contact their school Principal or guidance office to explore the range of options that can be made available.  

Ontario Secondary School Grade 10 Literacy Test (OSSLT)
Students expecting to graduate in the 2020-2021 school year do not need to complete the Grade 10 Literacy Test. This test will be administered in the Spring of 2021 for grade 10 students and students graduating in future years. 

EQAO tests for Grade 9 math
Grade 9 students will take the EQAO math test, as this year, EQAO is testing a new format. Therefore, the results won’t be used as part of a student’s final course mark in math unless the student and teacher agree. 

At any point, should parents or students have questions or concerns regarding a student’s progress, please connect with your child’s teacher. We encourage our staff to have open and ongoing communications with parents/guardians. 

I want to thank everyone for their outstanding efforts to adapt to the new routines of high school.  

Sincerely,  

Manny Figueiredo
Director of Education