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Course Extension or Retention Process

Intent

It is our intent to:

  • Meet students where they are at and provide anadaptations adaptationto thatpromote canacademic help a student succeed.success.
  • Increase transparency and accuracy in the recording and reporting of a student’s ability level.
  • Celebrate progress, whether fast or slow,progress and allowmake childrenspace for students to develop at their own rate.pace.
  • FamiliesEncourage see the optionfamilies to accelerateview orslowed alternatelycourse lengthen coursespacing as a way to acknowledgesupport thatunique childrenlearning work at different paces in different subjects areas.needs.
GuidelinesGuideline

When a student is two months to two yearsworks behind in a subject,subject or when a student’s progress in a course is insufficient to warrant a passing grade, then thatthe student can be allowedgiven moreadditional time inand a specific subject area in ordersupport to completereach thatacademic subject. Strategies and interventions need to be employed mid-year so that that they can take effect before the year end. Evidence of interventions employed to bring the student up to grade level needs to be recorded. The option of an intentional exception to allow a subject specific retention applies to courses where a student has completed insufficient work (e.g: a student who only completes 27% of the course). It also applies in particular to subjects where skills build on foundational concepts, and missing those concepts could have impact the future success of the student.success.

Subject Specific Retention ProcessProcess: Individualized K-9 Students
  1. When it is recognized that a student is beginning to fallfalls behind, the Support Teacher needs to refer to and initiate processes laid out inon the Incomplete Grades and Assigning Fs - K-12 page in SOPHIE, in order to get the student caught up and on track during that school year.page.
  2. If the student continuesis tounsuccessful lagin behind,meeting thenminimal standards, Learning Services (LS) should beget made aware and discussions and strategies put in placeinvolved to help thediscuss student tosupport catch up.strategies.
  3. As the school year draws to a close, a conversation between the parent, teacher, Learning Services Consultant (LSC), and student needs to take place. Various options would be discusseddiscussed, including:
    1. Moving the subject forward on pace with the other courses
    2. A subject specific grade retention
    3. Remediation options
    4. Having the student receive a failing grade and close the course
  4. The student, parent, teacher, LSC agree on the best course of action.
  5. The teacher will inform their K-9 Regional Administrator (RA) and the LS RA of their recommendation.
  6. The RA and LS RA come to agreement and request an exemption from their Divisional Director who consults the Academic Head of School for final approval.
  7. A pinned log entry will be added to the student’s file if subject retention is the final decision.
  8. The course is closed and reopened the following year.
Subject Specific Retention ProcessProcess: Online Courses Grades 5-12

Grade 5-12 online course students are officially provided with 12 months to complete a course. Most students complete a course during a semester term or over the September-June school year. If the student does not meet grade level expectations, they are required to either repeat the course or resubmit assignments until their level of understanding is at the minimally meeting standard.  

Cross-enrolled gradeGrade eight8 and nine9 online courses should have the 12-month timeline noted in their course introductions so that students are aware that they have a full calendar year to complete their course work.

Process
  1. When it is recognized that a student is beginning to fallfalls behind, the Online Course Teacher needs to initiate processes to get the student caught up during that school year. This includes contacting the student and parent, updating the scheduler, communicating with the Individualized Support Teacher and Director of Middle School Instruction (Grades 5-9) or Grad Advisor (GA) (Grades 10-12), and adjusting assignments as appropriate..
  2. If the student continuesis tounsuccessful lagin behind,meeting thenminimal standards, Learning Services (LS) needsshould get involved to be made aware and further discussions and strategies put in place to help thediscuss student tosupport catchstrategies.
    3. up.
  3. As the term draws to a close, a conversation between the parent, teacher, Learning Services Consultant (LSC), and student needs to take place. Various options would be discussed including:
    1. Assigning a passing grade and moving the subject forward on pace with the other courses
    2. Extending the time for the student to complete that subject
    3. Other remediation and completion options
    4. Assigning a failing grade and closing the course
    5. Requiring the student to repeat the course
  4. The student, parent, teacher, and LSC agree on the course of action. The teacher will inform their Support Teacher or GA,GA and the LS RA of their recommendation.
  5. The RA or GA and LS RA come to agreement and request an exemption from their Divisional Director who consults the Academic Head of School for final approval.
  6. A pinned log entry will be added to the student’s file if subject retention is the decision.
  7. The course is closed and the student can apply again following two reporting periods.
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