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Course Extension or Retention Process


Intent

It is our intent to:

  • Meet students where they are and provide an adaptation that can help a student succeed.
  • Increase transparency and accuracy in the recording and reporting of a student’s ability level.
  • Celebrate progress, whether fast or slow, and allow children to develop at their own rate.
  • Families see the option to accelerate or alternately lengthen courses as a way to acknowledge that children work at different paces in different subjects areas.
Guidelines

When a student is two months to two years behind in a subject, or when a student’s progress in a course is insufficient to warrant a passing grade, then that student can be allowed more time in a specific subject area in order to complete that 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.

Subject Specific Retention Process Individualized K-9 Students
  1. When it is recognized that a student is beginning to fall behind, the Support Teacher needs to refer to and initiate processes laid out in the “Addressing Incomplete Work” page in SOPHIE, in order to get the student caught up and on track during that school year.
  2. If the student continues to lag behind, then Learning Services (LS) should be made aware and discussions and strategies put in place to help the student to catch up.
  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 discussed 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 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 Process 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 grade eight and nine 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 fall 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 (5-9) or Grad Advisor (GA) (10-12), and adjusting assignments as appropriate.
  2. If the student continues to lag behind, then Learning Services (LS) needs to be made aware and further discussions and strategies put in place to help the student to catch up. 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
  3. The student, parent, teacher, LSC agree on the course of action. The teacher will inform their Support Teacher or GA, and the LS RA of their recommendation.
  4. 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.
  5. A pinned log entry will be added to the student’s file if subject retention is the decision.
  6. The course is closed and the student can apply again following two reporting periods.
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