Feedback, Recovery, and Improvement Days
Posted on 05/02/2023
Feedback, Recovery, and Improvement Days – Final Culminating Tasks

In 2010, the Ministry of Education released the policy document Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools, with an emphasis on the primary purpose of assessment, which is to improve student learning. By focusing on conversations with students, observing students in the learning environment, and receiving products from them, educators are able to provide feedback to students and evaluate their learning.

Culminating tasks (which could include a performance, an examination, an essay, or another method of evaluation suitable to the course content) occur towards the end of a course. Students continue to have examinations in the courses in which the teacher’s professional judgement is that examinations are appropriate for demonstrating the learning expectations of the course. Culminating tasks have been shifted to occur earlier than the last week of the semester so that students are provided with that feedback before the end of the semester, and to ensure that they have an opportunity to improve on their learning, and potentially their grades. This process began during the pandemic, and we continue to work towards the goal of all culminating tasks being returned to students with feedback and opportunities for improvement before the term ends.

Last semester we did not have a focused schedule and we found that students did find the end of the semester challenging. In response, we will develop a schedule to help students and staff ensure that multiple culminating tasks are not occurring on the same day, and still provide enough time for the students to receive feedback and recommendations for next steps. There will still be assessments occurring until the end of the semester, and projects, portfolios, tests, etc. will continue to happen. The end of the semester is always a busy time for students as they wrap up course material and assignments. We continue to work with our students on all of the important skills they need for their future success.

Here are some key dates:

All classes have a Desire2Learn (D2L) online course content platform which will contain key dates for your child. If you have any questions, please contact your teacher

  • Period 1 focus on assessments -–Thursday, May 25 and Friday, June 2
  • Period 2 focus on assessments – Friday, May 26 and Monday, June 5
  • Period 4 focus on assessments – Monday, May 29 (flip week therefore P4 time is last class of the day) and
    Tuesday, June 6
  • Period 5 focus on assessments– Tuesday, May 30 (flip week therefore P5 is right after lunch) and
    Wednesday, June 7

Thursday, June 8 - Friday, June 23 will be continuation of regular classroom instruction, final assessments, and culminating activities.
Grade 9 Semester 2 math students will write the EQAO Math Assessment on Tuesday, June 20th and Wednesday, June 21 during their scheduled math classes.

Feedback, Recovery, and Improvement Days

At the end of each semester, all secondary schools will run feedback, recovery and improvement days for students. Culminating assessments such as portfolios, essays, examinations, and interviews will take place during instructional days and will be returned to students with feedback before the end of the semester.

The last day of regular instruction for students in semester two is Friday, June 23. The period from Monday, June 26 to Wednesday, June 28 is reserved for students to receive feedback from an assessment, to rescue or recover a credit, or to improve on an area of missed expectations. Teachers and support staff will communicate with students who will benefit most from attending this opportunity; however, all students will be invited and welcome to attend those days. There will be no new instruction on these days (June 26, 27, 28). Feedback, recovery, and improvement days are an opportunity for students to work closely with their teacher if they require feedback, credit recovery or an opportunity to improve on an area of missed expectations.