Our Key Beliefs

 

The secondary policy and procedures of the Limestone District School Board are based on a set of key beliefs that have been developed collaboratively by teachers and administrators over the past several years. The belief statements are shown below, and form the basis of learning experiences for all of our students.

 

Assessment for Learning

•Effective assessment and evaluation methods act to support and improve student learning.

•Sharing learning goals and success criteria with students at the outset of learning ensures that students and teachers have a common and shared understanding of these goals and criteria as learning progresses.

•Student learning is enhanced through the provision of effective feedback. Feedback is effective when it relates directly to the learning goal, and describes strengths and next steps for improvement.

•Specific, constructive and supportive feedback, both verbal and written, motivates students to persist and to improve.

•Assessing current levels of understanding at regular intervals in the learning cycle allows teachers to support all students.

•Differentiated instruction and assessment allow all learners to experience success.

•When teachers use diagnostic assessment and formative assessment data to inform their instruction, learning remains accessible to all learners and students become partners in their own learning process.

 

Assessment of Learning

•Clearly articulated evaluation and reporting procedures invite students, parents and teachers to work as partners in student learning.

•Attendance, punctuality, and learning skills and work habits are key success factors for students. Students and parents value their importance when they receive reliable and ongoing information about them.

•Evaluation of academic achievement prepares students for future learning when it is based solely on the overall expectations of the course, and includes an appropriate balance of the categories of the achievement chart.

•Students are able to continue to experience success when they achieve the provincial standard (level 3) or higher. Their chances of reaching this standard are improved when they have a clear view of what it looks like and which next steps will lead them closer to or beyond the standard.

•Students value collaboration when they receive a mark that is based on their individual level of performance within a group.

•Motivation is enhanced when students understand that growth in their achievement will be considered when grades are determined.

 

Assessment as Learning

•Students will experience greater levels of success beyond school when they become independent learners.

•Students become independent learners when they are proficient at reflecting on their learning, and are able to develop an understanding of their current level of achievement and their next steps for improvement.

•Teachers support independent student learners by providing instruction and opportunity for students to reflect on their learning.

 

The Limestone District School Board Assessment & Evaluation Policy can be found in the Student Agenda.  For more information and an electronic copy of Secondary Evaluation and Reporting Procedures and a Parent & Guardian’s Guide to Assessment & Evaluation, please visit http://www.limestone.on.ca/Parents/.