Dear Parents/Guardians and Students – The 1st part of this message is a repeat of the exam note from last week. There is new information regarding bussing and a service work opportunity at the end of this email.
Please know that we value you as partners in Catholic education. Before we embark on exams, it is important that our students are centered and focused. Please take some time to share this Exam Prayer.docx with your children. Please note that exams are not mandatory for every class. Your child’s teacher will communicate with your child whether they have an exam or not. In those classes where an exam is not taken, the culminating assignment will carry the full weight of the final assessment.
Exams
Please review the attached documents with your child. These provide some important details as well as tips and strategies for preparing for exams.
Schedule (Below)
This outlines the schedule and expectations around exams. Many of these will be new for students, so please make sure you take the time to review them prior to the exam period. Please encourage your child to reach out to their teacher should they have any questions regarding the exam.
We want to provide you with some documents that can help with exam preparation. We know January can be a stressful time as students complete a variety of final assessment pieces. Please know that our staff members are working with students to ensure they are adequately prepared for exams and have opportunities to practice exam-like assessment questions.
Uniforms
Students are expected to be in full uniform throughout the exam period and on exam review day.
Accommodations
If your child has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) they are encouraged to speak with their Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT) to discuss accommodations. Similarly, the Student Success teacher and teachers of Multi-Lingual Learners are available to meet with students on their respective caseloads to develop a plan for exam writing.
Exam Review Day
On Thursday, February 1, we will offer an exam review day. Schedule below. Students come to school and chat with their teachers regarding their exam/culminating performances.
There will be a Used Uniform Sale on this day as well – more information to come!
Transportation
Throughout the exam period, including the exam review day, school busses will continue to run according to their normal schedule. Your child is free to leave the school upon completion of the exam; however, transportation home will not be available until end of day. Students who are remaining at school may work quietly only in the library or cafeteria. Busses will depart at 2:25 p.m.
Cafeteria Closed During Exams
Our cafeteria servery will be closed throughout the exam period. The space in the cafeteria will be available to students who may wish to.
Anticipated School Bus Delays
We are writing to let you know that due to a recent increase in bus driver absences, largely attributed to illness, Halton Student Transportation Services (HSTS) is expecting potential delays in school bus services in the coming weeks.
Driver absences necessitate the redistribution of their routes among the remaining drivers. This can unfortunately lead to delays in bus schedules.
HSTS is actively working to mitigate these delays as much as possible, and is diligently coordinating to ensure that all routes are covered and that delays are minimized. However, given the current circumstances, some level of disruption is inevitable.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to regularly check the HSTS website for delay/cancellation updates.
As always, we thank you for your ongoing support and understanding.
Service Work Opportunity – Used Uniform Sale
Any students wishing to earn some service work hours over the exam break, please pop into the main office and leave your name with Mrs. French. We are looking for some help in organizing for our Used Uniform Sale on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. More information regarding times of the sale to come soon.
Resources
For those students who would like a more in-depth support around studying, the curriculum department at the board has put together a D2L page: D2L EXAM WRITING SKILLS Students need to log into their D2L account and find the course titled, “Exam Writing Skills”. We highly encourage all students to take some time to review this material.
Further resources are available to download here:
Exam Survival Guide E-Flyer – Jan. 2024.pdf
Parent Caregiver Handout SMHO Exam and Test Stress.pdf
Student Handout SMHO Exam and Test Stress Lessons.pdf
Wishing you all the best on this snowy Tuesday – stay warm!
Assumption C.S.S.
