LATE POLICY WHSS 2012 – 2013
It is vital that students provide evidence of their achievement of the overall Ministry expectations within
the time frame specified by the teacher, and in a form approved by the teacher. Students must
understand that there will be consequences for not completing assignments for evaluation or for
submitting those assignments late.
The following Assessment and Evaluation Policy, based on the Ministry’s Growing Success: Assessment,
Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools will be implemented in order to ensure WHSS students
understand the importance of assignment completion and submitting assignments by the due date.
Due Date:
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Due dates for all assignments will be established by the teacher or in consultation with the
students
Well prior to the due date, the teachers will clearly communicate the Ministry expectations of
the assessment task, including the requirements of the task and the success criteria.
Major assessment tasks must be designed with multiple check points in advance of the final due
date. The teacher must address student tardiness during these checkpoints by speaking with
the student, contacting the student’s parent, or requiring the student to complete the work on
demand.
Prior to the due date, the teacher should remind all students of the due date and provide them
with the opportunity to discuss any problems with submitting the assignment on the due date
The student must discuss with the teacher an alternative due date if the student knows in
advance he/she will have a problem with meeting the due date. The student and teacher may
agree on an alternative date.
The due date set by the teacher is the final date that the student can receive full credit for the
assignment
Late Assignments:
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If a student has missed an assignment deadline, the teacher will make contact, leave a message
with a parent as soon as possible (or the student, if the student is 18 or older)
If the assessment is a unit test, the student will write the test at the first opportunity outside of
class time or at the teacher’s discretion.
If the late assignment is a minor assignment the student’s assignment will be graded but will
incur a 5% mark deduction; if it is a major assignment the student’s assignment will be graded
but will incur a 10% mark deduction
It is imperative that teachers advise the students when the evaluation is being assigned whether
the assignment constitutes a major or minor assignment.
A “Needs Improvement or Satisfactory” indication on the learning skills portion of the report
card should be another means in which the teacher can communicate to parents that the
student is having difficulty meeting assignment deadlines (“To the extent possible, however, the
evaluation of learning skills and work habits, apart from any that may be included as part of a
curriculum expectation in a subject or course, should not be considered in the determination of
a student’s grades” Growing Success
Pass/Fail Designation:
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Assignments handed in after the teacher has marked and returned the assignment to the class,
will result in the student receiving a designation of Pass/Fail and a Level One will be entered in
the teacher’s mark book
A Pass designation will be based on whether the student has successfully been able to
demonstrate an understanding of the Ministry expectations for that assignment.
Semester Deadline for Handing in Assignments:
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Students will have until 10 school days prior to the start of the exam period to hand in any
outstanding assignments that were not handed in prior to the assignment being marked and
returned to the students. These assignments will receive a Pass/Fail designation and be
recorded as a Level One.
Determining a Final Grade:
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Teachers will use their professional judgment when determining a final grade. Most recent,
most consistent, the weight of each assignment, and any extenuating circumstances should be
considered.
The teacher should take into consideration all evidence gathered through observations,
conversations, and student products.
The teacher will consider the evidence of all tests/exams or assignments for evaluation that the
student has completed or submitted the number of tests/exams or assignments for evaluation
that the student has not completed or submitted, and the evidence of achievement that is
available for each overall expectation.
Teachers will “ensure that mark deduction [for late and missed assignments] will not result in a
percentage mark that, in the professional judgement of the teacher, misrepresents the
student’s actual achievement” Growing Success
Strategies to Assist Students with Assignment completion and Lateness
• asking the student to clarify the reason for not completing the assignment;
• helping students develop better time-management skills;
• collaborating with other staff to prepare a part- or full-year calendar of major assignment dates
for every class;
• planning for major assignments to be completed in stages, so that students are less likely to be
faced with an all-or-nothing situation at the last minute;
• maintaining ongoing communication with students and/or parents about due dates and late
assignments, and scheduling conferences with parents if the problem persists;
• in secondary schools, referring the student to the Student Success team or teacher;
• taking into consideration legitimate reasons for missed deadlines;
• setting up a student contract;
• using counseling or peer tutoring to try to deal positively with problems;
• holding teacher-student conferences;
• reviewing whether students require special education services;
• requiring the student to work with a school team to complete the assignment;
• providing alternative assignments or tests/exams where, in the teacher’s professional judgment,
it is reasonable and appropriate to do so;