Secondary Cycle I Report Card
School Team Workshop
Questions and Answers from
June 21, 2006
Development of the Secondary Cycle I
Report Card


Current version of the report card
was developed by the Report Card
Committee (04-05) with more
recent input from the Secondary
Principals.
The current version respects the
requirements of the Basic School
Regulations.
Question and Answer Format
What are your questions with respect to the
new Report Card? Questions were divided
into five categories:





Legends and Scales
Subject Competencies
Cross-Curricular Competencies
Special Needs Students, and
Other Questions
LEGENDS & SCALES
Legends and Scales
Why are there two letters representing
failure (e.g. D & E) and why are the
ranges so large?
Generally,
we build rubrics with 4 levels,
however the MELS requires 5 levels.
The
levels and ranges used in this report
card will be familiar to English teachers as
the same as those used to mark the Sec. V
MELS English exam.
Levels
D & E allow a child who is struggling
but still progressing to show improvement.
Legends and Scales
Why is 85% considered to be an “A” or
highly satisfactory?
MELS
designates the ranges
Generally
speaking parents will
understand an “A” to be 85% and
above. This is the same as an “A” at
McGill, for example.
Legends and Scales
How can 71%(only 11% points above
passing) be considered “very satisfactory”?
“Very
This
satisfactory” applies to a range of marks
range indicates that the student’s progress
so far is very satisfactory: not “highly
satisfactory” but more than just “satisfactory”.
Legends and Scales
Is there a possibility to divide the ranges
and use + and - (e.g. A+ or A)?
No,
we cannot change the ranges. However,
the comments section can be used to further
describe the students progress within the
range.
Legends and Scales
Assigning marks does not seem to be
consistent with the Portfolio method.


A portfolio is more than a collection of
material. Selecting material for inclusion in
the portfolio is a learning process: students
learn how to evaluate their own work and
choose their best work to include. This
work can be evaluated based upon how
well it reflects the development of a specific
competency.
Portfolios may also be used in subjects like
mathematics.
Legends and Scales
How do you reconcile a letter grade with
a range of marks for 7 terms with one
End of Cycle mark?



Each of the 7 reporting periods allow for reporting
the student’s progress in developing the
competency. The final mark should clearly represent
where the student stands with respect to the End of
Cycle Outcomes.
Evaluation is based upon a variety of assessment
methods and can include tests, assignments,
teacher’s judgement, running records, discussions
etc.
The MELS may propose a ponderation scale for the
competencies which may make it easier to
determine a final grade.
Legends and Scales
How do you decide on an End of Cycle
mark if the student changes teachers
between Year 1 and Year 2?



Good communication between members of
the Cycle Team is important.
The Year 2 teacher will have access to the
most recent evidence of the student’s
current competency level.
Another approach is for teachers to “loop”
(teach the same students for both years of
the cycle).
Legends and Scales
How can we compare a child’s
performance to his/her peers when a
parent wants to know?
The Report Card is also accompanied by a
Guide for Parents which helps explain the
legends and scales.
The
Comments Section can help a teacher
explain this.
Student
led conferences and portfolios
may also help parents understand how
their child is doing as compared to his/her
cohort.
Legends and Scales
What is the meaning of NR vs. AR? Does
NR mean the competency has not been
addressed?



NR means Not Reported (as in not reported at this
time)
AR means Alternate Report (the assessment of
this competency will be found in an Alternate
Report)
NR does not mean that you will not address that
competency in future.
Legends and Scales
Can you enter more than 1 ‘mark’? For
example, an E and an AR?

No, you cannot enter two different marks.
SUBJECT SPECIFIC
COMPETENCIES
Subject Specific Competencies
Is there a limit to the number of
characters allotted for personalized
teacher comments?

Yes, there is a limit. A Word Template is
available for use to help you format your
comments and keep your comments within
the space allotted.
Subject Specific Competencies
Are the competencies balanced on this
report card?

It is possible that MELS will announce a
weighting or ponderation for different
competencies for the end of cycle mark.
Subject Specific Competencies
Do we need to report on each
competency on every communication?

Not necessarily. For the most part you
should be reporting on all the Subject
Competencies, but there may be occasions
where you have not addressed and/or
evaluated a particular competency during
one reporting period. In this case, an NR
(Not Reported) may be used.
Subject Specific Competencies
Do we have to report on Geography &
History during every reporting period?


Teachers are encouraged to integrate the
teaching, and consequently the evaluation,
of the two subjects. However, this is the
teachers choice.
A focus group will be meeting in the fall to
address some of these issues.
Subject Specific Competencies
How does the School Board plan to make
teachers comfortable with the new
competencies?




Cycle I teachers were offered QEP training last year (0405).
A plan for Professional Development for 2006-2007 was
presented on June 21st. Many ESD Offers of Service
relate to the QEP and competency based assessment.
August 28th is a full day workshop focused on authentic
assessment for school based teams involved in the June
21st workshop.
Subject area consultants are available to help you.
Subject Specific Competencies
Will departments have to meet to create
rubrics?


Yes. However, there are banks of rubrics
already available on the ESD website for
the elementary level that could be
adjusted, as opposed to starting from
scratch.
In addition, rubrics are available from
other sources and ESD subject
consultants are available to help you.
Subject Specific Competencies
One of the Physical Education and Health
Competencies is “adopts a healthy,
active lifestyle”. What constitutes a
healthy lifestyle and how do we
measure it?


The Key Features of each Competency are broken
down in detail in the QEP and the Evaluation Criteria
are listed. In this example, healthy lifestyle
indicators are found on page 443.
In addition, for this specific competency, one SWLSB
school has developed an information sheet which
moves between the home and school and helps
inform physical education teachers about the
healthy, active lifestyle activities of students outside
of the classroom.
Subject Specific Competencies
In the Visual Arts, what does the term
‘appreciates’ mean? Can we change this
word to make the meaning clearer? Can you
suggest ways to evaluate “appreciation”?


The language of the competency cannot be
changed.
The term “appreciates” can have different
meanings in general usage. However, as with the
previous question, the QEP describes the Key
Features of this competency and provides
concrete examples of what appreciation means
and how to evaluate it.
Subject Specific Competencies
Shouldn’t “examines” social phenomena
by evaluated a certain way?


Examines can have a few different
meanings.
Referring to the Key Features of the
competency will provide a comprehensive
explanation of what “examines social
phenomena” in QEP terms. (For example:
“finds out about the context of the period”;
“reflects on social phenomena using
chronological reference points” . . . . )
Subject Specific Competencies
Why are there three competencies in French
at the Secondary level compared to only two
at the elementary level?
 Lire
des textes variés en français (base) ou Lire des
testes courants et littéraires en français (enrichi) was
added so that students can develop their abilities to
assimilate content read, heard or produced (base) OR
to read and interpret more complex literary texts
(enrichi).
 Some expectations of this competency are to analyse
various types of texts and to recognize the different
intentions those texts carry. This competency implies
the development of critical thinking and of the
appreciation for the cultural aspects of the language.
CROSS CURRICULAR
COMPETENCIES
Cross-Curricular Competencies
Are the CCCs evaluated every term
or only at the end of cycle?

You are only required to report on the CCCs
at the End of the Cycle. However, you will
have to observe and assess the CCCs
throughout the cycle in order to report on
their development at the end of the cycle.
Consequently, your Cycle Team may decide
to report on them more frequently than at
the end of the cycle.
Cross-Curricular Competencies
Who fills in this form? Is it done as a
team of teachers? Does the student get
one over-all evaluation or 1 per
teacher?


Evaluation and reporting of the CCCs is decided by
the Cycle Team and approved by the Principal.
The QEP warns against limiting the evaluation of a
CCC to one subject area (e.g. limiting “solves
problems” to solving situation problems in
Mathematics). The CCC are necessary skills for
learning in all of the subject areas and will be
needed for work in most employment areas. The
CCCs very similar to the Conference Board of
Canada’s list of Essential Work Skills.
Cross-Curricular Competencies
Where will the time necessary for the
completion of CCCs be taken from? Who
evaluates the CCCs in a school of 1300
students?


The good news for teachers adjusting to the new report
card is that reporting on the CCCs will be implemented
slowly. For the year 2006-2007 teachers are not
required to report on the CCCs. By July 1, 2007, Cycle I
Secondary teachers will be required to report on a
minimum of one of the nine CCCs.
The addition of the Cross Curricular Competencies may
seem to add to the teacher’s workload, but the QEP
notes that there is really nothing new about teachers
observing how a student learns, works, interacts with
others and achieves his/her potential.
Cross Curricular Competencies
How can the CCCs be evaluated?


The QEP refers to both teacher assessment and
student assessment for evaluating the CCCs (QEP
pg. 34). The Student Self Evaluation Sheet,
available for use with the report card, may be
helpful for this.
The exact evaluation and reporting process for the
CCCs is determined by the Cycle Team and approved
by the Principal. For more information about the
CCCs refer to the document: L’Évaluation des
Compétences Transversales at:
http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/dgfj/comitepea.htm
Students with Special Needs
If a student receives a 60% (C) in Term
1 and a 70% in Term 2 (also a C) there
is no progression in the letter value of
the grade. This is not motivating for the
child.

The teacher can indicate the progress made
by the student through the comments on
the report card and also explain this to the
parent(s) at parent/teacher interviews.
Students with Special Needs
Is there a place in the report card to
mention that a student is following a
modified program?

The anecdotal report would describe the
modified program in detail.
Students with Special Needs
Are special needs students still evaluated
on the competencies or just on the
content of the program through an
anecdotal report?


Special needs students can still develop
competencies and teachers can still evaluate
competency development.
Which competencies are evaluated and how they are
evaluated depend upon the modifications to the
program and teacher judgment.
OTHER QUESTIONS
Other Questions
Is the reason why the report looks so busy
because it is bilingual? And, if so, is this
necessary if it is not a legal requirement?


A bilingual report is not legally necessary, but
will be very helpful to parents who read more
fluently in French. The purpose of the report
card is to report to parents.
The elementary report card currently in use is
also bilingual.
Other Questions
PAPER! What about the environmental
implications of a multi-page report?

It is true that the report card uses a lot of
paper. However, we must report on all
competencies. In the future, there may be
the possibility of using the portal and PDF
files.
Other Questions
Is the expectation that this report be
applied to all of Cycle I?

Yes.
Are absences/lates to be recorded by the
teacher?

These can be recorded through GPI in a
similar manner as they are now.
Other Questions
Can we use the assignment part of the
GPI to generate results and transfer
them to GPI, as is done today?


We are not sure this approach will work
with letter grades.
The evaluation of a competency is based
upon progress made in the development of
the competency; it is not the same as the
average of all the marks gathered
throughout term.
Other Questions
Does the reporting coincide with
the terms?


Terms and communications are not
necessarily the same thing.
The report card as a communication tool
does not determine the number of terms in
a school year.
Other Questions
Are teacher's comments expected to be
as extensive as at the elementary
level?

Teachers can choose how to approach the
comments section for their subject area.
Other Questions
May we resort to using the “3” classes of
comments: for example, context;
“canned” comments; and anecdotal
comments?

You can access a bank of comments, create
your own standardized message, or use a
combination of standardized and personal
messages.
Other Questions
Who places students for Cycle II?



The final decision for placement is the
responsibility of the school principal. This
decision is made in consultation with the
team of teachers and parents.
The Cycle Team will have to discuss criteria
for retention.
More information about the three pathways
for Secondary Cycle II will be available in
August.
Secondary Cycle I Report Card
School Team Workshop
Questions and Answers from
June 21, 2006