Links to curriculum documents
Immersion: https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/french-immersion
- Grade 7 & 8's will be following the renewed curriculum guides.
OPA Communication Plan
Communicating Student Learning 2022-2023
We value a collaborative approach to educating children. Students, teachers, and parents/guardians can all work effectively together when they have a shared understanding of expectations and achievements. This plan outlines the means by which we will achieve improved communication between school and home.
The policy indicates that the basis for assessing and evaluating student learning will be the expected learning outcomes established by the Nova Scotia Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD). These outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and attitudes the student will demonstrate by the end of each grade level.
At Oyster Pond Academy, we are learning new strategies to implement an approach to teaching and learning called the “Outcomes Framework”. Outcomes are a set of statements that describe what children are expected to know, to be able to do and to understand at various points in their development from grades primary to twelve. This document will explain how we intend to communicate these expectations and how your child will be assessed in relation to them.
Framing our daily work in our school is the Inclusive Education Policy. Inclusive education is a commitment to ensuring a high-quality, culturally and linguistically responsive and equitable education to support the well-being and achievement of every student. It is our goal to ensure that all of our students feel that they belong in an inclusive school—accepted, safe, and valued—so they can best learn and succeed.
The Inclusive Education Policy https://www.ednet.ns.ca/docs/inclusiveeducationpolicyen.pdf reflects the importance of the well-being of all students and the impact it has on their achievements. Inclusive schools are equitable, and culturally, linguistically, and socially responsive. They have structures, processes, and practices that are student-centred, appropriate, and collaborative.
Teachers Communicating with Parent/Guardians and Students
Parents and families are in integral part of the team in supporting student success in learning. Our teachers communicate with parent/guardians in a variety of ways (emails, phone calls, communication logs, Program Planning Meetings, parent response forms on report cards and assessments, SWIFT-K etc.). To access staff email addresses, parents are invited visit our website at http://opa.hrce.ca/
Parents/guardians can access PowerSchool to find information about attendance, class work and assessment. Parents should also feel free to contact teachers regarding their child’s progress either through a note, a phone call or by an appointment. Parents who have a concern about their child’s progress or any other issue regarding their child should first contact the child’s classroom (or subject) teacher. Following this, parents who wish may contact school administration.
Tools for Assessment and Evaluation
We have defined assessment as the process of gathering information from a variety of sources and information that accurately reflects how well a student is achieving the learning outomes in a subject or course so that we gain a more accurate picture of what students know and are able to do. We refer to this as balanced assessment.
Assessment is the process of gathering, from a variety of sources, information that accurately reflects how well a student is achieving the learning outcomes in a subject or course. The action that is taken in response to an assessment determines its formative or summative nature.
Formative Assessment involves the ongoing process of gathering and interpreting evidence about student learning for the purpose of determining where students are in their learning, where they need to go, and how best to get there. The information gathered is used by teachers to provide descriptive feedback and adjust instruction and by students to focus their learning. Assessment for learning is a high impact instructional strategy that takes place while the student is still learning and serves to promote learning.
Summative Assessment is the process of collecting and interpreting evidence for the purpose of summarizing learning at a given point in time, to make judgments about the quality of student learning on the basis of established criteria, and to assign a value to represent that quality. The information gathered may be used to communicate the student’s achievement to parents/guardians, other teachers, students themselves, and others. It occurs at or near the end of a cycle of learning.
Evaluation is the process of analyzing, reflecting upon, and summarizing assessment information and making judgments and/or decisions based upon the information gathered (e.g; to determine student achievement of the learning outcomes for the purposes of grading and reporting).
At Oyster Pond Academy, our teachers use a variety of ways to assess student progress:
Reading Records teachers gather information about student strengths to plan next steps for further learning.
Observation/Anecdotal Records/Checklists specific methods that support continuous gathering of information on student learning.
Rubrics are specific criteria that the teacher or class establishes for an activity or a piece of work, against which their work will be measured.
Work samples collected and dated daily assignments.
Reports, projects, presentations.
Journals – informal writing shared among students and teachers.
Models – two or three-dimensional representation or construction.
Performances – skits, puppet shows, public speaking, debates, plays, role-playing, singing and dance, instrumental music.
Tests/Quizzes – a time limited written or oral response to teacher questions on a specific concept.
Goal Setting – collaborative process among student, teachers and parents/guardians to establish goals the child will work towards over a specified period of time.
Peer and Self-Evaluation – Students assessing own and each other’s work using clear guidelines.
Conferencing – discussion between student and teacher regarding student accomplishments.
Work Samples – collected and dated daily assignments.
Teachers will use some combination of the above to ensure a balanced assessment of each student but may not use all of the above methods of assessment.
Once teachers have gathered the assessment information, we must make sense of it by evaluating student learning. Evaluation involves weighing and balancing all available information and using professional judgement in making decisions based upon that information. It is important for teachers to share this information with students and parents so that we can collaborate in supporting each child’s learning.
Report Cards
The purpose of the report card is to provide a student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) with a summary of how well a student understands what is being taught, and their level of academic achievement and social development. Report cards are used in addition to other forms of communication between home and school. Report cards for grade 7-12 have four parts:
Attendance - Reports the number of days the student was absent from school.
Learner Profile – Reports on the overall social development and work habits that are displayed over the reporting period. The codes are based on the grade level expectations for the social development and work habits:
C – Consistently
U – Usually
S – Sometimes
R – Rarely
N/A – Not applicable
Course comments – A short summary of what the student has demonstrated, which includes:
Strengths (areas of the curriculum where your child is having success);
Learning needs (areas of the curriculum where your child is still developing);and
Suggestions to support further learning.
Grades - Grades represent academic achievement only. Although social development and work habits impact student achievement, they are reported in the Learner Profile. Grades are based on the evidence of student learning and understanding of the curriculum concepts and skills taught in the classroom. Evidence is collected over time in a variety of ways.
The report card includes descriptors (ie; excellent, very good, well-developed, developed, etc.) and qualitative words to describe how well a student understands the material covered and how well they can apply concepts and skills in relation to the learning outcomes for each subject.
Grades 7-9 Report Card:
90 – 100% - Demonstrates excellent understanding and application of concepts and skills in relation to the learning outcomes.
80-89% - Demonstrates very good understanding and application of concepts and skills in relation to the learning outcomes.
70-79% - Demonstrates good understanding and application of concepts and skills in relation to the learning outcomes.
60-69% - Demonstrates satisfactory understanding and application of concepts and skills in relation to the learning outcomes.
50-59% - Demonstrates minimal understanding and application of concepts and skills in relation to the learning outcomes.
Below 50% - Has not met minimum requirements of the course
INS - Insufficient evidence to determine a grade
IP - In progress until all components of the course are completed.
NA- Not applicable at this time. (Used only for reporting in strands in Mathematics grades 7 & 8)
Children Requiring Additional Support
The school is committed to supporting the learning of all students. Students who are identified needing adaptations to their program or in need of an Individualized Program Plan (IPP), will be referred to the school’s program planning team. Teachers will communicate to parents the programming adaptations required for assessing and evaluating achievement and growth relative to the expected learning outcomes. IPP’s include information on how the student’s progress and achievement are assessed, evaluated, and communicated. When reporting on the achievement of students on IPP’s, evaluations are based on the student’s progress in meeting the specific individualized outcomes
For Further Information
The Halifax Regional Center policy on student assessment and evaluation can be accessed by visiting the board’s website: www.hrce.ca
Websites of Interest
• Curriculum information:
https://sapps.ednet.ns.ca/Cart/index.php?UID=20150922093827142.227.246.2
• Public School Program and Course Options:
https://www.ednet.ns.ca/program-and-course-options
• Assessment, Evaluation, and Communication of Student Learning Policy
https://www.hrce.ca/sites/default/files/hrsb/Downloads/pdf/board/policy/sectionC/C.007-student-assessment.pdf
We value a collaborative approach to educating children. Students, teachers, and parents/guardians can all work effectively together when they have a shared understanding of expectations and achievements. This plan outlines the means by which we will achieve improved communication between school and home.
The policy indicates that the basis for assessing and evaluating student learning will be the expected learning outcomes established by the Nova Scotia Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD). These outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and attitudes the student will demonstrate by the end of each grade level.
At Oyster Pond Academy, we are learning new strategies to implement an approach to teaching and learning called the “Outcomes Framework”. Outcomes are a set of statements that describe what children are expected to know, to be able to do and to understand at various points in their development from grades primary to twelve. This document will explain how we intend to communicate these expectations and how your child will be assessed in relation to them.
Framing our daily work in our school is the Inclusive Education Policy. Inclusive education is a commitment to ensuring a high-quality, culturally and linguistically responsive and equitable education to support the well-being and achievement of every student. It is our goal to ensure that all of our students feel that they belong in an inclusive school—accepted, safe, and valued—so they can best learn and succeed.
The Inclusive Education Policy https://www.ednet.ns.ca/docs/inclusiveeducationpolicyen.pdf reflects the importance of the well-being of all students and the impact it has on their achievements. Inclusive schools are equitable, and culturally, linguistically, and socially responsive. They have structures, processes, and practices that are student-centred, appropriate, and collaborative.
Teachers Communicating with Parent/Guardians and Students
Parents and families are in integral part of the team in supporting student success in learning. Our teachers communicate with parent/guardians in a variety of ways (emails, phone calls, communication logs, Program Planning Meetings, parent response forms on report cards and assessments, SWIFT-K etc.). To access staff email addresses, parents are invited visit our website at http://opa.hrce.ca/
Parents/guardians can access PowerSchool to find information about attendance, class work and assessment. Parents should also feel free to contact teachers regarding their child’s progress either through a note, a phone call or by an appointment. Parents who have a concern about their child’s progress or any other issue regarding their child should first contact the child’s classroom (or subject) teacher. Following this, parents who wish may contact school administration.
Tools for Assessment and Evaluation
We have defined assessment as the process of gathering information from a variety of sources and information that accurately reflects how well a student is achieving the learning outomes in a subject or course so that we gain a more accurate picture of what students know and are able to do. We refer to this as balanced assessment.
Assessment is the process of gathering, from a variety of sources, information that accurately reflects how well a student is achieving the learning outcomes in a subject or course. The action that is taken in response to an assessment determines its formative or summative nature.
Formative Assessment involves the ongoing process of gathering and interpreting evidence about student learning for the purpose of determining where students are in their learning, where they need to go, and how best to get there. The information gathered is used by teachers to provide descriptive feedback and adjust instruction and by students to focus their learning. Assessment for learning is a high impact instructional strategy that takes place while the student is still learning and serves to promote learning.
Summative Assessment is the process of collecting and interpreting evidence for the purpose of summarizing learning at a given point in time, to make judgments about the quality of student learning on the basis of established criteria, and to assign a value to represent that quality. The information gathered may be used to communicate the student’s achievement to parents/guardians, other teachers, students themselves, and others. It occurs at or near the end of a cycle of learning.
Evaluation is the process of analyzing, reflecting upon, and summarizing assessment information and making judgments and/or decisions based upon the information gathered (e.g; to determine student achievement of the learning outcomes for the purposes of grading and reporting).
At Oyster Pond Academy, our teachers use a variety of ways to assess student progress:
Reading Records teachers gather information about student strengths to plan next steps for further learning.
Observation/Anecdotal Records/Checklists specific methods that support continuous gathering of information on student learning.
Rubrics are specific criteria that the teacher or class establishes for an activity or a piece of work, against which their work will be measured.
Work samples collected and dated daily assignments.
Reports, projects, presentations.
Journals – informal writing shared among students and teachers.
Models – two or three-dimensional representation or construction.
Performances – skits, puppet shows, public speaking, debates, plays, role-playing, singing and dance, instrumental music.
Tests/Quizzes – a time limited written or oral response to teacher questions on a specific concept.
Goal Setting – collaborative process among student, teachers and parents/guardians to establish goals the child will work towards over a specified period of time.
Peer and Self-Evaluation – Students assessing own and each other’s work using clear guidelines.
Conferencing – discussion between student and teacher regarding student accomplishments.
Work Samples – collected and dated daily assignments.
Teachers will use some combination of the above to ensure a balanced assessment of each student but may not use all of the above methods of assessment.
Once teachers have gathered the assessment information, we must make sense of it by evaluating student learning. Evaluation involves weighing and balancing all available information and using professional judgement in making decisions based upon that information. It is important for teachers to share this information with students and parents so that we can collaborate in supporting each child’s learning.
Report Cards
The purpose of the report card is to provide a student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) with a summary of how well a student understands what is being taught, and their level of academic achievement and social development. Report cards are used in addition to other forms of communication between home and school. Report cards for grade 7-12 have four parts:
Attendance - Reports the number of days the student was absent from school.
Learner Profile – Reports on the overall social development and work habits that are displayed over the reporting period. The codes are based on the grade level expectations for the social development and work habits:
C – Consistently
U – Usually
S – Sometimes
R – Rarely
N/A – Not applicable
Course comments – A short summary of what the student has demonstrated, which includes:
Strengths (areas of the curriculum where your child is having success);
Learning needs (areas of the curriculum where your child is still developing);and
Suggestions to support further learning.
Grades - Grades represent academic achievement only. Although social development and work habits impact student achievement, they are reported in the Learner Profile. Grades are based on the evidence of student learning and understanding of the curriculum concepts and skills taught in the classroom. Evidence is collected over time in a variety of ways.
The report card includes descriptors (ie; excellent, very good, well-developed, developed, etc.) and qualitative words to describe how well a student understands the material covered and how well they can apply concepts and skills in relation to the learning outcomes for each subject.
Grades 7-9 Report Card:
90 – 100% - Demonstrates excellent understanding and application of concepts and skills in relation to the learning outcomes.
80-89% - Demonstrates very good understanding and application of concepts and skills in relation to the learning outcomes.
70-79% - Demonstrates good understanding and application of concepts and skills in relation to the learning outcomes.
60-69% - Demonstrates satisfactory understanding and application of concepts and skills in relation to the learning outcomes.
50-59% - Demonstrates minimal understanding and application of concepts and skills in relation to the learning outcomes.
Below 50% - Has not met minimum requirements of the course
INS - Insufficient evidence to determine a grade
IP - In progress until all components of the course are completed.
NA- Not applicable at this time. (Used only for reporting in strands in Mathematics grades 7 & 8)
Children Requiring Additional Support
The school is committed to supporting the learning of all students. Students who are identified needing adaptations to their program or in need of an Individualized Program Plan (IPP), will be referred to the school’s program planning team. Teachers will communicate to parents the programming adaptations required for assessing and evaluating achievement and growth relative to the expected learning outcomes. IPP’s include information on how the student’s progress and achievement are assessed, evaluated, and communicated. When reporting on the achievement of students on IPP’s, evaluations are based on the student’s progress in meeting the specific individualized outcomes
For Further Information
The Halifax Regional Center policy on student assessment and evaluation can be accessed by visiting the board’s website: www.hrce.ca
Websites of Interest
• Curriculum information:
https://sapps.ednet.ns.ca/Cart/index.php?UID=20150922093827142.227.246.2
• Public School Program and Course Options:
https://www.ednet.ns.ca/program-and-course-options
• Assessment, Evaluation, and Communication of Student Learning Policy
https://www.hrce.ca/sites/default/files/hrsb/Downloads/pdf/board/policy/sectionC/C.007-student-assessment.pdf
Individual Communication Plans
Please click on the links below to access individual class communication plans. If you have any difficulty accessing the links, please send me an email.
702 FLA: docs.google.com/document/d/1-AOSbnW5SfrZZU1ATzqqtqUsYnONvYry15kw-QUhuGc/edit?usp=sharing
702 Sciences: docs.google.com/document/d/14rd1MdGAz7oCi9i4J8Ny2DKAj4gk_eTtN0urkJ4ThOo/edit?usp=sharing
802 FLA: docs.google.com/document/d/1-wwxbAQ2ICvwFIvVchYL2EwIoTz_jxkMNjUsOx1ZdQY/edit?usp=sharing
802 Sciences: docs.google.com/document/d/1PJDCx36V7YUzcCX706_oxR5Yr1K3z1dqg2qMAalK2Us/edit?usp=sharing
902 FLA: docs.google.com/document/d/1gAfU53HQDjAoOFHP6EQ88jqGYAaDnOlKMTgu89LnvYI/edit?usp=sharing
702 FLA: docs.google.com/document/d/1-AOSbnW5SfrZZU1ATzqqtqUsYnONvYry15kw-QUhuGc/edit?usp=sharing
702 Sciences: docs.google.com/document/d/14rd1MdGAz7oCi9i4J8Ny2DKAj4gk_eTtN0urkJ4ThOo/edit?usp=sharing
802 FLA: docs.google.com/document/d/1-wwxbAQ2ICvwFIvVchYL2EwIoTz_jxkMNjUsOx1ZdQY/edit?usp=sharing
802 Sciences: docs.google.com/document/d/1PJDCx36V7YUzcCX706_oxR5Yr1K3z1dqg2qMAalK2Us/edit?usp=sharing
902 FLA: docs.google.com/document/d/1gAfU53HQDjAoOFHP6EQ88jqGYAaDnOlKMTgu89LnvYI/edit?usp=sharing