High schoolers petition for mark freeze after COVID-19 learning disruptions – CBC

OCDSB says it planned for pandemic disruptions this school year

Jan 19, 2022

After a semester that saw massive disruptions during another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, some students in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) are calling for a freeze of their marks before end-of-semester exams and assignments.

Colonel By Secondary School students Kake Jin and Austin Wang, both in Grade 12, started the petition after hearing about a similar policy announced for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB).

“These large assessments that are coming up are huge stressors for students and I don’t necessarily think that during these uncertain times that it really reflects their learning,” Jin said.

Jin said she has peers who are vulnerable or have family members who are vulnerable to infection, making them worry returning to school. She said the disruption of remote learning this month has added even more stress.

The TDSB announced last Thursday that secondary students’ marks would not be “negatively affected” by the final evaluations of the semester, and teachers will only take marks assigned after Dec. 17 into consideration if they improve their standing in the course.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/student-petition-ocdsb-freeze-marking-1.6319301