Course Calendar
Levels of achievement of the curriculum expectations are presented in achievement charts in each of the Ministry of Education's policy documents. These charts are organized into four broad categories of knowledge and skills:
- knowledge/understanding;
- thinking/inquiry;
- communication;
- application/making connections.
The names of the categories may vary slightly to reflect the differences in the specific nature of each subject. The charts contain descriptions of each level of achievement in each category; these are broad in scope and general in nature, but they provide a framework for all assessment and evaluation practices. The achievement levels will enable teachers to make consistent judgements about the quality of students' work and to give clear and specific information about their achievement to their parents. The achievement levels are associated with percentage grades and defined as follows:
- 80 - 100% (Level 4)--A very high to outstanding level of achievement above the provincial standard.
- 70 - 79% (Level 3)--A high level of achievement, at the provincial standard.
- 60 - 69% (Level 2)--A moderate level of achievement, but approaching the provincial standard.
- 50 - 59% (Level 1)--A passable level of achievement, below the provincial standard.
- Below 50% - Insufficient achievement of the curriculum expectations, no credit granted.
The main purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. Information gathered through ongoing, varied assessment in our classes helps teachers identify students' strengths and those areas needing improvement. Assessment is the process of gathering information from a variety of sources, including assignments, demonstrations, projects, performances, observations, and discussions. This information should demonstrate how well students are achieving curriculum expectations. As part of assessment, teachers, peers, and individual students provide descriptive feedback that guides efforts for improvement. Assessment is fair, transparent, ongoing and supportive.
Evaluation is the process of judging the quality of a student's work on the basis of established performance standards and assigning a value to represent that quality. It reflects a student's level of achievement of the overall curriculum expectations at a given time. In order to ensure that assessment and evaluation are valid and reliable and that they lead to the improvement of student learning, teachers will use practices and procedures that:
- are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students;
- support all students, including those with special needs and those who are learning the language of instruction;
- are carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals, and as much as possible to the interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences of all students;
- are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the school year or course and at other appropriate points throughout the school year or course;
- develop students’ self-assessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning.
- provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement;
- are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;
Please note that all final exams for Nimbus Christian Education must be proctored. Please review our Proctoring Policy.
As stated in Ontario Schools: Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Program Requirements, 2016 (OS), every student must complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities as part of the requirements for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). The purpose of the community involvement requirement is to encourage students to develop awareness and understanding of civic responsibility and of the role they can play and the contributions they can make in supporting and strengthening their communities. NCE encourages student community involvement and will provide students with a list of suggested activities as requested. Students are responsible for submitting a notification of planned activities sheet for approval prior to their service and a completion of planned activities sheet following their service. The community involvement requirements include:
- A minimum of 40 hours
- Completed outside of scheduled class time
- Not part of a credit course
- Must be service for which no one receives payment
- Completed by the end of grade 12
Students entering Grade 9 may begin their community involvement during the summer of the year they begin Grade 9. Students need not complete any hours in a particular year but may choose to complete the required hours according to any schedule.
More details can be found at: www.edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/124a.html
Students must earn the following 18 credits in order to obtain the Ontario Secondary School Diploma*:
- 4 credits in English (one credit per grade)
- 3 credits in Mathematics (at least 1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)
- 2 credits in Science
- 1 credit in Canadian History
- 1 credit in Canadian Geography
- 1 credit in The Arts (visual art, drama or music)
- 1 credit in Health and Physical Education
- 1 credit in French as a Second Language
- .5 credit in Career Studies
- .5 credit in Civics
- Plus one credit from each of the following groups:
- 1 additional credit in English, or any course in French as a Second Language, or any course in a Native language, or any course in a Classical or an International Language, or any course in the Social Sciences and the Humanities or Canadian and World Studies or Guidance and Career Education, or Cooperative Education
- 1 additional credit in Health and Physical Education, or The Arts, or Business Studies, or French as a Second Language, or Cooperative Education
- 1 additional credit in Science (Grade 11 or 12) or Technological Education (Grades 9-12), or French as a Second Language or Computer Studies or Cooperative Education
*Note - that a maximum of 3 English as a Second Language (ESL) credits may be counted towards the 4 compulsory courses in English, but the fourth must be a credit earned for a Grade 12 compulsory English course. A maximum of 2 cooperative education credits can count as compulsory credits. In Groups 1, 2, and 3 a maximum of 2 credits in French as a second language can count as compulsory credits, one from group 1 and one from either group 2 or group 3.
- In addition to the compulsory credits, students must complete:
- 12 optional credits
- 40 hours of community involvement
- the provincial literacy requirements
Students in Grade 11-12 may also gain credits and experience through the Cooperative Education program. There is also opportunity for credits through Peer Helping. This occurs when students assist in a classroom situation or assist another student on a regular basis. Both Co-op and Peer Helping credits are available to Canadian and International students.
Cooperative Education courses are described in the document “Cooperative Education and Other Forms of Experiential Learning: Policy and Procedures for Ontario Secondary Schools, 2018". A Leadership and Peer Support, Grade 11 credit (GPP3O) is described in “The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Guidance and Career Education, 2018". With over 50 different placement possibilities, students work in areas of business, science, education, trades and many more. The community is our classroom.
The first character indicates the subject area:
For example:
2 = Grade 10
3 = Grade 11
4 = Grade 12
W = Destreamed
The Ontario Student Transcript (OST) is a provincially standardized document that provides a comprehensive record of a student's achievement in secondary school. The credits that a student has earned towards fulfilment of the requirements for graduation will be recorded on the OST.
In Grades 9 and 10, the student's achievement with percentage grades earned and the credits earned are recorded for successfully completed courses. In Grades 11 and 12, the student's achievement for all courses taken or attempted is recorded, showing percentage grades earned, credits granted (if successful), or "W" for "withdrawn before completion." (Students repeating a course for which they have already received a credit will have all marks recorded, but only one credit granted). Identification of any course that has been substituted for a compulsory course will be made. Also, confirmation that the student has completed the mandatory requirements of Community Involvement and the Literacy Test will be noted.
Prior learning includes the knowledge and skills that students have acquired, in both formal and informal ways, outside secondary school. Where such learning has occurred outside Ontario classrooms, students enrolled in Ontario secondary schools and inspected private schools may have their skills and knowledge evaluated against the expectations outlined in provincial curriculum policy documents in order to earn credits towards the secondary school diploma. PLAR procedures are carried out under the direction of the school principal, who grants credits in accordance with PPM129: Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition: Implementation in Ontario Secondary Schools.
The PLAR process involves two components: “challenge” and equivalency. The “challenge process” refers to the process whereby students’ prior learning is assessed for the purpose of granting credit for a course developed from a provincial curriculum policy document. Assessment instruments for this process must include formal tests (70 percent of the final mark) and a variety of other assessment strategies appropriate to the particular course (30 per cent of the final mark). Such strategies may include the evaluation of student work, including written assignments and laboratory work, and observation of student performance. Determining equivalency involves the assessment of credentials from other jurisdictions. Full policy documents for the PLAR process are available by contacting the Principal.
Ongoing and transparent communication in regards to achievement is vital to student success in any learning environment. Nimbus Christian Education’s LMS provides this high level of feedback for parents/guardians and students and will be the primary source of information throughout the course.
Additionally, the school will communicate in a variety of other formats including, but not limited to:
- A mid-term report with grades issued via email upon completion of approximately 50% of the course content in a given course and at the end of each course after the final exam has been completed.
- A final report issued via email, NCE adopts the Ministry of Education's directive that "seventy per cent of the grade will be based on assessments and evaluations conducted throughout the course. Thirty percent of the grade will be based on a final evaluation in the form of an examination, performance, essay, and/or other method of evaluation suitable to the course content and administered towards the end of the course."
- Regular video conferences between student and teacher.
- At least one parent/teacher conference after the midterm report card via phone or video conference.
A student who has successfully completed the requirements for one of the following may count a maximum of one non-Grade 12 university/college preparation credit (Music-External (Conservatory, AMX3M) towards the OSSD in addition to any other non-Grade 12 university/college preparation music credits earned in the school:
- Grade VII Practical and Intermediate Rudiments of the Royal Conservatory of Music,Toronto
- Grade VII Practical and Grade III Theory of Conservatory Canada, London, Ontario
- Collegial I Practical and Collegial I Theory of any conservatory of music in the province of Quebec
- Grade V Practical and Grade III Theory of Trinity College, London, England
- Grade VII Practical and Grade VI Theory of the Royal Schools of Music, London,England
- Grade VIII Practical and Advanced Rudiments of the Royal Conservatory of Music,Toronto
- Grade VIII Practical and Grade IV Theory of Conservatory Canada, London, Ontario
- Collegial II Practical and Collegial II Theory of any conservatory of music in the province of Quebec
- Grade VI Practical and Grade IV Theory of Trinity College, London, England
- Grade VIII Practical and Grade VIII Theory of the Royal Schools of Music, London, England
Students in the province of Ontario are required to attend school until they reach the age of 18 or until they have obtained an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Regular attendance in any learning environment is imperative to success. Irregular or infrequent attendance diminishes the student’s learning experience. In order for learning to occur a student must be present within the learning environment.
Review the complete Nimbus Christian Education Attendance Policy.
It is the duty and responsibility of the Principal to enforce the consequences when people do not obey the code of behaviour expected of all people within our online school community. Nimbus Christian Education (NCE) is committed to maintaining a Safe Online School Environment. Protection of a person's dignity and self-image.
Please review this document to see the Nimbus Christian Education Code of Conduct.
As a provider of online courses, Nimbus Christian Education does not offer a full program of student guidance services. We do believe that each student is capable of being successful and will seek to support that student in setting and meeting goals that will lead to success. The primary responsibility for this will fall on the course teacher who is available to support the student as needed throughout the course. Students are also encouraged to connect with the Principal in regards to course planning or post secondary planning.
Students in need of extra support within the online learning environment should contact the principal to discuss opportunities for support. This level of support may be at an additional cost to the student and may include one-one tutoring, educational testing, or face to face meetings.
For specific supports that Nimbus Christian Education is prepared to provide please refer to our Accommodations or Modifications document.
Students whose first language is not English may require additional support in order to be successful in Nimbus Christian Education courses. This support may be arranged by the Principal at an extra cost to the student and will be addressed on a case by case basis during the enrollment process.
Students who leave school before fulfilling the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma or the Ontario Secondary School Certificate may be granted a Certificate of Accomplishment. The Certificate of Accomplishment may be a useful means of recognizing achievement for students who plan to take certain vocational programs or other kinds of further training, or who plan to find employment after leaving school.
Students who return to school to complete additional credit and non-credit courses will have their transcript updated, but will not be issued a new Certificate of Accomplishment.
There are alternatives to the OSSD available to students in Ontario who are unable or do not intend to complete its full requirements. NCE does not currently offer these alternatives.
The Ontario Secondary School Certificate (OSSC) will be granted on request to students who leave school before earning the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, provided that they have earned a minimum of 14 credits distributed as follows:
Compulsory Credits (total of 7)
- 2 credits in English
- 1 credit in Mathematics
- 1 credit in Science
- 1 credit in Canadian History or Canadian Geography
- 1 credit in Health and Physical Education
- 1 credit in the Arts, Computer Studies or Technological Education
The provisions for making substitutions for compulsory credits described below also apply to the Ontario Secondary School Certificate.
Grades 9 and 10
Schools in Ontario will no longer stream students into Academic and Applied courses in Grade 9.
Academic Courses (D)
Applied Courses (P)
Open Courses (O)
Grades 11 and 12
Secondary School courses in grade 11 and 12 are organized into five types: University (U), University/College (M), College (C), Workplace (E), and Open (O) courses. These courses differ in how a student is prepared to continue their education in various aspects of life.
University/College Courses (M)
College Courses (C)
Workplace Courses (E)
