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January 22, 2019

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Subject: Update – Curriculum and Communicating Student Learning

Over the last few years, the Ministry of Education, who is responsible for all curriculum design, has updated and unveiled a new curriculum for all subjects and all grades, kindergarten through to grade 12. The first wave of implementation, grades K to 9, was implemented in the fall of 2016. The grade 10 curriculum was implemented in 2017. The final implementation for grades 11 and 12 will occur in September 2019, along with the new graduation program for grades 10 to 12. 

"The B.C. Graduation Program sets the requirements to exit the K-12 education system and ensures that students are graduating from secondary school as educated citizens, with the knowledge, competencies, and skills they will need to transition successfully into higher education, training, or the workforce," (B.C. Graduation Program Policy Guide, Ministry of Education).

The modernization of the curriculum supports global changes related to the processing and application of information in the interconnected and digital age. The new curriculum continues to challenge students to think deeply about their learning, while pushing students to go beyond their current constructs to consider dynamic, real-world issues. Students continue to be provided with the key foundational skills of reading, writing and numeracy, as well as skills needed to problem solve and be successful in society. Critical thinking, communication, and personal and social core competencies are emphasized across all grades and areas of learning.

Graduation program (grades 10 to 12) – What is changing?                 

• Graduation Assessments: Starting in September 2019, there will be three assessments required for graduation:
• Grade 10 – Numeracy Assessment    - Introduced 2017/2018 
• Grade 10 – Literacy Assessment       - Introduced 2019/2020   
• Grade 12 – Literacy Assessment       - Introduced 2020/2021  
• Courses changes :
• Career Life Education (grade 10)
• Career Life Connections (grade 12)
• Capstone project (grade 12) 
• Daily Physical Activity will now be embedded into Physical and Health Education; it is no longer a standalone graduation requirement.

Graduation program (grades 10 to 12) – What is staying the same?         

• High curricular standards focused on foundational skills (reading, writing, numeracy).
• All students are still required to obtain at least 80 credits to graduate.
• Letter grades and/or percentages appear on formal reports and transcripts for all courses taken.
• No changes to independent directed studies, external credentials, course challenges, dual credit courses, equivalency credits or scholarships.
  

For more information on the Graduation Program (grades 10 to 12), please visit A parent's guide to the B.C. Graduation Program.

Assessment and Communicating Student Learning:

Communicating student learning (report cards) remains unchanged. For more information about report cards, please visit the Communicating Student Learning website section.

The North Vancouver School District is continually reviewing and enhancing how we communicate student learning to parents/guardians to provide greater clarity for families and meaningful communication between students, parents and teachers. In addition to report cards, there are parent teacher conferences and student self-assessments of the core curricular competencies. Several schools are also undertaking pilot projects that involve family conferences (student, parent, teacher) and online portfolios.

The North Vancouver School District and North Vancouver Parent Advisory Council will also be hosting an information night for parents in the spring about the new curriculum and communicating student learning. More information will be provided to parents about this event.

Sincerely,

Mark Pearmain

Superintendent

North Vancouver School District