GVSD Teachers Rise to the Challenge Amidst Provincial Assessment Suspension
Pembroke, NB
– When the provincial ELA 40S assessment was suddenly suspended, teachers in the Greater Victoria School District (GVSD) quickly adapted and created their own exam to ensure students still received a fair and accurate measure of their knowledge. “Our teachers rose to the challenge and went above and beyond to provide our students with a meaningful and valid assessment experience,” said Superintendent Dan Ward. “We are immensely proud of their dedication and hard work.” The provincial ELA 40S exam, typically administered to Grade 12 English students, was suspended in February due to concerns about the fairness and accuracy of the assessment. This left GVSD teachers with the responsibility of developing and administering a replacement exam. “We had a very short window of time to create a new exam, but our teachers were determined to minimize the disruption for our students,” said Ward. “They worked tirelessly to develop a fair and challenging exam that met the provincial curriculum requirements.” The replacement exam was administered in March and was designed to assess students’ reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. GVSD teachers also provided students with feedback and support throughout the assessment process. “Our students performed exceptionally well on the replacement exam,” said Ward. “This demonstrates the high quality of teaching and learning that is happening in our district.” The GVSD is not the only school district that had to create a replacement exam after the suspension of the provincial ELA 40S assessment. However, it is one of the few districts to have successfully implemented a district-wide exam. “We are sharing our resources and expertise with other school districts across the province to help them develop their own replacement exams,” said Ward. “We are all committed to ensuring that our students receive a fair and equitable assessment experience.” The suspension of the provincial ELA 40S assessment has been a learning experience for both teachers and administrators. It has demonstrated the importance of flexibility, adaptability, and collaboration in the face of unexpected challenges. “We are grateful to our teachers for their hard work and dedication,” said Ward. “They have shown that anything is possible with a positive attitude and a willingness to collaborate.”Dan Ward, superintendent of the Garden Valley School Division (GVSD), says teachers “rose to the challenge” of taking an exam after the sudden suspension of the provincial ELA 40S assessment. The ELA 40S assessment was scheduled to take place on May 10, but was suspended by the province due to concerns about the fairness and validity of the exam. The suspension of the exam left many teachers and students in a state of uncertainty, as they had spent months preparing for the assessment. In response to the suspension of the exam, the GVSD decided to administer its own exam to Grade 12 English Language Arts students. The exam was developed by GVSD teachers and was based on the provincial curriculum. Ward says the exam was a success, and that students were able to demonstrate their learning. He also praised the teachers for their dedication and hard work in developing and administering the exam on short notice. “Our teachers rose to the challenge and did an excellent job of developing and administering an exam that was fair and valid,” said Ward. “I am proud of the work that our teachers and students have done.” The GVSD is one of several school divisions in Manitoba that decided to administer its own exam after the suspension of the provincial ELA 40S assessment. The Winnipeg School Division and the Seven Oaks School Division are also among the school divisions that have decided to administer their own exams. The suspension of the ELA 40S assessment has been a controversial issue. Some parents and educators have expressed concerns about the fairness and validity of the exam, while others have argued that the exam is an important measure of student achievement. The province has said that it is reviewing the ELA 40S assessment and that it will make a decision about the future of the exam in the coming months.