Late and Misses Assignment Policy

Late Work Guidelines
The essence of Canadian Independent College’s job is to prepare each student for post secondary studies and life. Deadlines are an integral part of university and life in general. Students are expected to submit assignments promptly on the dates specified by teachers. In all instances, it is the student’s responsibility to complete tasks on time. If a student requires an extension due to school-related commitments, illness or other circumstance the student must negotiate the extension with his or her subject teacher. Subject teachers will support and assist students by working in collaboration with the principal or designate and arrange for modified assignments and/or due date extensions. In instances where a student has not negotiated an extension and an assignment deadline is missed, homework is incomplete or a class test is missed, the consequence will be determined on a case by case basis.
Responsibility of Teachers:

1. Teachers inform students that they are responsible for their behavior in the classroom and the school and for providing evidence of their achievement of the overall expectations of the curriculum.
2. Teachers specify the requirements for the completion of course work including the timeframe for completion and form of the work required.
3. Submitting assignments late is a learning skills issue and is best dealt with as such. Teachers should continue to help students understand the benefits of managing their time well, and should explicitly teach the skills that will enable students to effectively meet the expectations of the learning skills: responsibility, organization and independent work.

Student Responsibilities

1. Students are responsible for their behavior in the classroom and school.
2. Students are responsible for providing evidence of their achievement of the overall expectations of their course in the time frame and form specified by their teacher.

Suggested strategies to encourage timely submission of student work:
The following is a list of suggested strategies that teachers in their professional judgment may use to help prevent and/or address late and missed assignments. They include:

Planning for Success

1. Helping students develop better time-management skills;
2. Collaborating with other staff to prepare a part or full-year calendar of major assignment dates for every class;
3. Planning for major assignments to be completed in stages, so that students are less likely to be faced with an all-or-nothing situation at the last minute;
4. Maintaining ongoing communication with students and/or parents about due dates and late assignments, and scheduling conferences with parents if the problem persists;
5. Referring to student’s IEP for suggested accommodations/modifications;
6. Providing alternative forms of assignments;
7. Encouraging the use of assistive technology. Assisting Students to Complete their work.
8. Asking the student to clarify the reason for not completing the assignment;
9. In secondary schools, referring the student to the Student Success team, or teacher;
10. Taking into consideration legitimate reasons for missed deadlines;
11. Setting up a student contract;
12. Using counseling or peer tutoring to try to deal positively with problems;
13. Holding teacher-student conferences;
14. Providing alternative assignments or tests/exams where, in the teacher’s professional judgment, it is reasonable and appropriate to do so;
15. Deducting marks for late assignments, up to and including the full value of the assignment.

Additional Support:

1. Reviewing the need for extra support for English language learners
2. Reviewing whether students require special education services;
3. Requiring the student to work with a school team to complete the assignment;
4. For First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students, involving Aboriginal counselors and members of the extended family
5. Understanding and considering the cultures, histories, and contexts of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students and parents and their previous experiences with the school system.

(From Growing Success p.43)