Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

As of March 31st, the Ministry of Education announced that all publicly funded schools in Ontario, including Durham Continuing Education will remain closed until May 4, 2020, in order to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Durham Continuing Education has developed a Q & A to help answer your questions. If you don't find the answer you need, please complete the following Request for Information Form.

Adult Day School, Co-op and Pathways

I am currently registered in a term 3 day school or pathways program – what is happening with it?

Term 3 is continuing through distance education. Our teachers have reached out individually to all students to help them complete this term successfully. If contact has not been made, please email Suzanne, the department head, at suzanne.scanlon@ddsb.ca or call to leave a message at 905-440-4492. Final marks for current adult day school students should be available on Thursday April 16.

I need to get my final marks from this term to a college – how can I do that?

Please send an email to Suzanne.Scanlon@ddsb.ca requesting a Proof of Mark letter. In this email include your name, course code, Ontario Colleges application number, and the email addresses for each institution you wish a letter sent to, plus a phone number where we can reach you. Our staff will follow up as soon as possible to assist you with this request.

My course is completed, and I need my report card – how can I get that?

At this time our offices are closed and we do not have access to report cards. When we resume regular activities in our schools, term 3 report cards will then be printed and filed, and students may then pick up their report card in person from our guidance office. Please bring suitable photo identification. We ask that you allow approximately one week after we resume activities in our schools before coming to pick yours up, as we will need time to print them and file them.

I would like to withdraw from my course – how do I do that?

Please send an email to Suzanne.Scanlon@ddsb.ca or call 905-440-4492 to do so. In your message, state your name and the course(s) you would like us to withdraw you from. If you are phoning, please state your name clearly and the phone number at which you can be reached.

I have registered for term 4 which was due to start on Friday April 17 – is it still running?

We will be proceeding with some of our Term 4 courses through distance education. Students who are registered for our day school program's term 4 should have been contacted by now by one of our guidance counsellors. If contact has not been made, please email Suzanne.Scanlon@ddsb.ca or call 905-440-4492. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough students in some courses to run them and they have been cancelled as a result -- students in those courses should have been contacted now by one of our guidance counsellors.

How do I log into D2L for term 4 courses?

If you log into D2L Brightspace on April 17, you should find your new course(s) there. Click this link for instructions on logging into D2L. If you do not have your 9-digit DDSB student number, please email Suzanne.Scanlon@ddsb.ca. If you have difficulty connecting with your class or teacher on Friday April 17, email Suzanne.Scanlon@ddsb.ca . Please note that D2L will not allow you to log into your new classes before that date.

I was hoping to do a cooperative education placement in term 4, starting on Friday April 17 – is it still running?

Due to the nature of cooperative education and the situation with COVID-19 precautions, we are not able to run co-op this coming term. Students who are currently completing a pathway program (Office Administration and Enterprising Employee) will be offered the opportunity to do a co-op placement within the upcoming year. If you have further questions, please email Suzanne.Scanlon@ddsb.ca.

I want to register for day school for the upcoming Term 4 – how do I do that?

Registration for term 4 ends at 3 p.m. on Monday April 20, 2020. We hope to start our day school program again in September if covid-19 precautions have been lifted. Please check our website for updates.

I would like to register for a pathway program in the upcoming school year – how do I do that?

We are planning on offer our pathway programs again in the upcoming school year. Due to the current COVID-19 precautions, we are unable to state at this time when the registrations will be starting. When the precautions have been lifted, please check our website for updates.

Adult Upgrading (Literacy and Basic Skills)

How do I register for LBS?

LBS is not currently accepting new students. New learners are encouraged to visit the LearningHub.

What is the LearningHub?

It is a free program available to adult learners who want to access a flexible online learning environment. It is non-credit and funded through the Ministry of Labour Training and Skills Development.

How do I sign up for the LearningHub?

Learners can visit the LearningHub. Click on register, which is located on the top right beside the Facebook logo. You will be asked to complete an online form. You must have a valid email in order to use the site and commit to 3 hours per week of online learning. You will then be sent a confirmation email and will be asked to complete an online assessment.

How do I continue with my current class in LBS?

Please be sure to check your email as your instructors are reaching out to all students and continuing with your classes via email. For students that do not have an email, your instructors will be reaching out via the phone number that you have included on your last student contact form. We also encourage you to continue your learning with the LearningHub. If you have forgotten your passwords, you may need to register again.

What happened to my intake appointment?

Learners that had an intake assessment booked, have been rescheduled to a date in May and should have received an email notification already.

Correspondence Courses (Learn@Home)

I want to start a Learn@Home course while I am off work – how can I do that?

At this time, we are not accepting any new registrations. Please complete the “Request to Register” form and if we do open registration in the future, we will contact you.

I need to get my marks to a university or college – how can I do that?

Please send an email to LAH.Inquiry@ddsb.ca requesting a Proof of Mark letter. In this email include your name, course code, OCAS or OUAC number and the email addresses for each institution you wish a letter sent to, plus a phone number where we can reach you. Our clerical support will follow-up as soon as possible to assist you with this request.

I have lessons completed that I want to hand in – but it is in paper form – can I mail the paper lessons?

Unfortunately, our offices are closed, and we cannot accept any paper submissions at this time. You may submit your lessons electronically via eSubmission. Logins and passwords are not required to submit lessons. We will accept .pdfs, scans or legible pictures of lessons at this time. Please visit our eSubmissions area on the Learn@Home page (www.dce.ca ) or your Information Sheet for instructions on how to submit.

I need to do my exams to finalize my course – how will that be done?

We are working on plans for alternative methods for completion of summative evaluations. We have not yet finalized these plans at this time. If you need to schedule an exam, please send an email to LAH.Inquiry@ddsb.ca with your name, contact information, course code and whether it is a mid term or final exam that you require. As soon as we have finalized the plans, our clerical support will contact you.

My course is completed, and I need my report card – how can I get that?

At this time our offices are closed and we do not have access to report cards. We can only provide a proof of mark in an electronic form at this time. If you require proof of mark for a school or post-secondary institution, they may not take an electronic letter forwarded from the student. Ask the institution what alternate arrangements can be made i.e. direct email from DCE to the institution. Requests for Proof of Mark letters may be made via LAH.Inquiry@ddsb.ca.

I wish to withdraw from my course and have my deposit refunded, how do I do that?

At this time, we cannot accept book/material returns. We will extend book return deadlines. Until the materials are returned, we cannot process your refund.

eLearning

When do courses resume?

eLearning courses are resuming on April 6th, 2020. Many of you have continued to work on your course, but if you have not you should be back into your course as soon as possible and no later than April 6

When do courses end?

Courses will still end on May 21st

When are exams scheduled?

Exams are scheduled as previously noted by your teacher. Please click this link for a list of exam dates for each course.

What additional information is there about exams?

Exams will be done online on the date your teacher specified (either May 19, 20 or 21) from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Your teacher may choose to cancel your exam and instead make the summative project worth 30% - each individual teacher will make this decision and let you know.

When is the Full Disclosure Date?

If you want to withdraw from your course and not have it show on your transcript, you must complete the Request to Withdraw from eLearning form prior to April 16. If you stay in the course past April 16, then whatever mark you earn in the course will permanently show on your transcript

How do I withdraw from my course?

If you want to withdraw, please complete the Request to Withdraw from eLearning form.

When does the next semester of eLearning begin?

September 2020. Registration will open in early September.

English as a Second Language (ESL) / Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)

How do I access distance learning opportunities in my program?

All current students whose contact information is updated with the school will be contacted by their teacher.

Can I join your ESL class if I was not registered in one of your classes before the school closure started?

To determine if you are eligible to join one of our classes during the Covid-19 pandemic school closures, please contact the CLARs centre at 1 855-330-8655.

I would like to join a class but need to be retested. Can this be done online?

We are currently not taking new registrations, but the testing centers are working to reinstate language assessments online. In the meantime, click perform a self-assessment to see your skill levels.

I attended a class elsewhere when the school closure happened. Can I join your distance learning?

Only students who attended our LINC, ESL, ELT, and LTA classes can join their teachers’ distance learning class. If you were attending similar classes elsewhere in Ontario, you are not eligible for our distance learning during school closure.

I attended one of your classes a while ago, but I had to leave and now I can join a class again. Am I eligible for distance learning?

This would depend on how long ago you left a class and whether there is room in the class you would now have to be placed in. If you attended one of our classes in the past and left it more than a year ago you are not eligible for distance learning – you need a new assessment at one of Ontario’s testing centres. If you left one of our classes less than a year ago, please contact Dika at 905-391-8646 and she will determine whether there is a spot in the appropriate class for you.

I am not able to contact my teacher and I have a question about an assignment. Who should I call?

Please call Dika at 905-391-8646 and she will pass the information on to your teacher.

I need my certificate. With schools closed, how can I get it?

Yes, both our sites are currently closed so the only format of the language proficiency certificate we can issue is a pdf copy in an email, which you could then print at home. If this works for you, please call Dika at 905-391-8646 and she will arrange that a certificate be sent to you.

Guidance & Credential Centre

How do I speak to a Guidance Counsellor about my educational options to move forward?

Please call 905-440-4519 and leave a detailed message including your full name, telephone number, and specific reason for your call. Our Guidance Hotline is checked multiple times daily and a counsellor will return your call.

I want to register for day school for the upcoming Term 4 – how do I do that?

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 precautions currently in place, we are unable to register new students for the upcoming Term 4. We hope to start our day school program again in September if Covid-19 precautions have been lifted. Please check our website for updates.

How do I request an official transcript to send to a college and/or university?

Please call Linda Humber at 905-440-4539 and leave a detailed message with your full name, telephone phone number, OUAC and/or OCAS number and date of birth. Your call will be returned to verify your information and request the mailing details for the university institution where you have applied. Please note that we DO NOT email transcripts (unofficial or official) to students. If you do not require an official transcript that goes directly to a College or University then an unofficial transcript can be mailed to your home address.

I need to have my educational documents evaluated for the Ontario school system. How do I request this?

Unfortunately due to Covid-19, we are not in the position to provide Foreign Document Evaluations at this time. Please check our website www.dce.ca for updates should this change in the future.

As a current DCE student, how do I move forward with PLAR?

If you require a PLAR determination, please call 905-440-4519 and leave a detailed message with your full name and contact information and a Guidance Counsellor will return your call.

If you have already had a PLAR determination and have to write PLAR assessments, please note that we are currently working on getting PLAR assessments put into an on-line format. Please continue to check our website www.dce.ca for details.

If you have already had a PLAR determination and have work & life experience evidence to submit, please call 905-440-4519 and a Guidance Counsellor will contact you to move forward.

Night School

Is Night School going to continue – I haven’t had contact from my teacher?

All teachers have been making attempts to contact their students. Night school will continue via distance learning. If you have not been contacted, please email michele.reid@ddsb.ca with your name, contact information (email and phone #), course and teacher name. The information will be passed on to your teacher as soon as possible.

With so much time missed, I am worried about my mark and the ability to complete the course – who can I talk to about this?

Start by talking with your teacher. We understand that these are unique times and teachers will be flexible to help you get through the course content that you need. Your teacher is the best resource to answer your questions and concerns.

I want to withdraw from Night School – how do I do that now?

Please contact your teacher. They can help you through that process. If you do not know how to contact your teacher, please email michele.reid@ddsb.ca with your name, contact information (email and phone #), course and teacher name. The information will be passed on to your teacher as soon as possible.

What if I have books/materials from night school – how do I return those and get my deposit back?

If you have outstanding books/materials for which you have left a deposit with your teacher, we cannot accept those materials back at this time and your deposit cannot be refunded until the materials are returned.

If I withdraw, will the course/mark show on my transcript?

No, if you complete the withdraw process identified above by May 6th - 9:00 am, your attempt will NOT show on your transcript.

I will need a Proof of Mark letter at midterm – how can I get those?

Plase send an email to teacher requesting a Proof of Mark letter. In this email include your name, course code, OCAS or OUAC number and the email addresses for each institution you wish a letter sent to, plus a phone number where we can reach you. Our clerical support will follow-up as soon as possible to assist you with this request.

North Credit (Uxbridge, Beaverton & Port Perry)

As a current North Credit student, how do I move forward with my studies?

Your teacher should have already contacted you regarding your studies and what things will look like moving forward with submitting work, etc. If you haven’t had a phone call or connection with your teacher please call Heidi at 905-242-3431 and leave your full name and telephone contact information.

Summer School

Will Summer School be running this summer?

Due to the uncertainty surrounding the re-opening of schools this summer, Durham Continuing Education is currently experiencing limitations in the types and number of courses we can offer.
This summer, eLearning courses will be available and on-line registration at www.dce.ca will open on May 1, 2020 at 12 pm (GMT + 5) for current DDSB students to enroll in eLearning courses.
We are hopeful that expanded programming choices and other registration options can take place for the current 2020 summer session, pending direction from the province and public health authorities. However, Durham Continuing Education reserves the right to revise, limit or cancel programming as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and other circumstances.
We are considering alternate arrangements for non-DDSB student or adult registrations. Under normal conditions, these groups would register in-person and at this time, registrations are not able to be processed on-line. Please check back regularly at www.dce.ca for further updates and information regarding summer school.