THE TRANSITION FROM GRADE 8 TO 9

The Grade 8 to 9 Process What is Grade 9 all about? What does the Grade 9 program look like?

ONTARIO HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA 30 credits in total 22 compulsory credits 8 optional credits or electives 40 hrs. community involvement Pass the Ontario Secondary Literacy Requirements

Compulsory Credits Compulsory Credits 4 English- one credit per grade 3 Mathematics - at least one in Grade 11 or 12 2 Science 1 Canadian History 1 Canadian Geography 1 Arts (Visual, Music, Drama or Dance) 1 French as a second language 1 Health and Physical Education 1 Civics and Career Studies (.5 civics and.5 career studies)

Diploma Requirements... Continued Group 1 Additional credit in English, or French as a second language, or a Native language, or a classical or an international language, or Social Science and the Humanities, or Canadian and World Studies, or guidance and career education, or cooperative education.

Diploma Requirements... Continued Group 2 Additional credit in health and physical education, or the arts, or business studies, or French as a second language, or cooperative education.

Diploma Requirements... Continued Group 3 Additional credit in science, or technological education, or French as a second language, or computer studies, or cooperative education.

Making Your Choices: Academic or Applied or Locally Developed Academic Academic (A) courses develop student’s knowledge and skill through the study of theory and abstract problems. Courses focus on the essential concepts of a subject and explore related concepts as well. They incorporate practical applications as appropriate.

Making Your Choices: Academic or Applied or Locally Developed Applied Applied (P) courses focus on the essential concepts of a subject, and develop students’ knowledge and skills through practical applications and concrete examples. Familiar situations are used to illustrate ideas, and students are given more opportunities to experience hand on applications of the concepts and theories they study.

Making Your Choices: Academic or Applied or Locally Developed Locally Developed Courses These credit courses are intended for students who require a measure of flexibility and support in order to meet the compulsory credit requirements in English, mathematics, and science for the OSSD. These courses prepare students for further study in courses from the curriculum policy documents for these disciplines.

What is an Open Course? Open courses have one set of expectations for the subject being taken. These courses are not specific to destinations and are appropriate for all students. Example: PPL1OF (Girl’s phys. ed)

Changing Academic and Applied Courses for Grade 10 Students will be able to move from APPLIED courses in Grade 9 to ACADEMIC courses in Grade 10 with the exception of Math Students will be able to move from ACADEMIC courses in Grade 9 to APPLIED courses in Grade 10 Based on individual strengths and post secondary destinations, students may choose to take a combination of applied and academic courses

Decisions Applied or Academic or Locally Developed 1.English or ESL 2.Mathematics 3.Science 4.French 5.Geography 6.Health &Phys. Ed 7.Theology Choose 1 Option Business Drama Music Visual Arts Learning Strategies

Course Coding System SNC1D1 SNC - 3 characters identifying the subject- e.g. Science 1 -Grade level (grade 9) D -course type (academic)

Course codes (applied) SNC1P1 SNC - 3 characters identifying the subject - e.g Science 1 -Grade level (grade 9) P -course type (applied)

Course codes (Locally Developed) SNC1L1 SNC - 3 characters identifying the subject e.g Science 1 -Grade level (grade 9) L -course type (Locally Developed)

GRADE 10 COURSES Students will have to consider future goals when they make choices for Grade 10 Some Grade 10 courses will be prerequisites for specific Grade 11 courses

Grades 11 and 12 Programs Courses in Grades 11 and 12 will prepare students for the following post-secondary destinations: –Workplace –Apprenticeships –College –University As in Grades 9 and 10 some courses will be Open

Literacy Test Students will take a Literacy test in the Spring of grade 10. Students must pass the Ontario Secondary Literacy requirements in order to graduate Achievement is recorded on OST Based on language and communications expectations of the curriculum up to and including grade 9 If student is unable to meet standards in first attempt: –Remedial help will be given –Student must retake test until standard is met

Ontario Student Transcript Students’ official record of credits earned Grades 9 and 10 –only successfully completed courses are recorded Grades 11 and 12 –all attempts and the marks received are recorded

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Encourages civic responsibility, promotes community values Supports student’s career explorations & reinforces importance of volunteering Minimum 40 hours completed over 4 years Broad range of unpaid activities Minimal school involvement Provincial policies/guidelines governing placements

The Catholic Dimension Religion credit courses Chaplain and School Chapel Mandatory retreat program Masses and liturgies Community outreach/service programs Food drives/Christmas baskets/Missions Daily prayer/reflections

The Semester System The first semester runs from September to January. The second Semester is from February to June. Examinations occur at the end of each semester

Additional Resources Guidance and Career Centre - Each student is assigned a guidance counsellor according to their last name. Academic Resource Department - Provides support for students with diverse learning needs. Student Support Team - Includes a Chaplain, Student Success teacher, Child & Youth Worker, Social Worker, Psychologist, and Speech & Language Pathologist Library - Includes books, periodicals, newspapers, on-line databases, Internet, CD-ROM, videotapes, a-v materials.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Timeline October Registrations distributed to elementary schools. Thursday, October 29 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Information night for parents. Monday, November 2 Registration forms & $60 due to Gr. 8 teacher. Forms returned to students showing course selections.