The Transition from Grade 8 to 9

Guidance Program & Services DepartmentSuccess for all Learners

Zion Heights JHS

Information Session Goals: - To help students make a smooth and successful transition to secondary school

- To assist students, parents and guardians in making informed choices about courses and pathways

This PowerPoint presentation is available in the Guidance area of our school website:http://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/zionheights

Choices for 9 Presentation

Check out Education Planning atwww.tdsb.on.ca/goingtohighschool

Educational Planning

Creating Pathways to Success, 2013

5

Four-Step Inquiry Process – Individual Pathways Plan (IPPs)

Accessing myBlueprint

www.myBlueprint.ca/tdsb

Part A: Choices for Nine Optional Attendance and Timelines

Part B: Messages for Success

Part C: Ontario Secondary School Program

Presentation Overview

Part A

Optional Attendance and Timelines

Choices for NineDelivered each fall

Choices: Secondary Schools Course Selection & Planning Guide Arrives each January during the Course Selection Process

Choices: Planning Guides

Find Your School

www.tdsb.on.caClick on “Find your School”

High School Information Evenings (dates & times) are listed in the Choices for Nine brochure and posted on the TDSB website:

Information Nights at TDSBHigh Schools

www.tdsb.on.ca/GoingtoHighSchool

Information Nights forSpecialized Programs & Schools

• Specialized programs and designed for students with a strong passion and skill in a specific area

• To investigate specialized schools or programs, contact the specific school for admission requirements

• Specialized requirements may include auditions, tests, interviews, etc.

• Check deadline dates for applications

www.tdsb.on.ca/HighSchool/Guidance/Choices

Optional Attendance• Students are encouraged to attend the secondary

school that serves their residential address – “home-school”

• Use an Optional Attendance Application Form when applying

to a school other than your home-school

• Students may apply to :- two regular schools- two specialized programs

• Some schools are CLOSED to Optional Attendance

www.tdsb.on.ca/FindyourSchool/OptionalAttendance

Specific Dates• January 29, 2016 Optional Attendance applications due to secondary

schools – delivered by student/parent/guardian

• February 12, 2016 Secondary schools will inform Optional Attendance applicants by this date (approved or denied)

• Mid to late February 2016 Course Selections completed and submitted

Note:Only ONE course selection per student is submitted for

ONE secondary school by the guidance counsellor

Part B

Messages for Success

Key Message for Key Message for SuccessSuccess““16 by 16”16 by 16”16 credits by16 years of age

The Importance of Credit Accumulation

Part C

Ontario Secondary School

•Once a course is passed, a credit is granted (50% or higher)

•Students are expected to take 8 courses a year

•To graduate from high school a student must earn 30 credits

Credit System

Semestered Schools• 8 courses in 2 blocks of time:

4 courses from September to January4 courses from February to June

• All 4 courses taken daily

Non-Semestered Schools• 8 courses taken throughout the school year

• Courses taken every other day

• Total of 30 course credits (110 hours per credit) – 18 compulsory courses – 12 elective courses (options)• 40 hrs. Community Involvement – Begins in summer after Grade 8 *• Ontario Literacy Requirement (OSSLT)

- Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

Ontario Secondary SchoolDiploma (OSSD)

~ Ontario Schools, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy & Program Requirements, 2011

Compulsory CreditsStudents must earn the following 15 compulsory credits:• 4 English - one credit per grade• 1 French as a Second Language• 3 Mathematics - at least one in grade 11 or 12• 2 Science• 1 Canadian History• 1 Canadian Geography• 1 Arts (Visual Arts, Music, Integrated Arts, Media, Drama or

Dance)• 1 Health and Physical Education • 0.5 Civics• 0.5 Career Studies

Compulsory Credits Continued

Plus ONE CREDIT from each of the following 3 Groups:

Group 1• An additional English credit

or French as a second language*,or third language,

or Social Science and Humanities credit, or Canadian and World Studies credit,

or Guidance and Career Education credit, or Cooperative Education credit*

*A maximum of 2 credits in Cooperative Education and 2 credits in

French can count as compulsory credits.

Group 2• One credit in Health and Physical Education, or the Arts,

or Business Studies, or French as a second language or Cooperative Education *

Group 3• One credit in Gr. 11 or 12 Science, or a credit in

Technological Education, or Computer Studies, or French as a second language or Cooperative Education *

* A maximum of 2 credits in Cooperative Education and 2 credits in French can count as compulsory credits.

Compulsory Credits Continued

Course Typesin Grade 9 and 10:

•Applied•Academic•Locally Developed•Open

•Students may take a mix of course types based on their achievement, interests, and skills. For example, a student may take applied English and French course and academic Math, Science, and Geography

• Learning expectations are the same for all students

• Designed to prepare students for further study and to enrich general education in a subject • Can be counted as compulsory or elective credits

• Grade 9 Open May Include: Physical Education

Arts (Music, Visual Arts, Drama, Integrated Arts)BusinessExploring TechnologiesExploring Family StudiesIntroductory French

What is an Open Course?

Academic Courses

Cover the core content and havean emphasis on the theoreticalaspects of the content

Applied CoursesCover the core content and havean emphasis on practicalapplications

Academic & Applied Courses

Locally DevelopedCompulsory Credits (LDCC)

Locally DevelopedCompulsory courses for students who need more flexibility and support in their learning

Courses that may be developed locally include:

English, French, History, Math, and Science

Work HabitsSample

Academic•Works

independently in a focused manner

• Synthesis skills – uses prior knowledge and experience to assist with solving problems• Completes homework consistently and thoroughly

Applied•Works in a focused manner (not always independently)•Applies new learning to tasks (may need reminding of previous knowledge)•May need assistance to organize and complete homework

Locally Developed•Works in a

focusedmanner with prompting•Applies new learning to tasks that have been directly modeled in the lesson•May begin homework in class with direction and take home to complete

Grades 9 and 10AppliedAcademicLocally DevelopedOpen

Grades 11 and 12CollegeUniversityWorkplaceMixed (College/University preparation)Open

Making Your Choices

• In Grade 11 and 12 students choose courses depending on their destination after high school

Changing Course Type After Grade 9:

Gr. 9 Academic

Gr. 9 Applied

Gr. 9 LDCC

Gr. 10 Academic

Gr. 10 Applied

Gr. 10 LDCC

(except Mathematics)

Changing Course Type After Grade 9:

Gr. 9 Academic

Gr. 9 Applied

Gr. 9 LDCC

Gr. 10 Academic

Gr. 10 Applied

Gr. 10 LDCC

Gr. 9 Applied to Gr. 10 Academic Mathematics

(Transfer Course worth 0.5 credit)

T

Grade 9 CourseSelection Sheets

Distributed in early February with teacher recommendations

Due in home-form by mid-February

Grade 8 Zion students will completecourse selection on-line usingwww.myBlueprint.ca/tdsb

Search for Course Descriptionswww.tdsb.on.ca/choices

Questions