Page 17 - Choices into Action

The exit program for secondary students leaving school before graduation should include the following:
– a review of their achievements to date and the issuing of a copy of the Ontario Student Transcript as well as an Ontario Secondary School Certificate or a Certificate of Accomplishment where appropriate
– discussion and clarification of their plans for the immediate future (e.g., plans for inde- pendent living)
– information about education and training opportunities (e.g., evening courses, corre- spondence courses, readmission to secondary school)
– information on postsecondary education options
– information about the community services and community contacts available to help them
– information on procedures for applying for employment
– financial planning information
– information on apprenticeship programs
All students leaving school should be encouraged to participate in an exit program.
THE ANNUAL EDUCATION PLAN
Developing an annual education plan will help students take responsibility for their education, make informed decisions, and plan for the future with the help of parents, teacher-advisers, and guidance counsellors. The plan will include the student’s goals for academic achievement and for learning both inside and outside school. While the annual education plan is compulsory only for students in Grades 7 to 12, teachers in
Grades 1 to 6 should encourage their students to set goals to improve their work and to review the success of their personal efforts and choices.
Students in Grades 7 and 8 will research and con- sider the broad range of opportunities at the sec- ondary school level. Starting in Grade 8, students’ annual education plans should include the courses they intend to select and the extracurricular activ- ities in which they may be interested. From Grade 10, students’ plans should also include their tentative postsecondary destinations. When making plans for postsecondary activities, stu- dents should research and consider their options: continued study at university, college, or a voca- tional school; industry- or sector-based training such as apprenticeships and internships; or direct entry into the work force. Students should con- sider the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and school–work transition programs. They should also consider related activities such as par- ticipation in career exploration activities, financial planning, and preparation for independent living.
In the process of completing their annual educa- tion plan, students will learn about their options and choices, and of the impact of their decisions on their educational and career goals. In the planning process students will set short- and long-term goals, evaluate the achievement of those goals, and review their academic progress. They will come to understand the relevance of their studies to their personal goals and recog- nize the importance of having learning experi- ences beyond the classroom (e.g., community service, community involvement, volunteer experience, part-time and summer work, per- sonal interests such as hobbies) and how those experiences contribute to their overall develop- ment. Students in Grade 12 will be encouraged
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CHOICES INTO ACTION