Page 24 - Creating Pathways to Success

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CREATING PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS
4.2
evidence of their investigations and reflection, in the four areas of learning, to support them in:
• selecting secondary school courses;
• setting goals for community involvement (which can begin during the
summer before Grade 9);
• identifying areas of interest for extracurricular activities and leadership
opportunities.
Their investigations can include gathering information and relevant materials through activities such as secondary school visits, classroom presentations by secondary school students and/or guidance staff, and reach-ahead opportunities (see OS, section 2.5.2.1).
Elementary and secondary schools should work collaboratively to develop strategies that support student planning for successful transitions from elementary to secondary school. All students need information about:
• the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) requirements;
• types of courses offered, and how best to design their personal secondary school program based on their interests, strength, needs, and aspirations;
• specialized programs and board-wide programs, extracurricular activities, and additional support programs;
• strategies for completing the community involvement requirement;
• the full range of postsecondary opportunities (apprenticeship training,
college, community living, university, and the workplace);
• the education and career/life planning process and strategies for the effective
use of education and career/life planning resources.
All secondary schools are required to provide orientation programs for students and their parents to help students make a smooth transition from Grade 8 to Grade 9 (see OS, section 2.4.1). Orientation programs should be tailored to meet the needs of the student and parent population. Some students will require additional time and support to make a successful transition. Section 3.2.1 of Ontario Schools, Kindergarten to Grade 12 provides direction regarding the provision of additional support to students deemed to be at risk.
Secondary to Postsecondary Transition Planning
As students move into the senior grades, they enter an exciting yet challenging period of transition that calls for special consideration and support. Planning for the transition from secondary school to postsecondary endeavours must be included as part of student learning in the compulsory Grade 10 Career Studies course.
It must also be made part of the school’s established process for course selection by students, in consultation with their parents, for Grade 11 and Grade 12.