The Transition from Grade 8 to 9 Guidance, Career & Adolescent Development

To inform students how to make a smooth and successful transition from Grade 8 to 9 To assist students in making informed choices for Grade 9 To raise student awareness of the various program pathways available throughout the TDSB Goals For more about Education Planning go to:

Educational Planning Website will reflect the coming school year

Online educational & career planning tool myBlueprint.ca/tdsb for students and parents

Accessing myBlueprint.ca

The Toronto District School Board’s Promotion, Transfer & Retention Procedure provides schools with a consistent method for transition of students from elementary school (Grade 8) to secondary school (Grade 9). Read the full procedure at Under Policies, Procedures and Forms and select PR543 Promotion, Transfer & Retention Procedure (PR 543)

Where do students go after secondary school?

The Importance of Credit Accumulation

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 School Diploma (OSSD) ~ Ontario Schools, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy & Program Requirements, 2011

Once a course is passed, a credit is granted To pass a course one must achieve a level of 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

Applied Academic Locally Developed Compulsory Credit (LDCC) Open Course Types in Grades 9 and 10:

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 Courses Include: Arts (Music, Visual Arts, Drama, Dance) Business Guidance (Learning Strategies) Exploring Technologies Physical Education What is an Open Course?

Academic Course Types Cover the core content and have an emphasis on the theoretical aspects of the content Applied Course Types Cover the core content and have an emphasis on practical applications Academic and Applied Course Types

AcademicApplied Formulate scientific questions related to reproduction Gather, record, and analyze qualitative and quantitative data using an appropriate format Plan ways to model and/or simulate an answer to questions asked about the motion of celestial objects Identify a current problem or concern relating to reproduction Organize and record information gathered Formulate scientific questions about a problem or issue in space exploration Making Your Choice Grade 9 Science

Making Your Choice Grade 9 English AcademicApplied Analyze information, ideas, and elements to make inferences Locate and evaluate information and ideas from sources Select narrative style and appropriate Level of language to suit the form, audience and purpose of the work Describe information, ideas, opinions and themes Locate and record information and ideas from sources Identify the specific audience for each piece of writing

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 focused manner 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 Work Habits Sample

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

Semestered Schools Students take 8 courses in 2 blocks of time: 4 courses from September to January 4 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

Choices for Nine Delivered each fall Choices: Secondary Schools Course Selection & Planning Guide Arrives each January during the Course Selection Process Choices: Planning Guides

October-December 2015Transition Process Reviewed Secondary School Information Evenings January 2016Optional Attendance Reviewed and Submitted February-March 2016Course Selection Sheet Submitted (using MyBlueprint, and paper copy) April –May 2016Transitions Meetings with Secondary School Guidance

Program and school specific information is shared Dates and Times of High School Information Nights are listed in the Choices for Nine brochure and posted on the TDSB website Information Nights at the High Schools

Dates and Times on Website

Find Your School Click on “Find your School”

Find your school by selecting how you want to search. Find Your School

Optional Attendance Students are encouraged to attend the secondary school that serves their residential address Use an Optional Attendance Application Form when applying to a school other than your home school Forms available at Grade 8 school Specific information regarding Optional Attendance Procedures will follow in early January

Specific Dates January 29, Optional Attendance applications due to secondary schools – delivered by student/parent/guardian February 12, Secondary schools will inform Optional Attendance applicants by this date Mid to late February 2016 – Course Selection sheets completed and returned to elementary teacher/counsellor February 26, All course selection sheets due to secondary schools – delivered by Elementary Counsellor Only ONE course selection sheet per student is submitted for ONE secondary school by the elementary school counsellor