1. Pathways Course Selection
A PARENT/STUDENT GUIDE
Making decisions about course selection for secondary school Graduation Requirements
Welcome to the Simcoe County District School Board’s Pathway Course Selection Parent Guide.
This guide is designed to provide you with the secondary school background information you require to support decisions about the types of programs available to best suit your child’s learning needs.

2. What do I need to Graduate?
Ontario Secondary School Diploma
(OSSD Requirements)
18 Compulsories
12 Electives
40 Hours of Community Involvement
Successfully complete the Grade 10 Literacy Test
As your child begins their journey through high school they will need to complete 18 compulsory courses and 12 elective courses to accumulate the credits they need for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma The student will work on 8 credits per year until grade 12 when there will be some flexible timetabling considerations for the types of courses your child is pursuing. In addition, all students must earn 40 hours of community involvement hours. This accumulation can start in the summer immediately after grade 8 and we encourage students to complete their hours early because student life in grade 11 and 12 can get very busy with school and personal obligations. Finally, all students must successfully complete the Grade 10 Literacy test. Next let’s look at course codes.

3. Diploma Requirements 1 French 1 Physical and Health Education
4 English (1 credit per grade)
3 Mathematics (at least 1 in grade 11 or 12)
2 Science
1 French
1 Geography (Canadian - grade 9)
1 History (Canadian - grade 10)
1 Arts
1 Physical and Health Education
Civics (.5) & Career Studies (.5) (grade 10)
Students in grade 9 usually take 5 compulsory courses as identified on the left along with two electives from various disciplines. An art credit and a physical education credit are recommended in grade 9 as one credit in each of these areas is required for graduation. The areas of study listed here may or may not have choices for your student, the options vary by school so be sure to check the program of study at the secondary school your child will attend. Each of the compulsory courses require the student to select the type of course content they want to study, the choices being the applied, academic, or locally developed content. If, in the best interest of your child’s success, along with the recommendation of the elementary teacher, you feel that this standard list of courses should vary please contact the secondary school guidance department and discuss options that will maximize your child’s opportunity to experience success in their first year.

4. Diploma Requirements (Groups 1, 2 & 3)
1 selected from English, or French as a second language, or a Native language, or a classical or an international language, or social sciences and the humanities, or Canadian and world studies, or guidance and career education, or cooperative education
1 selected from health and physical education, or the arts, or business studies, or French as a second language, or
cooperative education
1 selected from science (grade 11 or 12), or
technological education, or French as a second language, or computer studies, or cooperative education
Students in grade 9 usually take 5 compulsory courses as identified on the left along with two electives from various disciplines. An art credit and a physical education credit are recommended in grade 9 as one credit in each of these areas is required for graduation. The areas of study listed here may or may not have choices for your student, the options vary by school so be sure to check the program of study at the secondary school your child will attend. Each of the compulsory courses require the student to select the type of course content they want to study, the choices being the applied, academic, or locally developed content. If, in the best interest of your child’s success, along with the recommendation of the elementary teacher, you feel that this standard list of courses should vary please contact the secondary school guidance department and discuss options that will maximize your child’s opportunity to experience success in their first year.

5. Community Involvement
complete 40 hours before graduation
can begin the summer after grade 8 graduation
recommend completion and submission by the end of grade10
there is no upper limit to the number of hours a student may complete.
student’s responsibility to seek out opportunities and to keep a record of hours earned
First, the grade 8 teacher can support your child in choosing their courses by recommending a type of content to study that they will be most successful starting at. These teachers see your child in a variety of learning situations and are in touch with secondary transition staff about grade 9 classes. Their recommendation should be valued as they also have the best interest of your child at heart. Keep in mind a starting point is not an indication of future destination.

6. Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test
a test based on reading and writing expectations of curricula up to and including grade 9
administered in March of the grade 10 year
accommodations and deferrals may be appropriate for some students
re-write is possible in grade 11
Grade 12 OLC course
First, the grade 8 teacher can support your child in choosing their courses by recommending a type of content to study that they will be most successful starting at. These teachers see your child in a variety of learning situations and are in touch with secondary transition staff about grade 9 classes. Their recommendation should be valued as they also have the best interest of your child at heart. Keep in mind a starting point is not an indication of future destination.

7. Choosing Courses for Student Success
Successful course selection is a match between the expectations of high school and the current abilities of the student
Selecting courses that aim for future destinations and do not reflect a students’ current knowledge skills, interests or learning style MAY NOT lead to student success
Your child’s learning skills and work habits, as assessed on the report card should be an indicator of the type of learner they are and the strengths and concerns they may have as they move toward becoming independent learners. Potential ability that is not demonstrated is not always the best indicator for where the child is at for their current learning needs. Matching the type of course content to the learning skills and work habits will provide your child with the confidence to build their independence and self reliance so that they may change their pathway down the road.

8. Choosing Courses for Student Success
Success in grade 9 has a significant impact on a student’s individual success
Provincial data suggests that students who earn 8 credits in grade 9 have an increased chance of graduating in four years
Many parents are concerned with closing doors for their child’s future. Doors do not close on successful students, they simply open providing the option to choose the next direction a student wants to take. The important thing to remember is that the student can only go through one door at a time, but each door chosen simply leads to another choice.

9. What type of course should we choose? How are they different?
Compulsory courses are offered as:
Academic;
Applied;
Locally Developed; or
Open
Elective Courses
… in grade 9 are typically ‘Open’, allowing students to experience an area of interest
What type of course should we choose? How are they different?

10. Locally Developed content and programming
For students who…
Learning most essential concepts of a subject
Basic knowledge and skills are developed through concrete practical tasks
Demonstrates familiar and real-life applications of content
Enjoy practical activities that demonstrate “how”
May have content gaps in their learning
Benefit from pacing matched to their needs
Benefit from classroom assistance to complete work
Benefit from greater teacher direction, more one-on-one support, and smaller classes
Have difficulty meeting grade 8 expectations or working on modified expectations
Small class sizes and greater teacher support allow for the development of knowledge and skills that lead to greater independence and life long learning. Students focus on the foundational skills that will support students in all areas of their high school career. Students will demonstrate and relate their learning with practical applications tied to real life experiences. The development of various competencies in locally developed programming can lead students to pathway transitions that include some applied programming.

11. Applied content and programming…
For students who…
Learning essential concepts of a subject
Knowledge and skills are developed through practical applications
Demonstrates familiar and real-life applications of content
Enjoy learning “how”
Enjoy participating in practical activities/examples that relate learning to real life
Benefit from moderate pacing with greater attention on readiness for new concepts
Workload is moderate with some homework completion required
Teaching style supports various learning styles and provides greater teacher direction and support for work habits and learning skills
Working on grade 8 expectations with achievement below the provincial standard
Applied programming develops the concrete knowledge and skills of students through practical applications that demonstrate the essential concepts of specific subject material. Students will be challenged by moderate pacing and homework expectations to support in-class learning activities. Students learn through manipulation of content with the support of visual or kinesthetic aids, and the demonstration of the relationship between the learning and everyday life. Greater teacher direction and student support is emphasized to help students develop 21st century learning skills and engage them in life long-learning.

12. Academic content and programming…
For students who…
Learning essential concepts of a subject and exploring related materials and ideas
Emphasis on theory and abstract thinking as a basis for future inquiry and problem solving
Enjoy understanding “why”
Enjoy thinking, problem solving, researching and reflecting
Benefit from pacing that is faster to allow new concepts to be introduced more frequently
Workload is demanding, requiring regular homework completion
Teaching style is geared toward independent, self motivated, learners who self-regulate well
Regularly demonstrate they meet provincial standards within grade 8 expectations
Academic content starts with theory, the understanding of a system of ideas intended to explain something. Programming uses content and theory to enrich learning by developing the abstract thinking skills of students.
The content is designed to develop the ability of students to conceptualize or generalize, understanding that each concept can have multiple meanings. Programming that develops abstract thinkers helps students to see patterns beyond the obvious or “outside of the box” and problem solve in creative ways. It also allows for the exploration of ‘big ideas’ related to the content through comparison, hypothesizing and research related to subject content.

13. Open content and programming…
Designed to prepare students for further study in particular subject areas
Enrich student’s educational experience
Expectations are designed, differentiated and appropriate for all students
Allows for entry into grade 10 areas of interest without previous experience (eg. a student does not need to have the grade 9 course to be able to explore the grade 10)
Most elective courses are open type courses. This allows all students the opportunity to try a new experience in up to date facilities that provide unique learning opportunities. Be aware that open level courses do not have prerequisites at the grade 10 level. Student may feel more comfortable in a grade 10 course having experienced the grade 9 introduction however, rest assured that students can participate in ANY of the grade 10 open courses regardless of their grade 9 experience.

14. Learning Skills and Work Habits
Matching Achievement and Work Habits when choosing the type of content to study
Learning Skills and Work Habits E
excellent G
good S
satisfactory N
needs improvement 4
Academic
or Applied 3*
Applied 2 1
Applied or
Locally Developed
Applied or
Mod. IEP**
Level of Achievement
In the past student course selection may have been based solely on student achievement. However, there are other personal factors that are difficult to measure, and not recorded on student report cards, that also contribute to the decision. It is important for parents to consider the whole child and the level of challenge a student faces by various subject matter, along with student maturity, individual attitude or affinity toward school and learning, as well as the learning skills and work habits students demonstrate on a daily basis at school. Students have the option to study individual subjects with various types of content programming. For example a student with strengths in reading, language and writing might study English at the academic level but choose mathematics at the applied level.
The matrix above IS NOT an absolute measure of what type of compulsory course a child should take. It SHOULD NOT be considered a tool to be used in isolation. It is a GENERAL guideline to support the communication AND discussion that needs to occur between parents, teachers, and students about choosing courses that will lead to successful transitions and learning in the first year of secondary school.
In matching students to courses of study parents need to consider that successful students can move between pathways to achieve their ultimate future goals. A successful grade 9 experience leads to positive attitudes about learning and ultimately student confidence and success.
**Special education transition meetings will support course selection
*Students achieving level 3 are meeting provincial achievement standards

15. Understanding Course Codes
Each course code has 3 significant components
Course Title Prefix
Year of Study
Type of Course
ENG 1 D
16 different beginnings that identify the subject
1 = grade 9
2 = grade 10
3 = grade 11
4 = grade12
D = Academic
L = Locally Developed
O = Open
P = Applied
All courses in secondary school have a 6 digit code associated with them that is a unique identifier. The first three letters identify the discipline, for example ENG is for English, however there are others that may not be as obvious. For example anything starting with H is for humanities commonly known as social science and all Technology codes start with a T. The other significant digits are the ones that represent the grade and the type of course as academic, locally developed, open or applied. We’ll take a look at the difference between these types in a moment.
The 6th digit of the code may vary and is an identifier specific to the school

16. Pathway Planning
Pathways are not always direct and may change, not all courses are required to be the same type
A student may take academic English and applied mathematics based on their personal strengths and learning styles
Work together as student moves through high school “herding”
Teaching our children about decision making and choices is part of the process of becoming independent and self reliant. It is important to realize that pathways can change along the way as your child matures and learns about their interests and abilities. Parents and students who decide later in high school what kind of path they want to pursue can rest assured that there are many different ways to get where they want to be. It may mean making choices like taking an additional course to fill knowledge gaps, either through transfer courses, summer school or night school, but there is always an opportunity to redirect a pathway.

18. Level Changes Can a student change levels between grade 9 and 10? YES!
It is possible for a student to switch levels between grade 9 and 10 from academic to applied or vice versa.
except for Mathematics …
Teaching our children about decision making and choices is part of the process of becoming independent and self reliant. It is important to realize that pathways can change along the way as your child matures and learns about their interests and abilities. Parents and students who decide later in high school what kind of path they want to pursue can rest assured that there are many different ways to get where they want to be. It may mean making choices like taking an additional course to fill knowledge gaps, either through transfer courses, summer school or night school, but there is always an opportunity to redirect a pathway.

19. Math Pathways
MCV4U
Calculus and Vectors
Grade 12 University
MAP4C
Foundations for College Mathematics
Grade 12 College
MDM4U
Mathematics of Data Management
MFM2P
Foundations of Mathematics
Grade 10 Applied
MPM1D
Principles of Mathematics
Grade 9 Academic
MCF3M
Functions & Applications
Grade 11
U/C
MHF4U
Advanced Functions
MPM2D
Grade 10 Academic
MCR3U
Functions
Grade 11 University
MEL4E
Mathematics for Work and Everyday Life
Grade 12
Workplace
MEL3E
MAT1L
Mathematics
Grade 9 LDCC
MFM1P
Grade 9 Applied
MAT2L
Grade 10 LDCC
MBF3C
Grade 11 College
MCT4C
Mathematics for College Technology
2 week transfer course MPM 1DH (0.5 cr.) offered at summer school
The math pathways chart provides an excellent demonstration of how the choice of a course in grade 9 can lead to a different destination as the student moves through their high school experience. As one can see from this slide the math pathways for academic lead to grade 12 university courses, applied courses lead to grade 12 college courses and locally developed courses lead to grade 12 workplace courses. However, the important thing to note is that there is an ability to move between the pathways at various stages of the child’s math experience in high school. As the student becomes more confident in their math skills or as they plan for specific destinations they may realize their goals require them to change pathways.
Those who start in applied courses can move to the academic stream at either the end of grade 9, by participating in a transfer credit that will have the student learn the math skills that were not in the applied course, or after grade 10 they can move to the University/College math credit in grade 11 leading them toward one of the university destination math courses that may meet their prerequisite requirements for a university program. In either case the personal motivation of the student along with strong learning skills such as independent learning, time management, self regulation, and self advocacy will be important for the student as they change pathways.
Similar changes can also be made in other subjects. Consult with your child’s current teachers and/or the secondary guidance department at your school to learn more about the pathway options available to your child.

20. Identified Students and those receiving Special Education Services
Students who require special education support and services will receive this support according to the needs outlined in their I.E.P.
Supports may include:
modified curriculum expectations
alternative learning expectations
accommodations to the learning environment
methods to review student’s progress
student transition plan to post secondary
education, work and/or community living
Students in grade 9 usually take 5 compulsory courses as identified on the left along with two electives from various disciplines. An art credit and a physical education credit are recommended in grade 9 as one credit in each of these areas is required for graduation. The areas of study listed here may or may not have choices for your student, the options vary by school so be sure to check the program of study at the secondary school your child will attend. Each of the compulsory courses require the student to select the type of course content they want to study, the choices being the applied, academic, or locally developed content. If, in the best interest of your child’s success, along with the recommendation of the elementary teacher, you feel that this standard list of courses should vary please contact the secondary school guidance department and discuss options that will maximize your child’s opportunity to experience success in their first year.

21. Grade 9 Compulsory Credits
English
French
Geography
Mathematics
Science
It is recommended that students complete their compulsory
Arts and Health and Physical Education
credit in grade 9
Students in grade 9 usually take 5 compulsory courses as identified on the left along with two electives from various disciplines. An art credit and a physical education credit are recommended in grade 9 as one credit in each of these areas is required for graduation. The areas of study listed here may or may not have choices for your student, the options vary by school so be sure to check the program of study at the secondary school your child will attend. Each of the compulsory courses require the student to select the type of course content they want to study, the choices being the applied, academic, or locally developed content. If, in the best interest of your child’s success, along with the recommendation of the elementary teacher, you feel that this standard list of courses should vary please contact the secondary school guidance department and discuss options that will maximize your child’s opportunity to experience success in their first year.

22. Grade 9 Elective Courses
Arts
Digital Media
Drama
Music – Band and Vocal
Visual Art
Business
Information and Communication Technology
Languages
Latin

23. Grade 9 - Elective Courses at Banting
Physical Health Education
Boys - PPL1OM / Girls - PPL1OF
Social Sciences and Humanities
Exploring Family Studies - HIF1O1
Technological Studies
Communication, Computer & Design - TIJ1O
Construction , Manufacturing & Transportation TIJ1O1
Exploring Hospitality & Tourism - TFJ1O1

24. Supports and Information
There are many supports along the way, including:
Your Grade 8 teacher
Guidance
Special Education
Student Success
SCDSB website
and… myBlueprint.ca for pathway investigation
There are a few important points to consider before you make final decisions about the type of course content your child will study within the compulsory courses of their grade 9 year. …

26. If you are ready to choose your courses you can access the On line selection tool at the board website or you can view the Course Selection Tutorial before you get started.

28. Link Crew –Orientation Day Tentatively - September 1st, 2016

29. Wednesday, February 10th - 7:00 8:30
IMPORTANT DATES
Grade 8 Open House
Wednesday, February 10th - 7:00 8:30
Feb. 19th - Report Cards distributed
Feb. 23rd - March 11th:
On-line course selections at your school
Working copies will be required to facilitate this process
March 11th:
All on-line course selections must be completed!
Access to the on-line course selection site is closed!
Changes to course selections after March 11th may only be facilitated by calling the Banting Guidance department