The Transition from Grade 8 to 9
Guidance, Career & Adolescent Development 2015-2016
Goals For The Evening:
• To inform students how to make a smooth and successful
transition from Grade 8 to 9
• To assist parents and students in making informed choices for
Grade 9
• To raise student and parent awareness of the various program
pathways available throughout the TDSB
For more about Education Planning go to:
www.tdsb.on.ca/goingtohighschool
www.tdsb.on.ca/goingtohighschool
Educational Planning
Website will reflec
myBlueprint.ca/tdsb
Online educational & career planning tool
for students and parents
www.myBlueprint.ca/tdsb
Accessing myBlueprint.ca
www.myBlueprint.ca/tdsb
Format of Presentation
Part A: Promotion, Transfer, and Retention Procedure
Part B: Messages for Success
Part C: Ontario Secondary Schools
Part D: Specific School Information Specialized
Programs
Part A
Promotion, Transfer and Retention
Promotion, Transfer & Retention
Procedure (PR 543)
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
www.tdsb.on.ca
Under Policies, Procedures and Forms
and select PR543
Part B
Messages for Success
Where do students go after
secondary school?
The Importance of Credit Accumulation
Part C
Ontario Secondary Schools
Ontario Secondary School
Diploma (OSSD)
• 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 Schools, Kindergarten to Grade
12:
Policy & Program Requirements, 2011
Credit System
• 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
Course Types in Grades 9 and 10:
• Applied
• Academic
• Locally Developed Compulsory Credit
(LDCC)
• Open
Making Your Choices:
Choose Success!
What is an Open Course?
• 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
Making Your Choice
Locally Developed Compulsory Credits
• For students with gaps in knowledge and skills in the
specific
discipline
• Ideal for students who need support with the curriculum
content in Grade 9
• Students who require two or more Locally Developed
Compulsory Credit Courses or who require significant
modification to their program will be assisted in
investigating
programs/schools that provide a full array of
supports and services to meet their unique needs
Academic and Applied
Course Types
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
Making Your Choice
Grade 9 Science
Academic
Applied
Formulate scientific questions related
to reproduction
Identify a current problem or concern
relating to reproduction
Gather, record, and analyze qualitative
and quantitative data using an
appropriate format
Organize and record information
gathered
Plan ways to model and/or simulate an
answer to questions asked about the
motion of celestial objects
Formulate scientific questions about a
problem or issue in space exploration
Making Your Choice
Grade 9 English
Academic
Applied
Analyze information, ideas, and
elements
to make inferences
Describe information, ideas, opinions
and
themes
Locate and evaluate information and
ideas from sources
Locate and record information and
ideas
from sources
Select narrative style and appropriate
Level of language to suit the form,
audience and purpose of the work
Identify the specific audience for each
piece of writing
Work Habits
Sample
Academic
Applied
Locally Developed
Works independently
in a focused manner
Works in a focused manner
(not always independently)
Works in a focused manner
with prompting
Synthesis skills – uses prior
knowledge and experience to
assist with solving problems
Applies new learning to tasks
(may need reminding of
previous knowledge)
Applies new learning to
tasks that have been
directly modeled in the
lesson
May need assistance to
organize and complete
homework
May begin homework in
class with direction and
take home to complete
Completes homework
consistently and thoroughly
English Language Learners
ESL/ELD
• Prepare students for success in English and other
courses
• ESL/ELD credits count as compulsory English credits
(to a maximum of 3 credits)
• Students will be placed in Level A, B, C, D or E
• Can move to Academic/Applied/LDCC courses when
appropriate
Making Your Choice
Grades 9 and 10
Grades 11 and 12
Applied
Academic
Locally Developed
Open
College
University
Workplace
Mixed
Changing Course Type After Grade 9:
Gr. 9 Academic
Gr. 10 Academic
Gr. 9 Applied
Gr. 10 Applied
Gr. 9 LDCC
Gr. 10 LDCC
(except Mathematics)
Changing Course Type After Grade 9:
Gr. 9 Academic
T
Gr. 10 Academic
Gr. 9 Applied
Gr. 10 Applied
Gr. 9 LDCC
Gr. 10 LDCC
Gr. 9 Applied to Gr. 10 Academic
Mathematics
(Transfer Course worth 0.5 credit)
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
Part D
Optional Attendance Timelines
TDSB
Choices: Planning Guides
Choices for Nine
Delivered each fall
Choices: Secondary Schools
Course Selection & Planning
Guide
Arrives each January during the
Course Selection Process
The Year Ahead
Your Grade 8 Year at a Glance
Information Nights at the High Schools
• 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
www.tdsb.on.ca/GoingtoHighSchool
Dates and Times on Website
Find Your School
www.tdsb.on.ca
Click on “Find your School”
Find Your School
Find your school by selecting how you want to search.
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
www.tdsb.on.ca/FindyourSchool/OptionalAttendance
Specific Dates
February
• January 30, 2015- Optional Attendance applications due to
secondary schools – delivered by student/parent/guardian
• February 13, 2015- Secondary schools will inform Optional
Attendance applicants by this date
• Mid to late February 2015 – Course Selection sheets
completed and returned to elementary teacher/counsellor
• February 27, 2015 - 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
Information Nights at Specialized Schools
• To investigate specialized schools or programs, contact the
specific school for admission requirements
• Requirements may include auditions, tests, interviews, etc.
• Check deadline dates for application
Where are specialized schools/programs?
• Check the Choices for Nine legend
• www.tdsb.on.ca/HighSchool/Guidance/Choices
Questions