Pathways Course Selection
A PARENT/STUDENT GUIDE
MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT COURSE
SELECTION FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Barrie North…what is it like?
 Rich Historical Tradition
 A building with Character and Charm (undergoing
renovations to modernize the building).
 New addition coming (9 classrooms, new cafeteria,
new library, new sports field)
 Home of the Vikings
 Lots of “cutting edge” opportunities SHSMs:
Broadcasting, Business, Construction,
Transportation; fabulous Tech programs, Drama,
Music, iDeology, Global 4 credit program Co-op and
lots of sports! Gr. 9 & 10 are introductory courses.
Club/ Teams / Activities
Teams
Basketball - Volleyball - Soccer - Golf - Football - Flag Football – Girls’
and Boys’ Wrestling – Girls’ Hockey - Boys’ Hockey - Nordic Cross
Country Skiing - Alpine Downhill Skiing - Badminton - Girls Rugby –
Girls’ Slow Pitch – Track and Field
Clubs
Model UN – Junior Band – Ping Pong – Environmental Club – Student
Council – GSA – Arts Council – Nature Club – Spoken Word Club – Art
Club - Free the Children – Science Club – STCD – Improve Club –
Classics Club – Ping Pong Club – Christians at North – Tech Crew – 40
Niners – Science and Engineering Olympics – Link Crew – International
Club – Mock Trial Team – Gifted-Enriched Advisory Council – Prom
Committee – School Musical
Activities
Symphonic Band – Concert Choir – Jazz Band – Bike Club
DAY to DAY….how is High School different
than Grade 8?
 Early Start – 8 am; early dismissal 2:36 pm!
 # of people! (Teachers, students)
 Periods!
 Semesters!
 Lockers
 Opportunities? (Sports? Tech?)
 More “Freedom”
 Choose your courses.
 Lunch-time freedom.
How is High School the same as Grade 8?
 Some things that make you successful at elementary
school make you successful at secondary school!
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Respect for others
Regular attendance\Punctuality
Time management
Work ethic / Work completion
Values and Attitude
Getting involved in school life outside of classroom!
Lots of staff and resources at North to help you!
Overview – your high school career!
 Every year in Grade 9,10, 11, you take 8 different
courses. (In Grade 12, only 6 courses. You get a
spare each semester!)
 Each course = 1 credit
 30 credits + 40 hours + OSSLT= 1 OSSD
18 of these credits are “compulsory”
 12 of these credits are “electives”

What do I
need to
Graduate?
Ontario Secondary School
Diploma
(OSSD Requirements)
 18 Compulsories
 12 Electives
 Every year in Grade 9,10, 11, you take 8 different
courses. (In Grade 12, only 6 courses. You get a
spare each semester!)
 40 Hours of Community Involvement
 Successfully complete the Grade 10 Literacy Test
Diploma Requirements
 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)
 3 MORE FROM GROUPS 1,2,3
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
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 using our record logs.
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 (if test unsuccessful you may take
a course to meet the requirements for a pass on the test)
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
Locally Developed
For students who…
content and programming
 Learning most essential
 Enjoy practical activities that
concepts of a subject

 Basic knowledge and skills
are developed through
concrete practical tasks
 Demonstrates familiar and
real-life applications of
content




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
Applied content and
programming…
 Learning essential
concepts of a subject
 Knowledge and skills are
developed through
practical applications
 Demonstrates familiar
and real-life
applications of content
For students who…
 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
Academic content
and programming…
 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
For students who…
 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
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)
Matching Achievement and Work Habits when
choosing the type of content to study
E
G
S
N
excellent
good
satisfactory
needs improvement
4
Academic
Academic
Academic
Academic
or Applied
3*
Academic
Academic
Applied
Applied
2
Academic
or Applied
Academic
or Applied
Applied
Applied
1
Applied
Applied or
Locally Developed
Applied or
Locally Developed
Locally Developed
Mod.
IEP**
Applied or
Locally Developed
Applied or
Locally Developed
Locally Developed
Locally Developed
**Special education transition meetings will support course selection
*Students achieving level 3 are meeting provincial achievement standards
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 =
2=
3=
4=
grade 9
grade 10
grade 11
grade12
D = Academic
L = Locally Developed
O = Open
P = Applied
The 6th digit of the code may vary and is an identifier specific to the school
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
 My Blueprint is an online
resource tool for pathway
planning
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 …
Math Pathways
MPM1D
Principles of
Mathematics
Grade 9
Academic
MPM2D
Principles of
Mathematics
Grade 10
Academic
2 week transfer course
MPM 1DH (0.5 cr.)
offered at summer
school
MFM1P
Foundations of
Mathematics
Grade 9 Applied
MAT1L
Mathematics
Grade 9 LDCC
MFM2P
Foundations of
Mathematics
Grade 10 Applied
MAT2L
Mathematics
Grade 10 LDCC
MCR3U
Functions
Grade 11
University
MCF3M
Functions &
Applications
Grade 11
U/C
MBF3C
Foundations for
College
Mathematics
Grade 11 College
MEL3E
Mathematics for Work
and Everyday Life
Grade 11
Workplace
MCV4U
Calculus and Vectors
Grade 12 University
MHF4U
Advanced Functions
Grade 12 University
MDM4U
Mathematics of Data
Management
Grade 12 University
MCT4C
Mathematics for
College Technology
Grade 12 College
MAP4C
Foundations for
College Mathematics
Grade 12 College
MEL4E
Mathematics for Work
and Everyday Life
Grade 12
Workplace
One special Math course - Grade 9
“Supported Math”
 If you would like to do the Applied level Math, but you are concerned
that your skills might not be quite strong enough, you might be
interested in this special course – “Supported Math”. Basically it is a
course that prepares you ready for Applied Math
 You would sign up for 2 Math classes in Grade 9 – the “Supported
Math” and the “Applied Math”. In Semester One you would take the
“Supported Math” (MAT1LB) and Semester Two you would take the
Applied Math (MFM1P1)
 If you did this, then the “Supported Math” would become one of your
two electives
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
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
Grade 9 Elective Courses
Arts
Drama –ADA 101
Music – Instrumental and Vocal
AMI101
Visual Art - AVI 101
Integrated Arts –ALC101
Expressing Aboriginal Cultures- NAC101
Business
Information and Communication Technology BTT101
Languages
Latin LVLBDI
Grade 9 - Elective Courses at BNC
Physical Health Education
Boys - PPL1OM / Girls - PPL1OF
Social Sciences and Humanities
Exploring Family Studies - HIF1O1
Technological Studies
Exploring Communications Technology - TGJ1O
Exploring Construction & Manufacturing –TCJ1O
Exploring Hairstyling & Aesthetics –TXJ1O
Exploring Transportation Technology - TTJ1O1
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
Link Crew –Orientation Day
Tentatively - Week before school starts
IMPORTANT DATES
Grade 8 Open House
Wednesday, February 17th - 7:00 8:30
Feb. 19th - Report Cards distributed
Feb. 23rd - Feb. 29th:
On-line course selections at your school
Working copies will be required to facilitate this process
Feb. 29th:
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 Barrie North Guidance department