READY FOR GRADE NINE THE TRANSITION FROM GRADE 8 TO 9 2020-2021

READY FOR GRADE NINE
      2020-2021

THE TRANSITION FROM
     GRADE 8 TO 9

Ontario Secondary School
        Diploma (O.S.S.D.)
• Total of 30 course credits (110 hours
  per credit)
  – 18 compulsory courses
  – 12 elective courses (options)
• 40 hrs. Community Involvement
  – Begins Summer after grade 8.
• Ontario Literacy Requirement
  – Written Test in Grade 10 (OSSLT)

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
• Encourages civic responsibility, promotes community
  values
• Supports student’s career explorations
• Minimum 40 hours completed over 4 years
• DPCDSB has provided guidelines for volunteer service
• Community hrs. will be documented on the student’s Credit
  Counselling Summary
• Grade 8 students can begin to accumulate volunteer hours
  beginning in the summer after grade 8 graduation
• Declaration of Community Hours form is available on the
  St. Martin website

Grade 10 Ontario Secondary
         School Literacy Test
• Students will take a Literacy Test in Grade 10
• Students must pass the test or the OLC course to
  graduate
• The test is based on language and communication
  expectations of the curriculum up to and including
  grade 9
• If the student is unsuccessful on their first attempt:
   – Remedial help will be given
   – Student can retake test
   – Student can take the Ontario Literacy Course

Grade 9 Course Selection

• The most important aspect in selecting
  grade 9 courses is listening to the
  recommendations of your grade 8
  teacher.
• Further consultation with the teacher is
  recommended as the year progresses.

Course Types
Grades 9 and 10       Grades 11 and 12
• Applied             • College
• Academic            • College/University
• Locally Developed   • Open
• Open                • University
                      • Workplace

Academic (D)
• Works independently in a focused manner

• Completes homework consistently and
  thoroughly

• Student consistently achieves level 3 or 4
  in subject area.

• Larger classes – Class Target 32 students

Applied (P)
• Works in a focused manner (not always
  independently)

• May need assistance to organize and complete
  homework

• Student consistently achieve level 1 or 2 in
  grade 8 subject.

• Smaller classes – Class Target 28 students

Locally Developed (L)

• Works in a focused manner with prompting

• May begin homework in class with direction
  and take home to complete

• Student is working below grade level
  expectations in subject area.

• Small Class Size capped at 20 students

Open (O)
• These courses have one set of expectations
  for all students

• Students in these classes may be from
  different streams, (i.e., Applied, Academic,
  Essential)

• Open courses are usually elective courses, for
  example, Gym (PPL 1O1), Business
  (BTT1O1), Music – Vocals (AMV1O1)

Changing Course Types (Levels)
•   ENG 1P1 à ENG 2D1 (no transfer course required)
•   SNC 1P1 à SNC 2D1 (no transfer courses required)
•   MFM 1P1 à MPM 2D1 (Grade 9 MPM1D1 must be successfully
    completed prior to enrolling in MPM2D1)
•   Locally Developed à Applied – will need to take the applied course at
    the same grade to continue in that stream.

•   If you are moving from Applied (Gr. 9) to Academic (Gr. 10), it is
    recommended that your final mark in the Grade 9 course should be
    approximately 75% or higher. Your grade nine teacher will be able to
    assist in making a recommendation.

•   Students may also upgrade by taking summer school.

COMBINING LEVELS
• Students may choose to take a
  combination of applied and academic
  courses depending on individual
  strengths and post secondary
  destinations

Key Points to Remember
• Streams chosen in Grade 9 DO NOT
  LIMIT future choices for Grade 10
• Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School
  Literacy Test
• 40 hours of community involvement
• Grade 11 and Grade 12 courses are
  chosen according to student’s
  destination (Workplace, Apprenticeship,
  College, University)

The Semester System
• St. Martin Secondary School is
  organized on a semester system. The
  first semester is from September to
  January. The second semester is from
  February to June.
• All grade nines share a common lunch.

After Registration -Timetable

Course Coding System
Each course is identified with a six
character code.
               ENG 1D1
ENG - 3 characters identifying the subject
 1     - Grade level (grade 9)
 D     - course type (academic)
 1     - offered with a credit value of 1

Specialist High Skills Major

• In September 2010 St. Martin launched a Specialist
  High Skills Major (SHSM) in the Sports sector
• A SHSM is an innovative program designed to
  provide students in all educational pathways with the
  skills and supportive credentials for employment in
  the Sport industry.
• Two entry points:
   – As a grade 9 regional sports student (separate application)
   – In grade 11 joining the SHSM program (apply in grade 10)

Components of the SHSM program

1. a bundle of 8 credits

2. sector-recognized certification and training

3. experiential learning activities

4. "reach ahead" experiences

5. development of essential skills using the Ontario
   Skills Passport

Regional Sports
• Regional Sports applications are available for
  those students that are interested in applying
  for this program. The fee for this program is a
  payment of $200.00 in grade nine and ten.
  Applications will be available at our open
  house on Wednesday, November 6, 2019.

Other ways to learn at St.
          Martin….
• Cooperative education

• Dual Credit

• Elearning

Grade 8 Transition

•   Grade eight’s visit St. Martin S.S. on November
    6, 2019. A registration package will be sent
    home with each student on this day.
•   A counsellor will attend your child’s school for
    course selection in November/December.
•   Student’s can sign up for our Get Ready
    Program which is offered at the end of August.
•   Grade 9 orientation and barbeque last week of
    August.

The Catholic Dimension
•   Religion credit courses
•   Chaplain and School Chapel
•   Mandatory retreat program
•   Masses and paraliturgies
•   Community outreach/service programs
•   Food drives/Christmas baskets/Missions
•   Daily prayer/reflections

Extra - Curricular Activities
•   Art Club                •   Hockey
•   Athletic Council        •   Mission Society
•   Audio Visual Club       •   School play
                            •   School Website
•   Badminton
                            •   Scrapbooking
•   Baseball                •   Skiing
•   Basketball              •   Soccer
•   Cross-country running   •   Student Council
•   Curling                 •   Swim Team
•   Cheerleading            •   Table Tennis
•   Dance Club              •   Tennis
•   Deca                    •   Track and Field
•   Drum Line               •   Ultimate Frisbee
•   Football Team           •   Volleyball
                            •   White Pine Book Club
•   Flag Football
                            •   Writers Craft Club

My Blueprint
• www.myblueprint.ca/dpcdsb
• You can build a resume, make high school
  plans, research careers and post secondary
  options, track your graduation requirements
  and track your volunteer hours

Grade 8 Registration
• All changes to course requests can be
  made by phoning St. Martin guidance
  department.

• Tentative timetables will be sent to each
  elementary school in June.

Points to Remember
• Ask your teacher for their recommendations for
  course levels
• If you are interested in the Regional Sports Program,
  there will be an information presentation, Wednesday,
  November 6 at 6:30pm.

Next Steps

•   Discuss course selection with your child and
    grade 8 teacher.
•   Sign all forms that come home with your child
    from St. Martin in the registration package.
•   Return these forms with your child on the day
    of their course selection at their elementary
    school and our counsellors will collect them.
•   Pay the school activity fee of $65 via school
    cash online prior to November 29, 2019.