The Importance and Value Completing a secondary education and the school’s commitment to reach every student’s to help them achieve a successful outcome from the secondary school experience :-

– The CanSTEM Education Private School, through its secondary school program, is committed to equip all students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need for successful outcomes – smooth transitions to the post-secondary destinations of their choice.

– Our schools offer educational programs that promote high standards, while providing students with learning opportunities and supports needed for success. Successful completion of secondary education in Ontario is important and a valuable step toward post-secondary opportunities. Students may create or choose a program pathway that prepares them for direct entry to:

• Apprenticeship Programs,
• College,
• Community Living,
• University, or
• The Workplace.

– There is value, honour and dignity in all postsecondary destinations and all sectors of employment. A student’s Program Pathway is his or her educational program and reflects the goals that help motivate him or her to complete secondary school. Building a successful pathway through school requires planning and is a cooperative effort involving students, parents/guardians, teachers and guidance counsellors. Factors you should consider in your planning include:

• preferred learning style,
• strengths and passions,
• immediate educational needs, and
• short and long-term goals

– CanSTEM Education Private School have a strong focus on Student Success. In each of our high schools, classroom teachers, student success teachers, guidance counsellors, special education teachers, school support counsellors,  co-operative education teachers and administrators form strong teams who are dedicated to successful outcomes for all  students. For our students making the transition from grade 8 to grade 9, there has never been greater attention paid to their strengths and needs, while providing opportunities for success.

– This Course Calendar is a valuable tool to assist families in planning and reviewing a pathway to success for all students. There is a course calendar, there is a course selection planning guide. Students are encouraged to make use of this planning guide during this years’ course selection process, and it should be kept as a record for future years.

– The final decision regarding course selection is the responsibility of students and their parents/guardians, if they are under 18 years of age. Please contact the Student Services  department at your school for assistance during  the course selection process to ensure you are  fully informed about all of the choices when making decisions for your child’s future.

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) Requirements The OSSD is granted, on the recommendation of the Principal of the secondary school last attended, to a student who has successfully fulfilled the following requirements:

• 30 credits, including 18 compulsory credits and 12 optional credits
• 40 hours of community involvement
• Completion of the literacy requirement.

Compulsory Credits (total of 18) –

Students must earn the following 18 compulsory credits towards their OSSD:

• 4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)*
• 3 credits in Mathematics (at least 1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)
• 2 credits in Science
• 1 credit in Canadian History
• 1 credit in Canadian Geography
• 1 credit in the Arts
• 1 credit in Health and Physical Education
• 1 credit in French as a Second Language
• 0.5 credit in Civics
• 0.5 credit in Career Studies

Plus one credit from each of the following groups:

• Group 1: English, or French as a Second Language**, or Classical or International languages, or First Nations, Métis and Inuit languages, or Canadian and World Studies, or First Nations, Métis and Inuit Studies, or Social sciences and the Humanities, or

Guidance and Career Education, or Cooperative Education***.

• Group 2: The Arts, or Business Studies, or Health and Physical Education, or French as a Second Language**, or Cooperative

Education***.

• Group 3: Science (Grade 11 or 12), or Computer Studies, or Technological Education, or French as a Second Language**, or Cooperative Education***.

Notes:

*The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) may be used to meet the Grade 11 or 12 English compulsory credit requirement. The Grade 11 Contemporary Aboriginal Voices course may be used to meet the Grade 11 English compulsory credit requirement.

**A maximum of 2 credits in French as a Second Language may count as additional compulsory credits, 1 credit from Group 1, and 1 credit from either Group 2 or Group 3.

***A maximum of 2 credits in cooperative education may count as additional compulsory credits, selected from any of Groups 1, 2, or 3.

Optional Credits (total of 12) –

In addition to the 18 compulsory credits, students have to earn 12 optional credits in  courses of their choice, selected from the full list of courses available in the school. Optional  credits allow students to build an educational program that suits their individual interests and meets university, college, apprenticeship, or work requirements.

Community involvement – 

 Every student who begins secondary school in Ontario is required to complete 40 hours of community involvement in order to receive a diploma. The purpose of this requirement is to encourage students to develop an understanding of the various roles they can play in their community and to help them develop a greater sense of belonging within the community.

The school provides a document that outlines information on the community involvement diploma requirements for students and parents, as well as information for individuals and organizations who are asked by students to  sponsor a particular community involvement  activity. These community involvement hours  are credited for volunteer work completed  beginning in the summer immediately preceding their entry into grade 9.

Roles and Responsibilities of Students –

In consultation with their parents, students will  select an activity or activities from the school’s  list of approved activities, or choose an activity that is not on the list, provided that it is not an  activity specified on the ministry’s and the board’s lists of ineligible activities. If the activity is not on the board’s list of approved  activities, the student must obtain approval from the principal before beginning the activity.

The safety of the student is paramount. It  should be noted that students will not be paid, nor should they perform work that is normally paid work, for performing any community  involvement activity. As well, these requirements must be met outside of regularly scheduled class time.

A “Completion of Community Involvement Activities” document must be completed by the student, the student’s parent, and the

community sponsor (that is, the person or organization that provided the community  involvement opportunity for the student). The

student must submit the form to the principal or other school contact upon completion of the  40 hours or upon completion of a specific activity.

Roles and Responsibilities of Parents –

Parents should provide assistance to their child  in the selection of their community involvement  activities. Parents are also encouraged to communicate with the community sponsor and the school principal if they have any questions or concerns. A parent must sign the “Completion of Community Involvement Activities” form if the student is under the age of eighteen years.

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) –

 All students must successfully complete the literacy requirement in order to earn a Secondary School Graduation Diploma. For  most students this requirement will be met through the administration of the Literacy Test in the spring of Grade 10. The test is based on Ontario curriculum expectations for language and communication, particularly reading and writing, up to and including Grade 9. The test will identify areas for remediation for students who are unsuccessful in completing the test. Students who write the test but do not succeed may retake the test. There is no limit to the number of times the test may be taken.

Accommodations –

Students who are receiving Special Education programs and services that have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) may receive the accommodations that are set out in the student’s IEP when writing the test.

Deferrals –

 Deferral of the test may be considered for students who might benefit. This would include students who have been identified as exceptional and students registered in English as a second language/English Literacy Development courses who have not yet acquired the level of proficiency in reading and writing required for successfully completing the  test. The Principal determines if a deferral should be granted and time period for the deferral.

Exemptions –

Students whose IEP indicates that the student is not working towards the attainment of a Secondary School Graduation Diploma may, with parental consent and approval of the Principal, be exempted from participating in the Literacy Test.

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) –

Students may also meet the literacy requirements for graduation by successfully  completing the OSSLC. This course is designed to help students acquire and demonstrate the cross-curricular literacy skills that are evaluated by the test. Students will read a variety of informational, narrative, and graphic texts and will produce a  variety of forms of writing, including  summaries, information paragraphs, opinion  pieces, and news reports. Students will also maintain and manage a portfolio containing a record of their reading experiences and samples  of their writing.

To be eligible to take the course, students must have attempted the OSSLT at least once and  been unsuccessful in that attempt. This course can also counts as the Grade 11 or Grade 12 English compulsory course for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma requirements.

Literacy Adjudication Process –

At the end of the school year, a school adjudication panel may provide certain students  with an additional opportunity to meet the literacy graduation requirement. These  students include those who would otherwise be eligible to graduate but, through no fault of their own, have not been able to take  advantage of the normal opportunities to write  the OSSLT and/or have not been able to enroll in or complete the OSSLC, owing to unforeseen circumstances.

Also eligible for the adjudication process are students who were receiving special education  programs or services, and who had an IEP documenting required accommodations, but, owing to unforeseen circumstances, did not have access to these accommodations when  they were taking the OSSLT.

New! Online Learning Graduation Requirement – 

The Ministry of Education has introduced an  additional Graduation requirement for all  students, beginning with every student who entered Grade 9 in the 2020-21 school year. The  addition is that students will be required to earn two online learning credits to graduate from secondary school. This requirement is in  addition to the Community Service hours and  Literacy requirements currently in place.

The graduation requirement is intended to support students in developing familiarity and  comfort with learning and working in a fully online environment, as well as developing digital literacy and other important transferable skills that they will need for success after secondary school, including in post-secondary education and the workplace.

Parents/guardians may choose to opt their  children out of the mandatory online learning  credits required for graduation.

Parents/guardians and students should be aware that opting out of this requirement DOES  NOT mean that students cannot access eLearning should they choose in order to take courses of interest or that are required for their  pathway or post-secondary destination. It only means that the two online learning courses are  not a requirement for graduation.

To opt out, a parent/guardian must submit an opt-out form to the school (forms will be provided in the coming months). Students 18 years of age or older, or who are 16 or 17 years of age and have withdrawn from parental control, can also opt out of the graduation requirement by submitting an opt-out form to the school.

Selection of courses should consider future  pathways, the ability and interests of the  student to learn in a fully online environment and any potential supports that may be needed. Meeting the online learning graduation requirement should not pose a barrier to

graduation for students. As with all learning, students taking online courses will have access  to the supports they need through their school, (e.g., guidance, nutrition programs, extra-curricular activities and services for  English-language learners). If a student in a publicly funded school has an Individual Education Plan, the plan will be shared, when  appropriate, with an educator instructing an online course delivered by CanSTEM Education Private school, with the necessary consent.

Definition of “online learning” for this graduation requirement –

• Online learning credits that count towards the requirement are earned through courses that rely primarily on communication between students and educators through the internet or another digital platform.

• Online learning credits that count do not generally require students to be physically present with one another or with their educator in the school, Students in publicly funded schools  complete their online coursework with  the support of a certified Ontario  educator with whom they communicate,  and who provides instruction, ongoing  feedback, assessment, evaluation and reporting as needed, including implementing any accommodations  and/or modifications identified in the  student’s Individual Education Plan.

There is one exception that a credit earned by  Grade 9 students during the province-wide school closures (from April 2021 to June 2021) may be counted towards the graduation  requirement in recognition of the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID‑19 pandemic. Guidance Counselor is aware of this exception and can assist you in planning.

Check with CanSTEM Education Private School  if you have  questions regarding the registration process. 

More information on the opt out process will be forthcoming.

Ontario Secondary School  Certificate (OSSC) – 

The OSSC will be granted, on request, to a  student who leaves school before earning the  OSSD and who has earned a minimum of 14 credits, as follows:

Compulsory Credits (total of 7)

• 2 credits in English
• 1 credit in Mathematics
• 1 credit in Science
• 1 credit in Canadian Geography and History
• 1 credit in Health and Physical Education
• 1 credit in the Arts or Technological Education.

Optional Credits (total of 7)

• 7 credits selected by the student from available courses.

Certificate of Accomplishment

Students who leave school before fulfilling the requirements for the OSSD or the OSSC may be  granted a Certificate of Accomplishment. The Certificate of Accomplishment may be a useful means of recognizing achievement for students who plan to take certain vocational programs or other kinds of further training, or who plan to find employment after leaving school.

Education Planner – 

 Use the following chart to plan student’s course selection each year:

To keep as many post-secondary options open as possible, students are encouraged to take a Mathematics course

in Grade 12 as well.

1 Credit from each of the following groups:

❑ Group 1 Credit

English, or French as a Second Language, or Classical or International languages, or Native languages, or  Canadian and World Studies, or First Nations, Métis and Inuit Studies, or Social sciences and the Humanities, or Guidance and Career Education, or Cooperative Education.

❑ Group 2 Credit

The Arts, or Business Studies, or Health and Physical Education, or French as a Second Language, or

Cooperative Education.

❑ Group 3 Credit

Science (Grade 11 or 12), or Computer Studies, or Technological Education, or French as a Second Language, or Cooperative Education.

12 Optional Credits

 40 Community Involvement Hours

Successful completion of the provincial literacy requirement (OSSLT or OSSLC)

The School’s Overall Goals and Philosophy – 

 School Philosophy :-  We believe that CanSTEM Education Private School should provide for all students a quality education in the English language representative of that found in the Canada. Also, we believe that CanSTEM Education Private School, should be preparing students to expand their education further as they enter college or university programs. We further believe that the school should provide its multinational student body with an appreciation of the diverse cultures represented by its members.

Schools offer much more than a classroom and a teacher. They are agents of socialization; providers of knowledge, moral values, and self-confidence; and vehicles to success. We recognize that quality education consists of many elements, including the following: academic development, character development and values education, activities to foster a sense of responsibility toward community, the formation of friendships including those across cultures, and a code of conduct which instills self-respect, self-discipline, and honesty. Underlying the total program should be recognition of individual differences. CanSTEM Education Private School, through its programs, encourages and inspires students to think logically, creatively, and effectively for the benefit of themselves and society at large.

 Our Commitment  :- Each teenager has his or her own unique interests, goals and strengths. Yet, every student should have the same opportunity to succeed and graduate from high school. Bill 52, The Education Amendment Act, Learning to Age 18, 2006, mandates that teenagers must remain in school until the age of 18 however, every student learns in his or her own way. This is where CanSTEM Education Private School can play a significant role in the lives of many. CanSTEM Education Private School values the importance of successfully completing a secondary education and offers students an alternative means of achieving that.

 Our Overall Goal :- CanSTEM Education Private School will strive for excellence in education, promote lifelong learning, and ensure an atmosphere in which students can reach their full potential, be sensitive to multi-cultural settings, and guide students as they become adaptable and responsible citizens in an ever changing world.

School Organization, including the school’s terms, reporting periods, and time table organization –

School Organization :- CanSTEM Education Private School operates on a continuous entry and exit model where there is no defined start date or end date. It is therefore the students’ responsibility to communicate their anticipated endpoint to the teacher and then adhere to that timeline (within reason). CanSTEM Education Private School is proud to announce that we support student learning 12 months of the year. As such we do not have predefined reporting dates. Upon completion of half the course, students will be provided with a Provincial midterm report card, and upon completion of the course the student (day school and/or post-secondary institutions and/or application centers if applicable) will receive a copy of the final report card.

School’s Terms :-

  – Day school runs into two terms.

Term One :- Starts on 6^th Sept, 2022 to 31^st Jan, 2023

Term Two :- Starts on 1^st Feb, 2023 to 30^th June, 2023

  – Night School Runs into 5 Terms

Term one :- 1^st Sept, 2022 to 31^st Dec, 2022

Term Two :- 1^st Jan, 2023 to 30^th March, 2023

Term Three:- 1^st April, 2023 to 30^th June, 2023

Early Summer (4th term) :-  1^St July, 2023 to 31^st July, 2023

Late Summer ( 5^Th Term) :- 1^st Aug, 2023 to 31^st Aug, 2023

The School’s Expectations regarding Student’s responsibilities, achievement and attendance :-

  – Rights and Responsibilities of Students, Parents & Staff :- 

Students have the right to:- know the summative assessment methods that will be used to assess their achievement to determine their grade in the course i.e. a rubric or marking scheme timely feedback on the quality of their work their performance information about the Ministry assessment & evaluation policy information regarding the consequences for academic dishonesty.

 Students are responsible for:- providing evidence of their achievement academic honesty work to the best of their ability work to teachers on time classes and being active participants in the learning and assessment process with teachers when there is difficulty in meeting timelines that missed work is completed within pre-established timelines communicating with parents’ assessment & evaluation methods, and pertinent due dates and timelines for work submission.

 Teachers have the right to:- expect students to be active participants in their learning student assignments on time final deadlines for the submission of work professional judgment when assessing and evaluating student achievement expect students to be academically honest

 Teachers are responsible for:-  providing multiple and varied opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning providing instruction and support to enable students to learn and practice good time management skills monitoring and maintaining a record of late assignments to be used in assessing learning skills and providing feedback to students and parents and returning student work in a timely manner so that students can improve their work to students the course expectations, the use of the achievement chart, category weightings the method of determining a grade in the course and the Ministry assessment/evaluation policy clear timelines which may include “windows” for work submission and/or collaborating with their students regarding timeline sand clearly communicating assignment due dates to students the meaning of academic honesty and methods for citing references. informing students and parents regarding how students can receive support for their learning during the course parents/guardians informed regarding the progress of their child and how they can support their child’s success facilitating a mutually agreed upon method of communicating with parents

 Parents/guardians have the right to :-  be informed regarding course requirements, assessment & evaluation methods, due dates and timelines for work submission information about their child’s performance access to their child’s course to get a first- hand look at how they are learning information about the Ministry assessment & evaluation policy a phone interview with their child’s teacher and/or the administration at a mutually agreed upon time a face to face interview (parents night) with their child’s teacher

 Parents/guardians are responsible for :- communicating regularly with the school and understanding how they can contribute to their child’s success initiating contact with teachers if and when difficulties arise actively monitoring their child’s progress and working collaboratively with the school, teacher and child to plan for their child’s improvement.

  Dress Code is Responsibility of Student :-

Students are not required to wear uniforms. Boys are not required to cover their hair. However, they must maintain a clean buzz-cut or shaven head. Hats must be removed while indoors. Students that fail to follow class dress code will:

Receive a warning for first offence

Sent home to change the second offence with notification to the parent

Removed from class for a day with notification to the parent

CanSTEM Education Private School Inc, Does not require night school students to wear uniforms

Inappropriate dress for night school is as follows:

-Ragged, cut-off jean shorts

-Tank tops or halter tops, T-shirts with inappropriate lettering

-Bare midriffs

-Exposed undergarments

-Slippers or beach sandals

Student and Teacher Expectations – 

Student Achievement The Assessment and Evaluation Policy –

For CanSTEM Education Private School is consistent with Ministry policy and reflects the vision that CanSTEM Education Private School has which is that the primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. Assessment is the process of gathering information that accurately reflects how well a student is achieving the curriculum expectations in a subject or course. Assessment for the purpose of improving student learning is seen as both “assessment for learning” and “assessment as learning”. As part of assessment for learning, teachers provide students with descriptive feedback and coaching for improvement. Teachers engage in assessment as learning by helping all students develop their capacity to be independent, autonomous learners who are able to set individual goals, monitor their own progress, determine next steps, and reflect on their thinking and learning. Ongoing per-assessments and formative assessments will be used to provide meaningful feedback about student progress and achievement in order to improve performance. Summative assessments will be used to arrive at the grade.

-Reporting Student Achievements :-

Student achievement must be communicated formally to students by means of a report card. The report card provides a record of a student’s achievement of the curriculum expectations. The percentage grade represents the student’s overall achievement of the expectations for the course and reflects the corresponding level of achievement as described in the achievement chart of the discipline.

The final grade for each course is determined as follows:

70% will be based on evaluations conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade should reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration should be given to more recent evidence of achievement.

30% will be based on final evaluation in the form of an examination, performance, essay, and /or other method of evaluation suitable to the course content and administered towards the end of the course.

Percentage grades below 50% indicate insufficient achievement of curriculum expectations and signal that additional learning is required before the student can achieve the expectations to a passing level. At the end of a course, a student who receives a grade below 50% will not receive credit for the course.

Course evaluation will be divided into two parts: 70% is based on cumulative evidence of summative evaluations undertaken throughout the semester; -30% is based on final evaluations which will take place in the final third of the course.

Final evaluations may or may not include an exam depending on individual course curriculum policy documents. At the beginning of the course, students will receive course outlines that will include detailed assessment and evaluation information, and that also outline the percentage breakdown for both the 70% and the 30%.

All courses will be evaluated according to the following breakdown:

Term work: 70% [based on  Knowledge and Understanding, thinking and Investigation, Communication and Application]

Final Summatives 30% [based on Knowledge and Understanding, thinking and Investigation, Communication and Application] Although each course will have the same breakdown, individual courses may have subject specific summative tasks that will be used to determine the student’s grade. Please refer to the course outline as it is presented in your courses for more details.

-Second Chance Protocol :- 

Based on the premise that the primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning, students will be given additional opportunities to demonstrate their learning if they are not successful on their first attempt. It will be at the teacher’s discretion and professional opinion on when to exercise this option.

-Repetition of a Course

• Only one credit is earned if course is repeated
• In Grade 11 and 12, an “R” appears on the student’s OST for the course with the lower mark

-Requesting Course Changing

Course transfer policy: A student who registers and is enrolled into a course for less than a week and does not complete an assessment in the course, may request to be transferred to another course. Students will only be granted one course transfer per enrollment. All course transfer requests must come within one week of the initial enrollment. The decision of the CanSTEM Education Private School’s Principal will be considered final in all cases involving student requests for course transfers

-Reporting Student Achievement:-

 CanSTEM Education Private School will use the Provincial Report Card, Grades 9-12, for formal written reports sent home two times over the duration the student is active in the course. The first report reflects student achievement of the overall curriculum expectations during the first reporting period, as well as development of the learning skills and work habits. The final report reflects  6 achievement of the overall expectations for the entire course, as well as development of the learning skills and work habits.

Learning Skills :-

The following Learning Skills guideline will be used by online teachers when assessing students learning Skills: