Transitioning from elementary to secondary
school is a very exciting time for all students. There are a lot of
opportunities available to students during their grade 8 year that will help to
make this transition a smooth and enjoyable experience. Below is some
information about events, activities and opportunities that may occur
throughout the year. September/October
Knowing yourself is the best way to make
decisions and set goals for your future. The Ontario Ministry of Education has
identified the following Learning Skills as an integral part of a student’s
learning:
- Responsibility
- Organization
- Independent
Work
- Collaboration
- Initiative
- Self-regulation
In addition, the essential skills and work habits,
available through the Ontario Skills Passport website, allows students to
reflect on the skills they have demonstrated and would like to continue to
develop. The essential skills and work habits allows students to see how the
skills they are learning can be transferred to a variety of contexts in the
class, school and community.
1.
The beginning of the school year is a great time for students to
reflect on their interests, strengths and needs as a learner and set goals for
a successful grade 8 year. There are many opportunities for students to do
this, as a class or after school with the support of a parent, guardian or
mentor. In grade 7 and 8, students will have the opportunity to engage in
self-discovery activities as they explore learning styles, interests and
careers. Students will document this learning in their Individual Pathways Plan (IPP).
As students explore and document opportunities they have had both in the school
and beyond, students will reflect using the 4-step inquiry process: Who am I?
2.
What are my opportunities?
3.
Who do I want to be become?
4.
What is my plan for achieving my goals?
For more information please see the Learning Skills and
work Habits brochure.
Students will be provided with their Individual Pathways
Plan (IPP) login information and can access their IPP through My
Pathway Planner.
Keep in mind the wonderful resources that Guidance can provide you to support your learning and volunteering in the community. More details from a recent presentation is available here.
October
Applications to Regional Programs
Regional programs are
focused programs that are available to York Region students and are offered at
specific secondary schools located throughout the region. These programs
include, Arts, Sports and International Baccalaureate. Schools that offer these
programs will host evening information sessions and have
specific application deadlines. Please visit the individual school
website for specific application requirements.
November
Many elementary students will have an
opportunity to visit their home secondary school. This event is referred
to as “Take your Grade 8’s to High School Day.”
Secondary courses are organized as Applied,
Academic, Open or Locally Developed. Each offers a style of learning that meets
the interests, strengths and needs of the student in a slightly different way.
All these options lead to a Secondary School Diploma.
Through conversations, the student,
parents/legal guardians, caring adult and/or the Grade 8 teacher, can use the
Fall Progress Report and Term 1 report card to guide and inform course pathway
decisions. It is never too early to begin this conversation. Click on your home secondary school to
view available options.
You may decide that you are interested in attending a secondary school that is
different to your home school. There may be an opportunity to transfer to
another secondary school if there is space in that school. Information about
schools that are open to transfers is available in late November or early
December. Your Grade 8 teacher or elementary school principal will have this
information as it becomes available. In order to be considered for a transfer,
you must complete the Transfer Request form available through the office in
your elementary school. Please note this is a separate process than
applications to regional programs.
Secondary school open houses occur
between late October and January. Check the schedule of secondary school information nights and
attend your community secondary school information night. Most secondary
schools will also visit the elementary school either in December or January to
inform students about secondary school registration and course selection. They
will also inform students about extra curricular opportunities that that are
available.
If you have applied to a regional program, acceptance to that program is
usually communicated in January. Once accepted to the program, you will need to
follow up with your Grade 8 teacher to ensure that your acceptance of the
regional program is communicated to the regional secondary school and the
community secondary school.
December
This month is a good time to begin exploring
the course selection features on My Pathway Planner. and
begin to think about the optional courses available at your secondary school.
Every grade 9 student gets to select two optional courses.
January/February
Generally the deadline for Grade 9 Course
Selection is in February. Your Grade 8 teacher will have all the important
dates and deadlines, and will support you in using My Pathway Planner. Course selection should be
based on the individual student’s interests, strengths and needs. It is always
beneficial to have a conversation that includes the student, teacher and
parent/guardian or caring adult when selecting your courses for Grade 9.
Remember no decision is ever final and changes can be made even after you click
on the “submit” button.
March/April
At some point in March or April, you’ll be
asked to verify the courses you have selected. At this point, you will have an
opportunity to make any necessary changes to your Grade 9 course selection.
May/June
Enjoy your final days as an elementary
student. The secondary school you are attending may offer additional activities
or events for you to become more familiar with your new school or you may wish
to schedule another visit on your own.
Now is the time to consider what Community
Involvement opportunities may be available to you over the
summer. Once you have completed grade 8, you may begin to accumulate your 40
hours of community involvement that is a secondary school graduation
requirement. The summer immediately following grade 8 is a great opportunity to
get this graduation requirement out of the way. Be sure to check in with your
new secondary school to obtain the necessary forms and information about
eligible community involvement activities. Visit Community
Involvement for more information about the community
involvement graduation requirement and the required form.
Student Support
Some students may need additional support throughout
the transition process. There are several avenues to gain that support.
Depending on your needs, the Grade 8 teacher, English as Second Language
teacher or the Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT) can be a great
resource to help direct you to the assistance you need. Similarly, there are
departments at the secondary school that can also help such as the Guidance
Department, Special Education Department and the Student Success Teacher.