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.
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?
- What
are my opportunities?
- Who
do I want to be become?
- 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.
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.”
Thinking about Course
Pathways
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.