Education is a team effort between students, family and the school, which is strengthened by our communication links. If at any time parents or guardians have questions about students or the school, please do not hesitate to contact the Principal, Vice-principal, Guidance/ Resource Teachers or the subject teacher. We welcome your comments.
Students are urged to strive to their highest potential. In order to achieve this success, students are expected to attend classes on a regular basis, to be punctual and to be prepared for each class with all required materials and with assigned work completed. We ask parents to assist us in promoting these values by:
• Scheduling doctor, dentist and other appointments at times which do not interfere with classes.
• Expecting regular attendance and punctuality of their student.
• Contacting the school or sending a dated note indicating the reason for the absence. If a student must leave the school during the day, please send a note indicating the reason and the time the student is to be excused.
• Contacting Student Services if the student is experiencing difficulties. Try to solve the concern before it becomes serious.
• Encouraging involvement in the variety of opportunities offered through our extra-curricular program and through community work.
• Encouraging the formation of good study habits at home. Even if a student does not have assigned homework they can be reviewing work studies. If parents have questions about the amount of homework their student should be doing, please contact their Guidance teacher or classroom.
Student Success
The Student Success Team is composed of the Administration Team (Principal and Vice-Principals), the Guidance and Career Education Department, the Student Success Lead Teacher, Social Worker and the Learning Support Teacher. This team meets weekly to review the educational, social and emotional needs of all students. Students are referred to this team by both teachers and parents.
Student success is an innovative program aimed at helping all students achieve their potential and succeed in secondary school. As part of the ministry’s Student Success and Learning to 18 initiatives, the program focuses on six key areas:
• Credit recovery
• Alternative education
• Student success in Grades 9 and 10
• Program pathways to apprenticeship and the workplace
• College connections
• Success for targeted groups of students
The Guidance Staff - Programs and Services
• Assists students entering high school to become familiar with school courses and programs
• Instructs students and teachers concerning diploma requirements
• Encourages students to consider a wide range of career and post-secondary options
• Supports students with the transition to post- secondary destination points
• Refers students for personal counselling to a variety of community agencies or to an in-school caseworker
• Maintains a career resource room for student use
Student Services & Career Education
Guidance and Career Education is a vital and integral part of the secondary program. Through this program, students are given opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills that they need in order to learn effectively, to live and to work cooperatively and productively, to set goals and monitor progress and to carry out their social responsibilities.
The primary goal of the Student Services department at Centennial is to encourage students to reach their full
potential academically, personally and socially. The Guidance program focuses on educational and career/life planning. The Guidance curriculum is delivered largely through classroom instruction, but individual sessions may be arranged at the request of a student or parent.
The program is delivered through different means, including classroom instruction, through orientation and exit programs, annual education planning, career exploration activities, and individual and short-term counselling.
Creating Pathways to Success: An Education and Career/Life Planning Program for Ontario Schools, Policy and Program Requirements, Kindergarten to Grade 12, 2013 describes a comprehensive education and career/life planning program for Kindergarten to Grade 12 designed to help students achieve their personal goals and become competent, successful, and contributing members of society.
The policy’s goals are to:
ensure that students develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed education and career/life choices through effective application of a four-step inquiry process;
provide opportunities for this learning both in and outside the classroom; and engage parents and the broader community in the development, implementation and evaluation of the program, to support students in their learning.