Graduation Requirements
What you need to graduate:
To earn a high school diploma in Ontario, students must:
Earn 18 compulsory credits (19 for Class of 2028*)
Earn 12 optional/elective credits (11 for Class of 2028*)
Pass the literacy requirement
Complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities
earn at least 2 online learning credits (Current Grade 12s were granted 1 online learning credit) or complete "Opt Out Form"
*Starting with students entering Grade 9 in September 2024, all students will now be required to earn a Grade 9 or 10 Technological Education credit as part of their Ontario Secondary School Diploma, thus earning 19 compulsory credits, and 11 optional/elective credits.
The ART and PHYS ED and TECH credits DO NOT have to be selected and scheduled in the student's Gr. 9 year; the only MUST is that they must be completed before graduation! It's a GREAT idea to get as many compulsory credits completed in Gr. 9 & 10, and then select courses of interest, and/or prerequisite courses for post-secondary programs in the senior years.
Credit Summary:
Students will take 8 credits in Grade 9, 10 and 11, and then 6-8 credits in Grade 12.
Students will select their courses in February for the following school year, through the Xello website.
Students go to their DSBN portal and click on the D2L link, Under “External Tools” they will click on the Xello application.
Once in Xello, students click on Course Planner on the left hand side of the page and fill in the column of the appropriate next grade level. Parents & Guardians review and approve the selection before students submit course requests.
Once submitted, students cannot change their selections without seeing a Guidance Teacher for help.
Read the Course Guide to see what courses are offered here at Sir Winston Churchill:
eLearning Graduation Requirement: EARN 2 CREDITS OR OPT OUT
Opt Out Form HERE - complete, print, and return to Guidance
Literacy Requirement: NO FURTHER ACTION BY YOU IS NECESSARY.
All students will have the opportunity to write the OSSLT (Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test) during the school day administered by school staff. They will write the test in Grade 10 and, if successful, will have completed the requirement. Students who do not successfully complete the OSSLT will have other opportunities to meet the literacy graduation requirement. Worry not, Guidance is aware and will reach out to students with their options.
Community Involvement Hours:
Every student in Ontario is required to complete 40 hours of volunteer work as part of their graduation requirement. Students can start accumulating these hours the summer before entering Grade 9. Please refer to the Community Involvement link for more information and details.
Here's a quick tutorial (thanks to Eden's Mr. Steele!) for how you can find your Grad Summary, which shows all of your credits and grades, in Aspen: youtu.be/KIOl2A0p8ys?t=2