Grade 8 to Grade 9 Parent Information Evenings

Each October, elementary guidance counsellors host Parent Information Evenings to share important details about the transition from Grade 8 to 9. If you are a parent or guardian of a Grade 8 student, you are highly encouraged to attend a presentation.

Please note, due to the number of schools and students being supported, it may be very difficult for an Elementary Guidance Counsellor to meet with families individually. Attending a presentation is your best option for learning about the transition process and timelines. If you are unable to attend any of the Beyond 8 presentations, you are welcome to contact jerome.reid@tdsb.on.ca if you have any questions.

Grade 8 to Grade 9 PowerPoint

Attached is the 2019 - 2020 Grade 8 to 9 Parent Information Evening PowerPoint. After your review of the presentation, please contact me if you have any questions.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1b-VQ4c7R-Uy50XdI9gmqftctn2gCaOYqB5kXpG9xe2A/edit?usp=sharing

Beyond 8 | Choices for 9

On the TDSB website, there is a high school section entitled Beyond 8 | Choices for 9. This is an excellent resource for learning more about the high school transition process. It contains information and video clips related to preparing for secondary school, earning a secondary school diploma, making decisions, understanding timetables, information evenings, community involvement, and optional attendance. This will be an essential tool for students and parents during this exciting and important transition year!

Please use the following link to access the site: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/High-School/Going-to-High-School/Beyond-8

Learning about Your Home High School Options

All students are assigned home schools based on their residential address. No application is required; students are automatically accepted to home schools. Through one-on-one discussions, your child will be informed of their home school options. You can also find your child's home school(s) by using the link below and following the instructions provided: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/Find-your/School/By-Address

Once your know your child's home school options, there are three main ways to gather information about theses schools:

1. Talk to anyone who currently goes to the school
2. Read about the school using the TDSB 'Find Your School' tool (http://www.tdsb.on.ca/Find-your/School/By-Name)
3. Attend the High School Open House evening (http://www.tdsb.on.ca/OpenHouse)

Applying to Additional Schools through Optional Attendance

In addition to home school options, students also have the choice to apply to additional schools through optional attendance. Please note, students are welcome to apply but they are NOT guaranteed to get into these schools.

Regular School Programs

Students are allowed to apply to a maximum of two Regular School Programs. These are schools that are not home schools (remember, students do not need to apply to home school programs). Using the same strategies as above, families are encouraged to learn about ANY regular school programs your child may be interested in attending. Open House dates can be found at the following link: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/OpenHouse. To apply to Regular School Programs, you will need to submit a completed optional attendance form to the desired high school (please see the optional attendance section below).

Specialized Schools/Programs

The TDSB also offers a variety of specialized schools/programs for high school students. Students are allowed to apply to a maximum of two specialized schools/programs. Using the following link, you can explore the specialized programs that are open for grade 9 entry: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/High-School/Going-to-High-School/Specialized-Schools-and-Programs

If your child is interested in applying to a specialized school/program, it is very important you become aware of application requirements and deadlines (each specialized program sets their own criteria and timelines). It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED you visit the school website and attend the information evening to get a sense of the program and to have your questions answered. Please use the following links to assist you with your research:

• https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Find-your/School/By-Name (once on the school website, search for admissions)
• http://www.tdsb.on.ca/OpenHouse

Preparing for Entrance Exams

Some specialized programs require an entrance exam as part of the application process. Students applying to these programs may want to engage is some extra practice in advance of the exams. Please find below some questions that may be helpful in preparing for the exam. You may also want to visit the Khan Academy website as a way of reviewing math concepts and doing some self learning: https://www.khanacademy.org/

Submitting Optional Attendance Forms

(Required for all Regular and Specialized applications)

Regular Schools

Every December, the TDSB classifies Regular Schools as Limited or Closed:

• A Closed school does not have extra space and will only accept students who reside within the school's attendance area. This means Closed schools will not accept optional attendance applications - only students who live within the school's catchment area can attend the school. Please check back in December for schools that have been classified as closed.

• A Limited school has space and will accept additional students (the amount of spots varies from school to school). If your child is interested in applying to a Limited school (please remember, you do not need to apply to your home schools), they will need to submit a completed optional attendance form to the desired high school. Optional attendance forms will be made available in January and they require a signature from your elementary school principal prior to being submitted to the high school. Please remember, you are only allowed to apply to two regular schools and the due date for submission is (date still to be confirmed). If the number of requests for admission exceeds the available space at a school, a lottery will be held in February in accordance with the Optional Attendance Policy. You will find out by (date still to be confirmed) if your child has been accepted to an Optional Attendance school.

Specialized Schools/Programs

All specialized schools/programs require an application. An optional attendance form will need to be submitted along with the application package (most specialized schools/programs include an optional attendance form in their application package). Families are kindly reminded that you are only allowed to apply to two specialized schools/programs and that all optional attendance forms require a signature from your elementary school principal prior to being submitted to the desired high school.

Course Selection

When students move to secondary school, they have choices regarding the courses they take and the pathways they follow. All decisions about courses should be made in consultation with parents/guardians and you may want to talk to your child's teachers for any recommendations. Please keep in mind, your child's teachers knows him/her best as a learner and their advice regarding pathway recommendations is to encourage success in grade 9.

There are two areas where appropriate grade 9 courses need to be selected:

1. Your child will need to select the course type that best reflects their learning style for five core classes – English, Mathematics, Science, French & Geography (some schools only offer academic course types).
2. Your child will need to choose elective courses to enhance their academic experience. Most elective courses are categorized as open courses.

Course Types:

Courses are divided into four types - Academic, Applied, Locally Developed Compulsory Credit (LDCC), and Open (please note, more categories are available for students in specialized programs or with specific special education needs). Whenever possible students are encouraged to take Academic courses, however depending on the learning style in some subject areas, an Applied course may be a better option. It is possible to have a combination of Academic and Applied course types and it is also possible to change course types between grades 9 and 10. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that for Mathematics, a summer transfer course would be required to change from grade 9 Applied to grade 10 Academic. Here is a link to the course types page on the TDSB website: https://tdsb.on.ca/High-School/Guidance/Course-Types

• Academic: Academic courses develop students’ knowledge and skills through the study of theory and abstract problems. These courses focus on the essential concepts of a subject and explore related concepts as well.
• Applied: Applied courses focus on the essential concepts of a subject and allow students to develop knowledge and skills through practical applications and concrete examples.
• LDCC: LDCC courses have been developed to meet students’ educational needs not met by the existing provincial curriculum.
• Open: Open courses are designed to broaden students' knowledge and skills in subjects that reflect their interests and prepare them for active and rewarding participation in society. These courses comprise a set of expectations that are appropriate for all students.

Compulsory & Elective Courses:

Students take eight courses in their grade 9 year. In general, students are required to take six compulsory courses: English, Mathematics, Canadian Geography, Science, French and Physical Education (although there are some exceptions to this in some schools). The other two courses are elective courses and are selected by the student:

• One of these electives is usually an Arts course and, depending on the school, may include music (band, strings, steel pan, guitar, vocal), dance, drama, and visual art.
• The final elective course can be one of a variety of choices, again, depending on the school. Options may include: Business, Technological Education, Learning Strategies, or a second Arts course.

GLE/GLS Courses:

The GLE course (available to students who have an IEP) or the GLS course (available to students who do not have an IEP) is an elective course that provides students with educational support. This course focuses on learning strategies to help students become better, more independent learners. Students will learn how to develop and apply literacy and numeracy skills, personal management skills, and interpersonal and teamwork skills to improve their learning and achievement in school, the workplace, and the community.The course helps students build confidence and motivation to pursue opportunities for success in secondary school and beyond.

Strands

The curriculum expectations for courses in the Grade 9 to 12 guidance and career education program are organized into a number of different strands, or major areas of knowledge and skills. Each of these strands is described below. The strands in the Grade 9 Learning Strategies 1 course are: Learning Skills; Personal Knowledge and Management Skills; Interpersonal Knowledge and Skills; Exploration of Opportunities.

Learning Skills: In this strand, students develop learning and thinking skills and strategies. They discover how to manage their own learning and acquire knowledge and skills that they can transfer to a variety of situations related to learning, work, and daily life.Along with literacy and numeracy skills, they develop the habits and skills they need in order to become self-directed, lifelong learners.

Personal Knowledge and Management Skills: In this strand, students develop their ability to describe and assess their personal strengths and interests, and to use their knowledge of themselves to help them focus on education, career, and life goals. Students learn the components of effective decision making and apply them to develop plans, act on those plans, and evaluate and modify those plans as required. Students also develop the personal-management skills needed for success in work, learning, and life.

Interpersonal Knowledge and Skills: In this strand, students develop the knowledge and skills necessary for effective communication, teamwork, and leadership.They learn how to get along with others at school, in the workplace, and in the community.They learn about the importance of understanding diversity and respecting others, and they become actively involved in contributing to their communities.

Exploration of Opportunities: In this strand, students develop the skills needed to research information about learning, work, and community opportunities. Students make connections between these opportunities and their personal career goals and learn to plan for secondary school success.

Completing Course Selection on myBlueprint

Signed Course Selection Sheets are due to back to your Elementary School by (date still to be confirmed)

All course selection is done on myBlueprint. Starting in January, all grade 8 students will use myBlueprint to create their course plans. Students are to create course plans for all their home schools, as well as any other schools they have applied to through optional attendance!

In case your child has forgotten how to log on to myBlueprint, here are the steps to follow:

1. Start by going to myBlueprint.ca/tdsb – click Login
2. Enter Username: This is your child's TDSB email address - firstname.lastname@student.tdsb.on.ca
3. Enter Password: This is your child's TDSB Student Number (not their OEN)

(Please note, course selection will not be available until January)

(Date still to be confirmed) is the final date for secondary schools to inform you if your child has been accepted to an Optional Attendance school. At this time, you will need to make a final decision as to which high school your child will attend in September. As the guidance counsellor of your child, it is my responsibility to submit a parent-signed course selection sheet to the high school of your final choice. This signed course selection sheet is due back to me no later than (date still to be confirmed).