Course Calendar

A student who completes all the requirements for the King’s Christian Collegiate Diploma will have achieved the listed outcomes:

• To establish a deep realization of God’s presence and greatness in all creation.
• To understand the need for study and application of scripture in daily living for the attainment of wisdom.
• To recognize the world as a set of related communities, family, local and global, that invites our participation.
• Provide opportunity to study and practice discipleship and servant-hood skills.
• To enjoy our human body as God-created beauty and to learn to choose behaviours that encourage good health from cradle to grave.
• To identify and develop innate gifts and talents, and to use this understanding to wisely influence future vocational choices and opportunities.
• To develop effective communication skills and strategies.
• To learn to interpret and critique communication media.
• To apply critical thinking to evaluate Western culture and to be able to respond from a Biblical point of view.
• To develop independent, critical and creative thinking.
• To develop effective problem solving strategies and skills.
• To understand God’s design as the basis and application of technologies.

The school year is divided into two semesters. Four course blocks (A, B, C and D) are available each day.

In grades 9 and 10, students take 2 full year courses, Biblical studies and physical education. Lunch is between blocks B and C. A Learning Report is issued at the end of each semester. Teachers use Edsby to communicate student learning progress, course material and attendance on a daily basis. All official Ontario Transcripts are available through Student Services. Learning Dialogues are scheduled five weeks into each semester in order to communicate student learning early into the semester. In this way, a plan for success, as needed, can take its fullest effect.

Students will be evaluated in a variety of ways in order to give an accurate picture of what they have learned and to strengthen their learning. Assessment and evaluation will be based on the achievement of the learning expectations, as outlined in the courses of study.

An evaluation outline for each course in which the student is enrolled is provided at the beginning of the school term and copies of these are available to parents or guardians upon request. Teachers will provide students with specific assessment and evaluation details for all major assignments, providing clear instructions as well as a detailed “rubric” (evaluation form).

Student academic progress will be communicated regularly via Edsby.

The Ontario Student Record folder (OSR) is an official record created when a student enters the Ontario school system and moves with the student from school to school. It is developed under the authority of the Education Act, and the contents are protected under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The OSR folder contains achievement results, credits earned, and other information important to the education of the student.

The information in an OSR is available to supervisory officers and the principal and teachers only for the purpose of improving the instruction of the student. All students and the parents or guardians of students under 18 years of age have the right to examine the OSR and to receive a copy of its contents, if they so desire.

The Ontario Student Transcript (OST) is a provincially standardized document that provides a comprehensive record of a student’s achievement in secondary school. The credits that a student has earned towards fulfilment of the requirements for graduation will be recorded on the OST.

In grades 9 and 10, the student’s achievement with percentage grades earned and the credits gained are recorded for successfully completed courses. In Grades 11 and 12, the student’s achievement for all courses taken or attempted is recorded, showing percentage grades earned, credits granted, (if successful), or “W” for “withdrawn before completion.” (Students repeating a course for which they have already received a credit will have all marks recorded, but only one credit granted.)

The Ontario Ministry of Education (EDU) has published benchmark levels of achievement in an attempt to standardize grading across the province. The levels of achievement associated with percentage grades are as follows:

A = 80-100% – Level 4: A very high to outstanding level of achievement. Achievement is above the provincial standard.

B = 70-79% – Level 3: A high level of achievement. Achievement is at the provincial standard.

C = 60-69% – Level 2: A moderate level of achievement. Achievement is below, but approaching the provincial standard.

D = 50-59% – Level 1: A passable level of achievement. Achievement is below the provincial standard.

E = Below 50%: Insufficient achievement of the curriculum expectations. The student will not receive a credit for the course.

The Provincial Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) has designed the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). In the spring of their Grade 10 school year, students will be required to complete the grade 10 Literacy Test based on language and communications expectations up to and including Grade 9.

• Students must pass the test in order to graduate from secondary school and earn a diploma.
• The test determines whether students have acquired those skills necessary for literacy and show whether students have attained the provincial expectations for literacy.
• The test identifies those students who have not demonstrated the required skills and indicates areas for remediation.
• Students unsuccessful on the first attempt may rewrite the test. There is no limit to the number of attempts a student may make.
• Students may enrol in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) if they have failed the literacy test once, and wish to take the course to best meet their educational needs.
• Successful completion of the course is equivalent to successful completion of the test.
• Once successful, the student cannot take the test again.
• Only successful completion will be noted on the student’s OST. There will be no specific mark or date.

Students will be evaluated in a variety of ways in order to give an accurate picture of what they have learned and to strengthen their learning. Assessment and evaluation will be based on the achievement of the learning expectations, as outlined in the courses of study.

These are the secondary school credits, prescribed by the Ministry policy that a student must earn in order to satisfy the requirements for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. In the case of a student whose educational interests would best be served by the substitution of a compulsory credit, the Principal may make such a substitution of up to three compulsory credits to be replaced by additional courses from the compulsory list.

These are courses that students must complete before enrolling in certain other courses. Prerequisite course requirements are clearly listed after the course description. A student lacking a prerequisite must speak with a guidance counsellor to determine if equivalent standing exists. In certain situations, the Principal may waive these prerequisites.

The following information applies to all courses offered at King’s Christian Collegiate:

• Students under the age of eighteen require parental approval for all decisions on course choices. Students who are 18 years of age or older may accept responsibility for their own course choices.
• Courses of study for each course offered at King’s are maintained in the office and are available for examination by parents/guardians upon request.
• The courses offered at King’s have been developed according to the requirements of the Ontario Ministry of Education.
• A clear description of expected learning expectations is provided to students prior to instruction in each course of study.

Secondary School courses in grades 9 and 10 are organized into three types: Academic, Applied, and Open. All courses build on completion of previous grades and have rigorous standards. All courses prepare students for study in the senior grades.

Academic and Applied courses differ in the balance between essential concepts and additional requirements, and in the balance between theory and application. They differ primarily, not in the level of skill required, but in the kinds of problems presented and the application of the content and concepts.

Courses are identified by 3 letters to denote subject area, a number to denote grade level, and a letter to denote course type. For example, ‘ENG2D’ means English for Grade 10 (“2”) students. It is an academic course (“D”).

The first character indicates the subject area:

All grade 9 and 10 students will study a full program of eight credits. Successful completion will allow students to earn one credit per course for a total of eight credits toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. In grade 10, students take 9 courses with 2 of those worth half a credit each.

Students who are not successful in completing a credit may be able to upgrade their course in the summer (at a publicly funded school), or repeat the course the following year. Promotion is on a subject-by-subject basis, not grade-by-grade as in elementary school.

When it is appropriate, students will be helped to plan a program that can include alternative approaches to earning credits, for example:

• Summer or night school courses in a publicly funded school.
• Independent Learning Centre (ILC) courses.
• Conservatory of Music grade level accomplishments.
• Individualized courses created to suit specific student need.
• Online courses through the Avon – Maitland Distance Education Centre (AMDEC).

In order to make a change to your timetable, here is the procedure:

1. All changes must be made through the guidance office. Students remain in their scheduled class until a change can be made and recorded by the guidance counsellor.
2. Within the first week of school, changes can be made by students in consultation with the guidance counsellor.
3. After the first week of classes, students wishing to make a change to their timetable, will need approval from the guidance counsellor, the teachers implicated in this decision, and the parents of the student before a change can occur.
4. After the first 2 weeks of classes, students may not switch their classes unless it is judged beneficial by the guidance office and administration. Once the school recommends the change, the guidance office will call home to seek approval for this change.
5. Once the midterm report has been distributed, no further timetable changes may be made and any courses that are dropped after this point will remain on the student’s transcript.

Students in grade 9 and 10 will receive an academic or applied credit based on the degree of modification used in individual cases. Credits will be assigned in consultation with teachers and parents or guardians.

Students in grade 11 and 12 should choose courses based on their abilities and future goals. Transfers between university and college preparation courses will be done in consultation with teachers, students, and parents or guardians.

Transfer courses to meet prerequisite needs are available in summer school. For example, a student in ENG2P (Applied) credit will need a transfer course to take ENG3U (University).

Student Services consults students in February regarding class choices for the following school year. Students and parents receive this information to make appropriate choices as they look ahead to post-secondary options. Once choices are made, it is normal and expected that the schedule will not change.

Grades 9 and 10: Withdrawals from grades 9 and 10 courses are not recorded on the Ontario Student Transcript (OST). Only successful courses are recorded on the OST.

Grades 11 and 12: If a student withdraws from a grade 11 or 12 course within five instructional days following the midterm, the withdrawal is not recorded on the OST.

The PLAR process allows for a student enrolled in an Ontario school to challenge for a credit based on skills and knowledge, evaluated against the expectations outlined in the provincial policy documents, acquired outside of secondary school. The challenge process is not available at King’s Christian Collegiate.

Where secondary students transfer from a home school, from a non-inspected private school, or from a school outside Ontario, the Principal of the receiving school will determine the total credit equivalency of the student’s previous learning and the number of compulsory and optional credits still to be earned. The credit equivalency total and the number of compulsory credits included will be entered in the student’s OST. All students must meet the provincial secondary school literacy requirement. Principals will determine the number of hours of community involvement activities a student will be required to complete.

The secondary school program is based on the credit system. The Ministry of Education defines a credit as “a means of recognition of the successful completion of a course that has been scheduled for a minimum of 110 hours”. The 110 hours involves planned learning activities related to the learning expectations in a course. They do not include homework. Students are required to stay in school until the age of 18 or until they have completed graduation requirements.

King’s does not offer the Secondary School Certificate or the Certificate of Accomplishment as part of the regular program.