System Programs Option Sheets
Online Learning/eLearning - Top
Online learning is a flexibile way to earn credits, providing choice and access to learning anytime, anywhere. Online learning is self-directed and allows students to work collaboratively with others. Online learning provides access to a variety of tools to support learning that are appropriate to students’ differing interests, needs, and skill levels.
Features of online learning:
- Flexibility – Offering access to the course at different times and from different locations
- Engagement – Technology assists and engages many students in learning. The provincial Learning Management Syste, allows students to access materials at their own pace, communicate easily with others, collaborate with their teachers and other students, and track their progress.
- Differentiation and preparation – As students prepare to enter a wired world, they will benefit from having prior experience with an online learning experience where a qualified teacher is available to support them.
For more information please go to the eLearning website: www.hwdsb.on.ca/elearning/
System Alternative Education at the Student Achievement Centre - Top
Many schools now offer their own Alternative Education programs to help meet the needs of students in the school who are having difficulty achieving credits in the regular program. Entry into such programs is normally done in consultation with parents, the student, Student Services and Administration.
System Alternative Education Programs are provided through the HWDSB Student Achievement Centre and provide a flexible, educational program, which employ on-going academic instruction and conferencing of student progress in order to meet the needs of students who have not experienced success in the traditional school setting. Courses offered meet the requirements for secondary school graduation. Students must be capable of working independently with minimal supervision.
Candidates for the student achievement centre programs require a referral from their home school. Individuals who have been out of school may also be admitted but may require a referral from the principal of the school last attended.
Students referred must complete an application, attend an orientation visit at the appropriate site and be interviewed by the student achievement centre staff. Successful candidates may be admitted to the program immediately or be placed on a waiting list until a space is available.
Students must be willing to participate in all phases of the program and make a commitment to the terms of agreement contracted at the time of admission.
For more information, please call or visit:
Student Achievement Centre - Main Office
50 Millwood Place, Hamilton
Telephone: 905-383-5111
System Self-paced Learning Program at Westmount Secondary School - Top
At Westmount Secondary School we promote the pursuit of excellence within a culture of respect and personal responsibility. We are located on the west mountain in Hamilton. Our unique and dynamic secondary school program of self-paced/self-directed learning is available to all students within Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. In this learning environment, students are encouraged and required to take responsibility for their own learning. Westmount aims to develop independence and decision-making skills in its students.
Each credit course of study offered at the school is organized into twenty units that are packaged into Learning Guides. Students work through these Learning Guides in sequence at their own pace. Lessons are taught, on average, twice weekly with the remainder of time spent working on guides with one –on-one or small group support with guidance from the teachers. Students who are able to fast-track are allowed to do so, and students who need additional time to complete work are also accommodated. Daily attendance is a school expectation, however, students are able to organize their time and efforts according to their priorities. Students who set goals to finish their courses in the one semester timeframe pace themselves to complete approximately one unit per week.
School policies are developed to accommodate and encourage continuous progress and accountability. All students are assigned an Advisor who helps monitor student progress, liaison with parents/guidance, distributes monthly reports to students, etc. Students meet with their Advisor generally once or twice a month at the start of a Flex Day. Flex Days are opportunities for students to focus their efforts on a particular subject area or more than one.
The Westmount self-paced program is best suited to students with strong self-advocacy skills and whose families support the development of goal setting, effective time management and independent learning skills. Students complete requirements for and earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Transportation between home and school is the responsibility of the student/parent.
Grade 8 students in the HWDSB can submit a Westmount Grade 9 option sheet to their current elementary school principal who will forward it to Westmount. Other Grade 8 students can contact Westmount for admission requests.
Application Procedure:
Grade 10 to 12 students are asked to contact Westmount to request an application package. Interested applicants will be required to provide a transcript, recent report card, and a completed Student Application to Register Form. Each student’s information will be reviewed by the principal, and the student will be contacted regarding the status of his or her application to Westmount. An interview with the principal may be requested.
For more information, please visit the school website at www.hwdsb.on.ca/westmount and/or contact the school. Tours can be arranged on request.
Contacts: Mr. Rick Kunc, Principal or Mr. Greg Ardron, Learning Resource, 905-385-3671
Alternative Education Program at Hamilton Regional Indian Centre - Top
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board has partnered with Hamilton Regional Indian Centre to create an alternative education program for Aboriginal students wishing to continue their educational career but not currently attending a secondary school in Hamilton. This program is administered by Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School.
The Alternative Education Program at Hamilton Regional Indian Centre features:
- A drop-in, self-paced, structure;
- Continuous enrollment;
- Credit attainment by completing Independent Learning Centre and locally developed courses;
- Small group and individual instruction and support;
- Opportunity to transition into regular classes;
- Nutritional program;
- A culturally appropriate learning environment;
- Youth Drum Group:
- Services and supports at both Hamilton Native Friendship Centre and Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School.
For more information, please contact Stephanie Skye at Hamilton Regional Indian Centre 905-548-9593.
Dual Credit Programs - Top
In Dual Credit Programs, participating students are able to experience and gain credit for college and/or apprenticeship courses while still enrolled in high school. Successful students will earn credit toward both the OSSD and a college diploma or certificate, or the OSSD and a Level 1 Apprenticeship. Dual Credit Programs must be approved and overseen by the School/College/Work Initiative, SCWI, through the Golden Horseshoe Regional Planning Team. See the website, http://goldenhorseshoescwi.wordpress.com, for more information about SCWI.
HWDSB students are able to participate in a variety of Dual Credit Programs at Mohawk College:
Mohawk Bridge
Mohawk Bridge students attend their home high school for up to two classes each morning or afternoon in the Mohawk Bridge semester. They attend Mohawk College’s Fennell Campus for the other half of the day taking two college General Education Courses, Active Citizenship and Society, Technology and Social Issues. These “Gen Ed” courses, taught by Mohawk professors, are the same as those offered to other Mohawk students.
Dual Credit teachers are high school teachers who support the Mohawk Bridge students while they attend their college classes. They counsel the students, offer tutorial assistance and share information between the high school and the college.
Mohawk Bridge students are part-time Mohawk students with all the rights and privileges of any other part-time Mohawk student.
If they are successful, Mohawk Bridge students will earn college credit towards a diploma or certificate for the Gen Ed courses on their college transcript and two optional credits towards the OSSD on their high school transcript.
Applications are encouraged from students who should consider college as a post-secondary destination but may be at-risk of not graduating or are unsure that they are ready for college. Applicants should have met the Literacy Requirement and be close to graduating. Successful completion of grade 12 college or university English is preferred.
Mohawk Tech Bridge
Mohawk Tech Bridge students attend their home high school for up to two classes each morning or afternoon in the Mohawk Tech Bridge semester. They attend Mohawk College’s Fennell Campus for the other half of the day taking two college courses, Semester 1 Computer Aided Design and Semester 1 Mathematics. These college courses, taught by Mohawk professors, are the same as those offered to other Mohawk students.
Dual Credit teachers are high school teachers who support the Mohawk Tech Bridge students while they attend their college classes. They counsel the students, offer tutorial assistance and share information between the high school and the college.
Mohawk Tech Bridge students are part-time Mohawk students with all the rights and privileges of any other part-time Mohawk student.
If they are successful, Mohawk Tech Bridge students will earn college credit towards a diploma or certificate for the college courses on their college transcript and two optional credits towards the OSSD on their high school transcript.
Applications are encouraged from students who should consider college technology programs as a post-secondary destination but may be at-risk of not graduating or are unsure that they are ready for college. Applicants should have met the Literacy Requirement and be close to graduating. Successful completion of grade 12 college or university English is preferred.
Level 1 Automotive Service Technician Apprenticeship Dual Credit
Level 1 Automotive Service Technician Apprenticeship Dual Credit students are signed apprentices who attend Mohawk College’s Fennell Campus two days per week during Semester 2 for the Apprenticeship Level 1 instruction. They attend their co-op work placements earning high school credits and hours towards their apprenticeship the rest of the week.
Dual Credit teachers support the Level 1 Automotive Service Technician Apprenticeship Dual Credit students while they attend their college classes. They counsel the students, offer tutorial assistance and share information between the high school and the college.
If they are successful, Level 1 Automotive Service Technician Apprenticeship Dual Credit students will earn credit for the in-school component of the Level 1 Automotive Service Technician Apprenticeship and two optional credits towards the OSSD on their high school transcript.
Level 1 Cook Apprenticeship Dual Credit
Level 1 Cook Apprenticeship Dual Credit students are signed apprentices who attend Mohawk College’s Cathedral High School Campus two days per week during Semester 2 for the Apprenticeship Level 1 instruction. They attend their co-op work placements earning high school credits and hours towards their apprenticeship the rest of the week.
Dual Credit teachers support the Level 1 Cook Apprenticeship Dual Credit students while they attend their college classes. They counsel the students, offer tutorial assistance and share information between the high school and the college.
If they are successful, Level 1 Cook Apprenticeship Dual Credit students will earn credit for the in-school component of the Level 1 Cook Apprenticeship and two three optional credits towards the OSSD on their high school transcript. These Dual Credits may be applied towards a Specialist High Skills Major.
Level 1 Child and Youth Worker Apprenticeship Dual Credit
Level 1 Child and Youth Worker Apprenticeship Dual Credit students are signed apprentices who attend Mohawk College’s Fennell Campus two days per week throughout the school year for the Apprenticeship Level 1 instruction. They attend their co-op work placements earning high school credits and hours towards their apprenticeship the rest of the week.
Dual Credit teachers support the Level 1 Child and Youth Worker Apprenticeship Dual Credit students while they attend their college classes. They counsel the students, offer tutorial assistance and share information between the high school and the college.
If they are successful, Level 1 Child and Youth Worker Apprenticeship Dual Credit students will earn credit for the in-school component of the Level 1 Child and Youth Worker Apprenticeship and three optional credits towards the OSSD on their high school transcript. These Dual Credits may be applied towards a Specialist High Skills Major.
Level 1 Early Childhood Educator Apprenticeship Dual Credit
Level 1 ECE Apprenticeship Dual Credit students are signed apprentices who attend Mohawk College’s Fennell Campus two days per week throughout the school year for the Apprenticeship Level 1 instruction. They attend their co-op work placements earning high school credits and hours towards their apprenticeship the rest of the week.
Dual Credit teachers support the Level 1 ECE Apprenticeship Dual Credit students while they attend their college classes. They counsel the students, offer tutorial assistance and share information between the high school and the college.
If they are successful, Level 1 ECE Apprenticeship Dual Credit students will earn credit for the in-school component of the Level 1 ECE Apprenticeship and three optional credits towards the OSSD on their high school transcript. These Dual Credits may be applied towards a Specialist High Skills Major.
Level 1 Hairstyling Apprenticeship Dual Credit
Level 1 Hairstyling Apprenticeship Dual Credit students are signed apprentices who attend Mohawk College’s Delta Secondary School Campus two days per week during Semester 2 for the Apprenticeship Level 1 instruction. They attend their co-op work placements earning high school credits and hours towards their apprenticeship the rest of the week.
Dual Credit teachers support the Level 1 Hairstyling Apprenticeship Dual Credit students while they attend their college classes. They counsel the students, offer tutorial assistance and share information between the high school and the college.
If they are successful, Level 1 Hairstyling Apprenticeship Dual Credit students will earn credit for the in-school component of the Level 1 Hairstyling Apprenticeship and two optional credits towards the OSSD on their high school transcript. These Dual Credits may be applied towards a Specialist High Skills Major.
Level 1 General Carpenter Apprenticeship Dual Credit
Level 1 General Carpenter Apprenticeship Dual Credit students are signed apprentices who attend Mohawk College’s STARRT Institute (Saltfleet campus) during Semester Two. They are team-taught the General Carpenter Level 1 apprenticeship curriculum by an apprenticeship instructor and the Grade 12 Construction Technology: Carpentry curriculum by a high school Tech Ed teacher.
Successful Level 1 General Carpenter Apprenticeship Dual Credit may earn direct entry into Term 2 of Mohawk’s Construction Engineering Technician diploma program. They would have to complete the Generic Computer Training course from Term 1 of the program on their own time. These Dual Credits may be applied towards a Specialist High Skills Major.
Students may earn no more than four optional credits toward an OSSD for externally delivered courses like most of the Dual Credit Programs above and Conservatory of Music. All of the Dual Credit Programs above except for Building Careers are taught exclusively by college instructors and do not use Ministry of Education Secondary School Curriculum. Because students in the Building Careers dual credit program are team-taught the General Carpenter Level 1 apprenticeship curriculum by an apprenticeship instructor and the Grade 12 Construction Technology: Carpentry curriculum by a high school Tech Ed teacher, the dual credits are not considered to be “externally delivered” and so they are not affected by the limit of four.
In all cases, applications for dual credit programs will be only accepted if they are supported by the school Student Success team. Dual credit programs are intended for senior students who should consider college and/or apprenticeship training after high school but may be disengaged or at risk of not graduating. Dual credit programs that are linked to Specialist High Skill Major programs are available only to SHSM students. Dual credit apprenticeship programs are available only to signed OYAP apprentices.
Please see your guidance counsellor for more information.
