High Performance Athletes Program

The High Performance Athletes Program is an enriched program with a flexible learning environment that will empower the elite performer to strive for both academic and athletic excellence. Elite athletes, who compete at a very high level of competition (on the provincial or national team) and require special timetable considerations or are away from school at competitions for extended periods of time, can take advantage of our High Performance Program at St. Joseph Secondary School. This program allows athletes to be timetabled into their courses based on their training/competitive schedule, as well as allow for alternate arrangements for the submission of assignments or writing of tests, which may be delayed or missed due to performance commitments. A formal application for the High Performance Program can be obtained from the guidance counselor and approval for acceptance into the program is made by the administration of St. Joseph Secondary School.

Credit Recovery Program

The Credit Recovery Program at St. Joseph S.S. is an initiative to allow students an opportunity to ‘recover’ a course credit for which a student received a mark that was over 38% but less than 50%. The student must also not have missed more than 20 days from the course where the failing mark was achieved. Recovery of the credit will be facilitated in a Credit Recovery (CR) classroom with instruction, support, and evaluation by teachers with academic expertise in a wide variety of subject areas. Upon successful completion of the CR assignment, the student will receive a mark that consists of 70% of the mark from the first, in-class attempt, plus 30% of the CR mark. The final combined mark will appear on the student’s transcript.

The CR program emphasizes responsibility within a collaborative, yet disciplined, environment. Students will be engaged in a mentoring/instructional relationship with the teachers in contrast to the traditional didactic relationship of a teacher-centered classroom.

Peers As Teacher Helpers Program

The PATH (Peers As Teacher Helpers) Program is a unique program to St. Joseph Secondary School which gives senior students an opportunity to explore a career in teaching by working as a teacher assistant with grade nine or ten classes. All PATH students must be nominated by the teacher that they will be working with. They are responsible, mature, reliable students who are excellent role models. The PATH student is timetabled into the junior class for an entire semester to assist these students with their academics. The junior students not only benefit academically by having a PATH student as a part of their class; as mentors, PATH students have the opportunity to encourage students to get involved in school, sharing their successes and experiences. The PATH student earns a senior cooperative education credit at the completion of the semester and have a life-changing experience as they develop their leadership, organizational and time management skills.

ACE Program

Senior students at St. Joseph Secondary School, who are credit deficit, may be eligible for our ACE (Alternative Cooperative Experiential) Program, which allows students to earn ten credits or more, in order to catch up with their peers and graduate with their secondary school diploma. Eligible students are identified by the number of credits that they have earned by the previous year and if they meet the criteria, are invited to apply and participate in the rigorous selection process. Only 22 students are selected each year. ACE students are taught an integrated curriculum of English, Math, Religion, and Career Education in the morning and go out to a cooperative education placement in the afternoon. Attendance is a mandatory component and is closely monitored and consequenced. ACE students are also required to meet regular benchmark deadlines at which time all of the work done in the ACE Program up to that date must be completed. Non-compliance to the strict attendance or benchmark requirements indicates the student’s choice to not continue with the Ace Program. Despite the demanding expectations of the ACE Program, we have experienced an extremely high level of success and have been recognized across the province as an exemplary program.

THE I.D.E.A.L PROGRAM - INDIVIDUALIZED, DIFFERENTIATED, EDUCATIONALLY ASSISTED PROGRAM

The IDEAL Program offered at St. Joseph Secondary provides students the opportunity to gain one credit by independently completing course booklets created by the Independent Learning Centre. The class is scheduled for four periods during the school day and is monitored by a classroom teacher. All work must be completed during class time. Students gain entry into the program by Guidance Counsellor or Administrative referral.

Specialist High Skills Major Program in Business and Transportation

The SHSM program offers students the opportunity to explore a specific area or career of interest and to acquire the skills and experience that will assist them in their post-secondary pathway: Apprenticeship Training, College, University and the Work Place.

Each SHSM programs includes:

1. Nine to Ten Bundled Senior Credits

2. Sector Recognized Certifications & Safety Awareness Training

3. Experiential Learning

4. Use of the ONTARIO SKILLS PASSPORT

5. “REACH AHEAD” Experiences

Students in SHSM Programs have the opportunity to:

o Customize their secondary school education to suit their interests and talents through a specialized bundle of credits

o Develop sector-recognized knowledge and skills while earning their Ontario Secondary Scholl Diploma (OSSD)

o Explore, identify and refine career goals

o Make informed decisions regarding postsecondary destinations

o Access resources, equipment, and expertise that may not be available in their home secondary school

o Receive a Special SHSM red seal designation on their diploma

o Network with potential employers

Where can you find out more about this SHSM Program?

Please see your guidance counselor for further information.