Introduction
The following information applies to all courses offered in the secondary schools of the RRDSB:
- students under the age of eighteen (18) require parental approval for all decisions on course choices. Students who are eighteen years of age or older MAY accept responsibility for their own course choices;
- courses of study for each course offered in a school are maintained in the Principal’s office and are available for examination by parents/guardians upon request;
- the courses offered by the secondary schools of the Rainy River District School Board have been developed according to the requirements of the Ontario Ministry of Education;
- a clear description of learning expectations is provided to students prior to instruction in each unit of study.
Semestered Organization
The school year in Secondary Schools of the RRDSB is organized into semesters for most courses. In this organization, students study half their subjects in the first semester (September to January) and the other half in the second semester (February to June).
Course Transfer Information
Students should select courses appropriate to their abilities and career plans. If students are having difficulties, they may discuss a change of course with their guidance counsellor. A change may be approved after consultation with parents/guardians if the following conditions are met:
- there is room in the class to which the student has requested a transfer;
- not more than half the time scheduled for the course has passed for level to level transfers in the same course;
- the course requested is appropriate for the student’s educational and career plans.
Definition of a Credit
A credit is granted in recognition of the successful completion of a course that has been scheduled for a minimum of 110 hours. It is possible that ½ credit courses will be available in selected areas of the curriculum to allow students to explore a wider variety of programs.
Ontario Curriculum
The curriculum for secondary school courses in Ontario is developed and mandated by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Secondary Ontario Curriculum information is found online at:
https://www.dcp.edu.gov.on.ca/en/curriculum#secondary
For each of the 19 different curriculum areas offered in Ontario Secondary Schools you will find information on:
- Curriculum Context;
- Course names, descriptions, and prerequisites;
- Learning expectations for each course;
- Assessment and evaluation;
- Additional resources and parental guides.