Department Head - Mr. Jon Young
In order to help all students be successful at ELSS, there is a Student Success
Program. It is co-ordinated by a full-time Student Success Teacher (SST) who
works out of a fully-equipped Student Success room located beside the Special
Education Resource room. The Program is managed by a Student Success Team (which
includes the SST, Principal, Vice-Principal, Special Education Resource Teacher,
Head of Student Services, and Attendance Counsellor).
The Student Success Program at ELSS includes, but is not exclusive to:
•
Making smooth the transition from Grade 8 to Grade 9 (including Grade 8 Days,
the Reach Ahead Learning Strategies credit course for Grade 8 students, Grade 8
Open House, Welcome to Grade 9 Information Meetings held at elementary schools
for Grade 8 students and parents, transition meetings with Grade 8 teachers and
principals, Grade 9 Assembly, Grade 9 Parents’ Night, interviews with former
Grade 8 teachers and their students, as well as with the Vice-Principal and
Attendance Counsellor early in the year, and the Jump Start Summer Program for
all in-coming Grade 9 students)
•
Matching students with appropriate alternatives to regular classroom learning
(including flexible timetabling, Special Needs Resource classes, independent
study classes, LEAD, Section, Late School, Grade 9-12 Pathways, half-day Co-op,
full semester Co-op, Construction Co-op, 2-credit Summer Co-op, Apprenticeships,
e-learning, dual credits)
•
Regularly-scheduled “critical care” meetings (scheduled immediately after each
reporting period - Early Bird, Mid-Semester, Third Quarter, and End of Semester
- by the Student Success Team to ensure that all students are in the correct
programs or if they require support)
•
Mentoring (some students are assigned a “caring adult” for a number of reasons
during the school year to help him/her to be successful - also, the SST is ready
to help any student before, during, or after school, and ELSS has the services
of an attendance counsellor and social worker)
•
Preparation for the EQAO Grade 9 Math Test and the Ontario Secondary School
Literacy Test (which includes weekly practice challenges, scheduled workshops
and practice tests with feedback, and cross-curricular activities)
•
Credit Rescue and Credit Recovery Programs (implemented at course end - if a
student is close to passing a course but needs additional support in order to
successfully achieve a passing grade)
•
Monthly Recognition Assemblies (these recognize monthly achievement by
students in categories of service, athletics, arts, and academics)
•
Celebratory Dinners throughout the year for students and parents (Grade 9 BBQ,
Grade 10 Numeracy, Grade 11 Literacy, Grade 12 Scholarship Banquet,
Grandparents’ Tea)
•
Glad Grad Day (full day set of workshops for all potential graduates at
Denison Mansion
•
Club 210 (lunchtime and after-school homework, extra-help, and “Get It Done”
program)
•
Case Conferences (meetings scheduled throughout the year with student, parent,
SST, teachers, and Vice-Principal)
•
Professional Learning Committees (scheduled throughout the year to discuss
at-risk students and plan strategies)
•
Agendas (every Grade 9 student receives an Agenda in September and all Grade
10-12 students wishing to have one are supplied with one)
•
Academic Probation (identified students who are academically at-risk are
placed on a program that closely monitors their work completion and success
throughout the year)
•
Sustained Silent Reading Program (from 10:05-10:30 every day, ever person in
the school drops everything and reads for pleasure)
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING LINKS:
The Student Success Program:
www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/brochure.pdf
www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/lighthouse.html
www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/coop.html
www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/newCourses.html
www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/culture.html
www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/dualCredit.html
www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/teams.html
www.edu.gov.on.ca/morestudentsuccess/transition.html
For Extra Help to Prepare for the Grade 9 EQAO Math Test:
www.eqao.com/Students/Secondary/09/BookletsandGuides.aspx?Lang=E&gr=09&yr=08
www.eqao.com/Students/Secondary/09/BookletsandGuides.aspx?Lang=E&gr=09&yr=07
www.eqao.com/Parents/Secondary/09/SinglePartOpenResponse.aspx?Lang=E&gr=09
www.eqao.com/Parents/Secondary/09/KeyWords.aspx?Lang=E&gr=09
Help to Prepare for the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test:
www.eqao.com/pdf_e/09/Sgrg_Xe_0409.pdf
www.eqao.com/Students/Secondary/10/BookletsandGuides.aspx?Lang=E&gr=10&yr=09
www.eqao.com/Students/Secondary/10/BookletsandGuides.aspx?Lang=E&gr=10&yr=08
www.eqao.com/pdf_e/09/S1100W_Xe_0309.pdf
www.eqao.com/pdf_e/09/S1200W_Xe_0309.pdf
www.eqao.com/pdf_e/09/StuAnswKey_Xe_09web.pdf
