What does SOSS offer to a senior high school student? : grades 10-11-12

In Grade 10 – time to plan – where are you going? Vocational School?, into the workforce, a specialty institute or a university/college.

It is an interesting and demanding time of a student’s life where parents/teachers/counsellors can play an important role.

Not all students want or are ready for an institute of higher learning but if you are – then one thing is true.

You need four basic courses offered at ALL high schools that allows you to seek entrance to a college or university.

Here are some facts given by SOSS Principal Marcus Toneatto:

You need four main courses to enter university: Generally those are English, Math, Social Studies and a choice for Arts or Science.

Most grade 12 twelve students take 7 courses which means choice can be make on the other 3 courses (electives). Some of those courses can be Grade 11 courses you did not take the first time around.

If you desire or want a certain course it may not be available to you if insufficient amount of students demand that course. Take the example of geology. Not likely to garner sufficient interest to make a class. But you CAN take that in Distance Learning/YouLearn.

The possibilities seem endless (18 or more) says Toneatto but all students or parents cannot have everything that they may want in the type of courses based on the size of the school (443) ….but what is offered is all that is necessary to get a key to the next level.

Vice-Principal Tracy Harrington also said high school education is NOT just what the course content is. It is the capacity of how to learn and how to make your way in life beyond high school.

Are you a parent that is concerned about what courses are available? Comment now.

Are some parents concerned about courses yes. A number of parents expressed a level of dissatisfaction at a recent PAC meeting (Parent Advisory Council).

ODN contacted PAC chair Bibiana Bailey who said she and her executive was a bit surprised at what came up in conversation by 2 parents at the end of the September meeting.

In five years as chair, Bailey said she had never heard of any level of unhappiness about course choices in Grade 12. The meeting had gone on for 90 minutes dwelling on changes to how the cafeteria is to operate and the dropping of the yearly annual because of a lack of interest, participation and sales.

What is gleaned from private conversation is that a better job needs to be done in communicating with the parents of senior students. That in itself is difficult but more work on it could bear fruit.

Get involved in your child’s education.