Graduation Requirements

Requirements

Grade 10 - Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)

All students must successfully complete a test administered by EQAO (Education Quality and Accountability Office). Students will first write this test in their grade ten year. Unsuccessful candidates will be given the opportunity for remediation at the school and will be able to rewrite the test. Students identified through an IPRC (Identification, Placement, and Review Committee) will be allowed accommodations for writing of the test. Students not working towards an OSSD (Ontario Secondary School Diploma) may be exempted from writing the test.

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC)

Students who have written the OSSLT (Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test) once and were unsuccessful are eligible to take the OSSLC (Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course). Successful completion of the OSSLC satisfies the secondary school literacy graduation requirement.

Community Involvement

Students are responsible to complete 40 hours of community service as a requirement for graduation. Grade 8 graduated students can start accumulating during the summer prior to entering Grade 9. Grade 12 graduating students are required to have all hours submitted by June 30 of their graduating year. If hours handed in after that date, there is no guarantee that they will be included in the Fall Graduation preparations.

A group gathers outside Simcoe Composite School.

It is the responsibility of the student to find opportunities for achieving community service hours. Various opportunities are communicated through the announcements, Twitter, or on the bulletin board outside of the Guidance office throughout the year.

Online Learning Graduation Requirement

Students who entered Secondary School since September 2020 onward are expected to complete two of their 30 credits via asynchronous eLearning. This graduation requirement can be opted out of by parents or students over the age of 18 by completing the eLearning eLearning Online Opt-out Form.

Ontario Secondary School Certificate

The Ontario Secondary School Certificate will be granted on request to students who leave school before earning the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, provided that they have earned a minimum of 14 credits as follows:

7 COMPULSORY CREDITS (2 English, 1 Canadian Geography or Canadian History, 1 Mathematics, 1 Health and Physical Education,
1 Science, 1 Arts or Technological Education or Computer Studies)
7 OPTIONAL CREDITS Selected by the student from available courses

Certificate of Accomplishment

Students who are not working towards an OSSD or an OSSC may be awarded a Certificate of Accomplishment upon leaving secondary school. The Certificate of Accomplishment is a useful means of recognizing achievement for students who plan to transition directly to employment after leaving school. The Certificate of Accomplishment is to be accompanied by the student’s Ontario Student Transcript. For students who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP), a copy of the IEP may be included.

Compulsory Credits

Compulsory Credits (Total of 18)	Notes
4 Credits In English (1 Credit Per Grade)	The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course(OSSLC) may be used to meet either the Grade 11 or the Grade 12 English compulsory credit requirement. Grade 11 English: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices course may be used to meet the Grade 11 English compulsory credit requirement. For English language learners, the requirement maybe met through earning a maximum of 3 credits in English as a second language (ESL) or English literacy development (ELD); the fourth credit must be a Grade 12 compulsory English course.
3 Credits In Math (At Least 1 Credit in Grade 11 or 12) 2 Credits In Science 1 Credit In The Arts	The Grade 9 Expressions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Cultures course may be used to meet the compulsory credit requirement in the arts.
1 Credit in Canadian Geography (Grade 9) 1 Credit in Canadian History (Grade 10) 1 Credit in French as a Second Language	Students who have taken Native languages in place of French as a second language in elementary school may use a Level 1 or 2 Native language course to meet the compulsory credit requirement for French as a second language.
1 Credit in Health and Physical Education 0.5 Credit in Career Studies 0.5 Credit in Civics
3 Additional Credits, Consisting of 1 Credit From Each of the Following Groups:	Group 1: English (including the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course), French as a second language, classical languages, international languages, Native languages, Canadian and world studies, FNMI studies, social sciences and humanities, guidance and career education, cooperative education Group 2: French as a second language, the arts, business studies, health and physical education, cooperative education Group 3: French as a second language, science (Grade 11 or 12), computer studies, technological education, cooperative education NOTE: The following conditions apply to selections from the above three groups: A maximum of 2 credits in French as a second language may count as additional compulsory credits, 1 credit from Group 1, and 1 credit from either Group 2 or Group 3. A maximum of 2 credits in cooperative education may count as additional compulsory credits, selected from any of Groups 1, 2, or 3.