Graduate

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)

* A maximum of 3 credits in English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Literacy Development (ELD) may be counted towards the 4 compulsory credits in English, but the fourth must be a credit earned for a Grade 12 compulsory English course.

** In groups 1, 2 and 3, a maximum of 2 credits in French Language Programs can count as compulsory credits, one from group 1 and one from either group 2 or group 3 .

*** A maximum of 2 credits in Cooperative Education can count as compulsory credits.

NOTE: In addition to meeting the above course requirements, students must meet the eLearning Requirement and the Literacy Requirement, and complete Community Involvement - 40 Hours.

The Ontario Secondary School Certificate (OSSC) will be granted on request to students who leave school before earning the OSSD, 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-Course Credits

7 credits are required but the student selects from available courses.

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.

All secondary students in the province of Ontario are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community service in order to graduate. The forms and additional information are provided below.

Students may wish to consider virtual volunteering, such as connecting with seniors, organizing virtual fundraising events and facilitating discussions with newcomer youth. Outdoor volunteer opportunities could include, for example, picking up litter.

Volunteer opportunities, such as connecting young people to be technology mentors to seniors, can be found through agencies such as Spark Ontario.

In addition, the Ministry has developed a list of activities that may not be chosen as community involvement that include activities that are a course requirement, activities that would normally be paid work and duties that would normally be performed at home. See the full list here.

Schools will follow Grand Erie’s processes for collecting, recording, and validating hours. 
 

Benefits of 40 Hours of Community Involvement

• Gain valuable experience working with volunteer groups.
• Learn about service to people and organizations.
• Fulfill the compulsory diploma requirement.
   

Notification of Completion of Community Involvement Activities Form

Students should print this form and bring the completed copy to their school.

• Notification of Completion of Community Involvement Activities (PDF)

Grand Erie’s liability insurance policy protects students and community sponsors from litigation arising during the forty hours of community activities, other than those involving negligence.

Workplace or other accident insurance is not provided under the Board’s insurance policy. Parents should consider purchasing student accident insurance if personal coverage is insufficient.

For more information and to obtain insurance, see  Students and Accidents information.

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) measures whether students are meeting the minimum standard for literacy across all subjects up to the end of Grade 9. Successful completion of the OSSLT is one of the requirements to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. All students across the province write this test on the same date, usually in late March each year.

Students who are receiving special education programs and services and who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) will receive the accommodations set out in their IEP.
 

Students who have written the OSSLT and were unsuccessful can enrol in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC).

The OSSLC provides students who have been unsuccessful on the literacy test with intensive support in achieving the required reading and writing competencies, and with an alternative means of demonstrating their literacy skills. Students who have written the OSSLT and were unsuccessful can enrol in the OSSLC.

The reading and writing competencies required by the OSSLT form the instructional and assessment core of the course. Students who successfully complete this course meet the provincial literacy requirement for graduation and earn one credit.