Oakville Trafalgar High School

A Tradition of Excellence Since 1908

Future Pathways

Compulsory Courses at a Glance

NEW Graduation Requirements

**Highlighting NEW Grad Requirements for the Grade 9s beginning fall 2025:

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• 17 compulsory and 13 elective credits
• Grade 9 or 10 Technological Education course
• Math in Grade 9, 10 and 11/12
• Financial Literacy Digital Task in Grade 10 Math (details TBA by the Ministry of Education)
• Removal of Group 1, 2 and 3 requirements
• Addition of 1 course from a STEM grouping

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HDSB Guide to Secondary

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At a Glance: Compulsory Courses

French, Art, Technology & Physical Education Options

**French

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One French credit is required. Only Students with less

than 600 hrs of French instruction can select Open French.

FSF 1O1. All other students in the English program will select

academic French FSF 1D1

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Art

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One art credit is required. Students have a full catalogue in grade 9 to select from OR some students wait until grade 10 to complete their art credit. The grade 10 art catalogue includes the same options as grade 9 with the addition of Photography (AWQ) and Music - Strings (AMS).

French, Art, Technology & Physical Education Options

Technology

One technology credit is required. Students can choose Technology and the Skilled Trades (TAS1O) OR some students wait until grade 10 to complete their technology credit. The grade 10 technology catalogue includes the following;

• TEJ2O1 - Computer Technology
• TGJ2O1 - Communications Technology
• TCJ2O1 - Construction Technology
• TMJ201 - Manufacturing Technology

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French, Art & Physical Education Options

**Physical Education

Students must select one Physical Education credit in grade 9.

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There are 3 courses offered;

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• PAI 1O1 - All Gender, Indiv. & Small Group Activity
• PPL1OF - Female, Health & Physical Activity
• PPL1OM - Male, Health & Physical Activity

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Selecting Compulsory Courses for Grade 9

HDSB will continue to offer Locally Developed (L) Programs

• 5 regional sites (Craig Kielburger, Georgetown, White Oaks, M.M. Robinson, Nelson)
• key compulsory credit requirements will be offered as ‘L’ or clustered courses
• for students that meet specific criteria who are working to close gaps and develop skills in literacy and numeracy

Pathways & Compulsory Courses

• Math (MTH1W), Science (SNC1W), English (ENL1W) and Geography (CGC 1W) will continue to be de-streamed for students in Fall 2025
• French will be offered as academic (FSF1D)
• Open French will be offered for students as an introductory course who have little or no knowledge of French or who have not accumulated the minimum of 600 hours of elementary Core French instruction.
• Families do not need to make decisions about pathways for compulsory courses until course selection for Grade 10.
• The pathways in grade 10 will continue as - Applied & Academic Pathways
• Choice will be offered in Math, Science, History & English in Grade 10
• Each pathway focuses on Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

HDSB Guide to De-Streaming

Additional Graduation Requirements

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eLearning Graduation Requirement

• two online (asynchronous courses) required, but there is an opt-out option

Community Involvement

• Paid work or duties performed at home no longer count
• Current grade 8 students can start credit accumulation and community involvement hour attainment as of July 2025
• Please review eligibility criteria with students as outlined on the Community Involvement Hours page on HDSB.ca

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• Ontario Secondary School Literacy Requirement
• Completed by taking the test (OSSLT) or

the course (OSSLC) or through successful adjudication after at least 1 unsuccessful attempt at the test

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Selecting Courses for Grade 9

Course Selection Worksheets will be distributed:

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• In grade 8 classrooms in our Feeder schools in Dec/Jan

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• Upon completion of registration for our Non-feeder school students in January

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What tool can you use for pathway planning - now and through to post secondary?

Students of HDSB have access to myBlueprint to explore secondary school credits, high school planning, post secondary planning and career or occupation planning.

Course Substitutions

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• Course substitutions may be discussed for students that are unable to complete a course for approved reasons

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• Course substitutions are:
• generally rare
• can only happen up to 3 times over a student’s high school career
• done in consultation with the family and school when doing so would serve the student’s best interests (requires secondary school Principal approval)

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• The secondary school (Guidance, Student Success, Special Education, English as a Second Language and Administration) will be able to advise and support when a substitution may be appropriate for a student

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“Reaching Ahead” Course Selection

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Students at Oakville Trafalgar High School select 8 courses from the Grade 9 Course Catalogue. *Students are unable to select ‘reach ahead’ credits which are defined as credits in higher grades. The focus on grade 9 is to further develop student academic skills, learning skills as well as refining their social and emotional well-being. To build strong peer connections it is important for students to be in classes with age appropriate peers.

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Once students advance to Grade 10 and beyond, ‘reach- ahead’ course selections are allowed during the course selection process.

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*an exception is for students who have completed Grade 9 math in their Grade 8 school year.

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Oakville Trafalgar High School

A Tradition of Excellence Since 1908

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Thank you

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