2023-2024 Academic Calendar

Bright Future Academy

1. About the school
2. 1.Bright Future Academy

The idea of Bright Future Academy (BFA) began in 2006. Since its establishment, it has helped hundreds of high school students from the Greater Toronto Area. Situated in Toronto, Bright Future Academy strives to develop the whole student – academically, responsibly, and emotionally — in a safe and nurturing environment. Under the inspection process conducted by the Ontario Ministry of Education, we offer credit courses leading to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, which in turn prepares students for success, not only at university or in college, but in life.

 

1.2. Mission

The mission of Bright Future Academy is to offer quality courses taught by expert teachers, who are truly inspirational and dedicated to promoting educational excellence.

 

1.3. Importance of completing high school education

High-school completion is the prerequisite stepping stone to post-secondary education, now deemed essential to success in the labour market. Studies have shown that well-educated citizens are more actively engaged in society: they tend to make better choices about factors that affect their quality of life (e.g., diet, smoking, exercise); and they earn higher incomes than those who are less educated. Less prominent in the mind of the public, but equally well-known among decision-makers, is the fact that well-educated and skilled people make important contributions to business innovation, productivity, and national economic performance. In an interconnected global economy, countries with more highly skilled workers have a distinct competitive advantage.

 

1.4. Teachers

Bright Future Academy is very proud of its excellent and dedicated teaching team. Our teachers are all highly qualified and expert educators trained in a wide variety of fields and degrees. They all share a true passion for teaching and care deeply about our students and their education and individual learning needs. With our Total Support system, BFA teachers are able to provide a personal learning experience for our students, helping to ensure each student reaches his or her full potential. Our teachers also participate as coaches and instructors in our extensive array of specialized programs such as TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, IB, and AP tutoring. Our teachers also act as Teacher-Advisors, each working closely with small groups of students to look after their personal education and learning needs, including university and college application counseling upon student request. In a word, our high school credit courses, after school tutoring, TOEFL, IELTS, ESL, SAT training, individualized learning programs, and extra-curricular classes are seeking bright students who are committed to excellence.

 

1.5. requirements for OSSD (left for June to fill out)

 

1.6. School organization

Bright Future Academy is a semester based private school currently under the inspection process conducted by the Ontario Ministry of Education. We offer part-time fall semester courses (September – January), winter semester courses (February – June), and summer semester courses (July – August). Also, we offer evening and weekend courses to cater to students’ needs. In the future, Bright Future Academy will consider offering full day programs when the need rises

 

3.2. Each student at Bright Future Academy will be treated as individual and encouraged to voice their own opinions and ideas. Learning styles of students will be recognized in order to design the most effectively learning strategies for each student. Extra help will be provided for all students to be successful academically.

 

4. Code of Conduct

Bright Future Academy supports and endorses recognition, acceptance, and sensitivity toward ethnocultural diversity.

4.1. All members of the school are to be treated with respect and dignity, especially persons in positions of authority.

4.2. All members of the school accept responsibility for protecting their rights and the rights of others.

4.3. Members of the school community are expected to use non-violent means to resolve conflict. Physically aggressive behaviour is not a responsible way to interact with others.

4.4. Members of the school community have a responsibility to maintain a safe environment where conflict and difference can be addressed in a manner characterized by respect and civility.

4.5. Recognition and acceptance of, and sensitivity toward, ethnocultural diversity are expectations of and within the school community.

 

5. Attendance Policy: Regular on time attendance is vital to student success. Students who do not attend their class on a regular basis will diminish their learning experience. Bright Future Academy encourages regular attendance by its students.

 

5.1. Absences:
	If a student cannot attend school the parent/guardian should call the school on that day to confirm the absence and send a note with the student on the day of their return.
	On the day that the student returns to school he/she must have a note from their parent/guardian which should be presented to the homeroom teacher.
	All unauthorized absences will be sanctioned.
	Students who are absent have the responsibility to catch up on information and work missed.
	Chronic absences affect academic performance and a meeting with parents will be requested to resolve the problem.
5.2. Lateness:
	Late arrival at the beginning of the day or for any class is disruptive and will not be tolerated. A note from the student’s parent/guardian is required if a student is late. Students who are late without a note will be sanctioned.
	Chronic lateness will not be tolerated. Sanctions will be applied to resolve the problem.

 

5.3. Skipping Class:
	Skipping classes is prohibited. Sanctions will be assigned and parents may be notified.
	Students who skip persistently may be suspended.

 

6. Curriculum

The curriculum at Bright Future Academy focuses on real-life applications of student learning. The curriculum is also based upon the curriculum expectations set by the Ministry of Education, Ontario. In each course outline, web links to the original curriculum document from the Ministry of Education is provided. The curriculum is respectful of diversity in Canadian society.

 

7. Program Planning

7.1. Types of Secondary School Courses

The Ontario secondary school program is based on a credit system. Full credit courses are 110 hours in length. A credit is granted by the Principal on behalf of the Ministry of Education in recognition of the successful completion of the course that has been developed and approved by the Ministry of Education.

The curriculum is organized into several types of courses to enable students to chose courses based on their strengths, interests, and goals.

Type 1: Academic courses develop students’ knowledge and skills through the study of theory and abstract problems. These courses focus on the essential concepts of a subject and explore related concepts as well. They incorporate practical applications as appropriate. The code of an academic course ends with the letter “D”, ie ENG1D

Type 2: Applied courses focus on the essential concepts of a subject and develop students’ knowledge and skills through practical applications and concrete examples. Familiar situations are used to illustrate ideas, and students are given more opportunities to experience hands-on applications of the concepts and theories they study. The code of an applied course ends with the letter “P”, ie ENG1P

Type 3: Open courses, which comprise a set of expectations that are appropriate for all students, are designed to broaden students’ knowledge and skills in subjects that reflect their interests and prepare them for active and rewarding participation in society. They are not designed with the specific requirements of university, college, or the workplace in mind. The code of an open course ends with the letter “O”, ie BTT2O

The common course code of courses at Bright Future Academy consists both of a five code character and a course title component, as designed by the Ministry of Education and Training in Ontario:

 

For example: MCV4U a, Calculus and Vectors

MCV	4	U		a	Calculus and Vectors
Course Descriptor	Grade of Course	Course Type		School Code	Course Title
Calculus and Vectors	“1” = Grade 9 “2” = Grade 10 “3” = Grade 11 “4” = Grade 12	D  P  O  U  C  M L	Academic Applied Open University College University / College Locally developed		Calculus and Vectors

 

Students in Grades 9 and 10 will make the choice between academic, applied and open courses primarily on the basis of their strengths, interests, and needs. Their parents or guardians, the Principal and teachers, will help them make their choices. Students who are successful in any academic or applied course in Grade 9 will have the opportunity to enter either the academic or applied course in the same subject in Grade 10. Grade 10 academic courses prepare students for Grade 11 University or College preparation courses; Grade 10 applied courses prepare students for Grade 11 College or Workplace preparation courses.

7.2. Changing Course Types

Some students may change their educational goals as they proceed through secondary school. When they decide to switch to a new pathway, they may find that they have not completed all of the prerequisite courses they need. Schools must make provisions to allow students to make such changes of direction and must clearly describe these provisions in their school program/course calendar. In most cases, a student may enrol in a different type of course in a given subject in Grade 10 than the type he or she completed in Grade 9, although doing so may require additional preparation, as recommended by the principal. In Grades 10 to 12, a student may change to a different type of course in a given subject provided that the student has taken any course specified as a prerequisite for that course. If the student has not done so, he or she may take one of the specified prerequisite courses at Bright Future Academy.

7.3. Grades 11 and 12 Courses

At Bright Future Academy, Grade 11 and 12 students will choose from among four course types: university preparation, university/college preparation, college preparation, and open courses. Students will make their choices based on their interest, achievement, and career goals. Prerequisites are specified for many of the courses offered in Grades 11 and 12 according to the curriculum. The following are four types of courses offered by Bright Future Academy in Grades 11 and 12:

1. College preparation courses are designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to meet the entrance requirements for most college programs or for admission to specific apprenticeship or other training programs. The code of a college preparation course ends with the letter “C”, ie MBF3C
2. University preparation courses are designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to meet the entrance requirements for university programs. The code of a university preparation course ends with the letter “U”, ie SCH3U
3. University / college preparation courses are designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to meet the entrance requirements for specific programs offered at universities and colleges. The code of an university / college preparation course ends with the letter “M”, ie MCF3M
4. Open courses, which comprise a set of expectations that are appropriate for all students, are designed to broaden students’ knowledge and skills in subjects that reflect their interests and prepare them for active and rewarding participation in society. They are not designed with the specific requirements of university, college, or the workplace in mind .The code of an open course ends with the letter “O”, ie EMS3O

7.4. Prerequisite Courses

Courses in Grades 10, 11, and 12 may have prerequisites for enrolment. All prerequisite courses are identified in ministry curriculum policy documents, and no courses apart from these may be identified as prerequisites. Schools must provide parents and students with clear and accurate information about prerequisites. If a parent or an adult student (a student who is eighteen years of age or older) requests that a prerequisite be waived, the principal will determine whether or not the prerequisite should be waived. A principal may also initiate consideration of whether a prerequisite should be waived. The principal will make his or her decision in consultation with the parent or the adult student and appropriate school staff.

7.5. Course List

G11: ENG3U, ENG3C, MCR3U, MCF3M, SCH3U, SPH3U, BAF3M, CIE3M, ICS3U

G12: ENG4U, ENG3C, MCV4U, MDM4U, MHF4U, BAF3M BAT4M, BBB4M, BOH4M, CIA4U, LKADU, ICS4U, SCH4U, SPH4U

8. Assessment, Evaluation & Reporting of Student Achievement

Each student must have opportunities to achieve success according to his or her own interests, abilities and goals. Bright Future Academy assessment and evaluation policy is based on seven fundamental principles. The first one tells that assessment, evaluation, and reporting practices and procedures must be fair, transparent and equitable for all students. Students and parents need to know that evaluations are based on evidence of student learning performance and that there is consistency in the way grades are assigned.

When these 7 principles are fully understood and observed by all teachers, they will guide the collection of meaningful information that will help inform instructional decisions, promote student engagement and improve student learning:

1. Fair for all students,
2. Support all students, including students with and Individual Education Plan (IEP),
3. Related to curriculum expectations as well as interest of all students,
4. Clearly communicated to students and parents,
5. Ongoing, varied in nature,
6. Provide descriptive feedback that is meaningful and timely to support learning,
7. Develop student self assessments.

8.1 Assessment and Evaluation Strategies

Bright Future Academy will utilize a variety of assessment and evaluation tools including tests, observations, reports, projects, group work, essays, quizzes, journals, and final examinations. The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to make students learn. In every first class of each course, students will be informed of the assessment and evaluation process and pertinent rubrics. Regular communication with parents / guardians is available. Tracking of students’ progress with respect to expectations is the shared responsibility of both students and teachers. Rubrics will be used by teachers regularly and consistently. Following major evaluations and assessments, interviews will be available for parents to communicate with teachers or school principal.

Evaluation of students should be fair and consistent within a given course. The evaluation policies will be submitted by the teachers in the various subject areas to the Principal for review before giving them to the students. In order to ensure that assessment and evaluation are valid and reliable, and that they lead to the improvement of student learning, teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that:

• address both what students learn and how well they learn;
• are based both on the categories of knowledge and skills and on the achievement level descriptions given in the achievement chart that appears in the curriculum policy document for each discipline,
• are varied in nature, administered over a period of time, and designed to provide opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning,
• are appropriate for the learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs and experiences of the students,
• are fair to all students,
• accommodate the needs of exceptional students, consistent with the strategies outlined in their Individual Education Plan (IEP),
• accommodate the needs of students who are learning the language of instruction,
• ensure that each student is given clear directions for improvement,
• promote students’ ability to assess their own learning and to set specific goals,
• include the use of samples of students’ work that provide evidence of their achievement,
• are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the course and at other appropriate points throughout the course.

8.2 The Achievement Chart

The achievement chart for each discipline is included in the curriculum policy document for that discipline. The chart provides a reference point for all assessment practice and a framework within which to assess and evaluate student achievement.

• The chart is organized into four broad categories; Knowledge / Understanding, Thinking / Inquiry, Communication, and Application / Making Connections. The Names of the categories differ slightly from one discipline to another, reflecting differences in the disciplines.
• The achievement chart describes the levels of achievement of the curriculum expectations within each category. The descriptions associated with each level serve; as a guide for gathering assessment information, to enable teachers to make consistent judgements about the quality of student work, and to provide clear feedback to students.
• The achievement chart provides Bright Future Academy (Ontario) teachers with a provincial standard to use in assessing and evaluating their students’ achievement. A variety of materials are to be made available to assist teachers in improving their assessment methods and strategies and, hence, their assessment of student achievement.
• The following table provides a summary description of achievement in each percentage grade range and corresponding level of achievement:

 

Achievement Chart
Percentage Grade Range	Achievement Level	Summary Description
80-100%	Level 4	A very high to outstanding level of achievement. Achievement is above the provincial standard.
70-79%	Level 3	A high level of achievement. Achievement is at the provincial standard.
60-69%	Level 2	A moderate level of achievement. Achievement is below, but approaching, the provincial standard.
50-59%	Level 1	A passable level of achievement. Achievement is below the provincial standard.
below 50%	Level R	Insufficient achievement of curriculum expectations. A credit will not be granted.

NOTE: Level 3 (70-79%) is the provincial standard. Teachers and parents can be confident that students who are achieving at level 3 are well prepared for work in the next grade or the next course. An evaluation of achievement of Level 4 does not suggest that the student is achieving expectations beyond those specified for the course, but rather that he or she demonstrates a very high to outstanding level of achievement of the specified expectations, and a greater command of the requisite knowledge and skills than a student achieving Level 3. A student whose achievement is below 50% at the end of the course will not obtain a credit for the course.

8.3 Reporting Student Achievement

Student achievement is communicated formally to students and parents by means of the Bright Future Academy “Secondary School Report Card, Grades 9-12”.

8.3.1 Reporting on Achievement of Curriculum Expectations

The report card, which follows the Provincial Report Card extremely closely, provides a record of the student’s achievement of the curriculum expectations in the form of a percentage grade, which reflects the corresponding level of achievement as described in the achievement chart for the discipline.

• A final grade is recorded for every course, and a credit is granted and recorded for every course in which the student’s grade is 50% or higher.
• The final grade for each course in Grades 9-12 will be determined as follows: 70% of the grade will be based on evaluations conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade should reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration should be given to more recent evidence of achievement. 30% of the grade will be based on a final evaluation in the form of an examination and or performance essay and/or other method of evaluation suitable to the course content and administered towards the end of the course.

Evaluation refers to the process of judging the quality of student learning on the basis of established performance standards and to assign a value to represent that quality. Evaluation is based on “assessment of learning”.

While all curriculum expectations must be accounted for in instruction and assessment, the evaluation focuses on students’ achievement of the overall expectations. A student’s achievement of the overall expectation is evaluated on the basis of their achievement of related specific expectations. Teachers will use their professional judgement to determine which specific expectations should be used to evaluate achievement of the overall expectations. Evidence of student achievement for evaluation is collected over time from three difference sources; observations, conversations and student products. Evaluation is the responsibility of the teacher and does not include the judgement of the student’s peers.

8.3.2 Reporting on Demonstrated Learning Skills and Work Habits

The report card provides a record of the learning skills demonstrated by the student in every course. The 6 identified learning skills and work habits are: (1) Responsibility, (2) Organization, (3) Independent Work, (4) Collaboration, (5) Initiative, (6) Self-regulation. The learning skills and work habits are evaluated using a four-point scale: (E – Excellent, G – Good, S – Satisfactory, N – Needs Improvement).

8.3.3 Teacher Comments

The report card also includes teachers’ comments on the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas in which improvement is needed.

8.3.4 Principal Comments

The report card may also include the principal’s comments on the performance of the student.

8.4 Methods of Evaluation

Teachers will take various considerations into account before making a decision about the grade to be entered on the report card. Teachers will consider all evidence collected from all products submitted or NOT submitted. Some evidence may carry more weight than others. Teachers will consider all evidence and use their professional judgement to determine the student’s report card grade. Determining a report card grade will involve teacher’s professional judgement and interpretation of evidence and should reflect the students most consistent level of achievement, with special consideration given to the more recent evidence. The Principal will work with teachers to ensure common and equitable grading practices that follow Ministry policy. For Grades 7 to 12, a student’s achievement of the overall curriculum expectations will be evaluated in accordance with the achievement chart and will be reported as percentage grades. It is expected that both mathematical calculations and professional judgement will inform the determination of the percentage mark.

8.4.1 Final Examination

• There is value in having the culminating activity for evaluation take the form of a formal final exam if it is fair and consistent with course expectations,
• Students in the same course should be similarly evaluated, which means that final exams will use the same format although particular questions may be different among the students;
• All courses will have final examinations unless otherwise agreed to by the Principal;
• Students are informed through the Course Outline if there is to be a final examination and its value in the overall mark;
• Final exams will be written on average, 3 – 5 months from the start of the course and usually within two weeks following completion of the course;
• All final exams are to be reviewed by the Principal before being given to any students;

8.4.2 Assignments

• Students assume the responsibility to ensure that they have completed all of the assigned requirements of the course before writing the final exam or assessment task.
• Once the final exam is written or the final assessment is submitted, no further assignments may be submitted, unless prior arrangments have been made between the student and the teacher. Students will receive zeros for any unsubmitted assignments.
• Assignments may be varied to include such assignments as essays, term papers, experiments, projects, participation in group discussions, etc.

8.4.3 Unit Tests

• Students must complete all of the assigned chapter tests.
• The tests are timed and must be completed within the time allotted.

9. Ontario Student Transcript (OST)

The Ontario Student Transcript is an official document issued by a secondary school to a student upon graduation. It is stored in the student’s Ontario Student Record (OSR) and retained for 55 years after a student retires from school. It is a record of all secondary school course work and diploma requirements. The OST will be issued to students whose OSR is held by Bright Future Academy to any student requiring a transcript as well as to all students upon graduation.

The Ontario Ministry of Education has instructed that schools in Ontario implement a policy of full disclosure in September, 1999. This policy states that all grade 11, 12 and OAC courses attempted by students must be recorded on Ontario Student Transcripts. This means that any course completed, dropped or failed will appear on a student transcript along with the marks earned in the program. The timelines to be followed for this issuance are outlined below.

If the student is currently attending another school – public or private – and is simply taking a single course from Bright Future Academy, then that student’s OSR will reside at the school that the student is attending. Where students registered in a publicly funded secondary school, earn a credit or credits with Bright Future Academy, the principal of the publicly funded secondary school is responsible for ensuring that the Bright Future Academy credit is recorded on the student’s OST. Bright Future Academy establishes or obtains the student OSR containing the OST, only if the student becomes the sole responsibility of Bright Future Academy.

9.1 Withdrawal from a Course

• Withdrawals occurring within 5 days of the issuing of the first report card from Bright Future Academy will result in the mark not being recorded on the OST.
• a withdrawal from a Grade 11 or 12 course after 5 days of the issuing of the first report card results in a “W” being entered in the “Credit” column of the OST along with the mark at the time of the withdrawal.
• Withdrawals at anytime from Grade 9 or 10 courses are not recorded on the OST
• If there are extraordinary circumstances relating to a student’s withdrawal from a course, an “S” may be entered in the “Note” column on the OST.

9.2 Repetition of a Course

• Only one credit is earned if course is repeated
• In Grade 11 and 12, an “R” appears on the student’s OST for the course with the lower mark

9.3 Equivalent Credits

Out of province students or transfers from non-inspected private schools may be granted equivalent credits upon the Principal’s evaluation of the student’s previous learning.

• “Equivalent Credits” are entered in the “Course Title” column
• “PLE” entered in the “Course Code” column
• “EQV” in the “Percentage Grade” column
• the total number of credits entered into the “Credit” column
• and the number of compulsory credits entered into the “Compulsory” column

10. Diplomas and Certificates

10.1 Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) Requirements

In order to award the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), students must earn a total of 30 credits. A credit is defined as a 110-hour course in which the expectations laid down by the Ministry of Education in the Province of Ontario have been successfully completed. Fully 18 of the credits are compulsory, earned in courses from a list of subjects that every student must take. Fully 12 of the credits are optional, earned in courses that the student may select from the full range of courses offered by the school. Students must also complete 40 hours of Community Involvement Activities and must meet the provincial literacy requirement.

If students are currently registered in another private school or public school in Ontario and are simply taking a small number of courses from Bright Future Academy, then they will in all cases, complete the provincial literacy requirement and Community Involvement Activities at the school in which they are registered. Only students who are the sole responsibility of Bright Future Academy will complete the Community Involvement Activities and the provincial literacy requirement at Bright Future Academy.

10.1.1 What Do You Need to Graduate?

1. Compulsory Credits (total of 18).

• 4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)*
• 3 credits in mathematics (1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)
• 2 credits in science
• 1 credit in Canadian history
• 1 credit in Canadian geography
• 1 credit in the arts**
• 1 credit in health and physical education
• 1 credit in French as a second language***
• 1/2 credit in civics
• 1/2 credit in career studies

Plus one credit from each of the following groups:

• Group 1: one additional credit in English (including the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course), French as a second language, classical languages, international languages, Native languages, Canadian and world studies, Native studies, social sciences and humanities, guidance and career education, cooperative education
• Group 2: one additional credit in French as a second language, the arts, business studies, health and physical education, cooperative education
• Group 3: one additional credit in 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.

*	The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) may be used to meet either the Grade 11 or the Grade 12 English compulsory credit requirement. The Grade 11 Contemporary Aboriginal Voices course may be used to meet the Grade 11 English compulsory credit requirement. For English language learners the requirement may be 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.
**	The Grade 9 Expressing Aboriginal Cultures course may be used to meet the compulsory credit requirement in the arts.
***	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.

2. Optional Credits (total of 12)

In addition to the compulsory credits, students must complete:

• 12 optional credits. The 12 optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit courses.
• 40 hours of community involvement activities
• the provincial literacy requirement

10.1.2 Substitution Credits

In order to allow flexibility in designing a student’s program and to ensure that all students can qualify for the OSSD or the OSSC, substitutions may be made for up to 3 compulsory credit courses using courses from the remaining courses offered by the school that meet the requirements for compulsory credits. Students who qualify under this substitute credit arrangement are those whose educational interests, in the opinion of their parents or guardians, or the Principal of Bright Future Academy, are best served by such substitution. In all cases, however, the sum of compulsory and optional credits will not be less than thirty for students aiming to earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

The following are limitations on substitutions for compulsory credits:

• English as a second language and English literacy development courses may not be used to substitute for a compulsory credit. (They may be used, however, to meet the compulsory credit requirements for three English credits in accordance with section OS 6.1.1.)
• No more than one learning strategies course, from the guidance and career education curriculum policy document, may be used through substitution to meet a compulsory credit requirement.
• Credits earned for cooperative education courses may not be used through substitution to meet compulsory credit requirements.
• A locally developed compulsory credit (LDCC) course may not be used as a substitute for a compulsory credit; it may be used only to meet the compulsory credit requirement that it has been designed to meet (see section 8.5.).

Each substitution will be noted on the student’s Ontario Student Transcript.

10.1.3 Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

Prior learning includes the knowledge and skills that students have acquired, in both formal and informal ways, outside Ontario secondary school classrooms. Through a formal evaluation and accreditation process known as Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR), students enrolled in Ontario secondary schools, including the Independent Learning Centre and inspected private schools that choose to implement PLAR, may have their skills and knowledge evaluated against the overall expectations outlined in provincial curriculum policy documents in order to earn credits towards the secondary school diploma. PLAR procedures are carried out under the direction of the school principal, who grants the credits.

The PLAR process developed by a school board in compliance with ministry policy involves two components: challenge and equivalency. The challenge process is the process whereby students’ prior learning is assessed for the purpose of granting credit for a course developed from a provincial curriculum policy document. The equivalency process involves the assessment of credentials from other jurisdictions.

PLAR for Regular Day School Students:

Because young people benefit in many ways from the learning experiences offered in secondary school, PLAR has a specific, limited function in the Ontario secondary school program. For regular day school students, a maximum of 4 credits may be granted through the challenge process for Grade 10, 11, and 12 courses; or for Levels 1, 2, and 3 in classical languages courses; for Levels 2, 3, and 4 in international languages courses; and for Levels 3, 4, and 5 in Native languages courses. No more than 2 of these credits may be granted in one discipline.

For students who are transferring from home schooling, a non-inspected private school, or a school outside Ontario, principals will grant equivalency credits for placement purposes based on their evaluation of the student’s previous learning (see section 4.3.2 and Appendix 2 in OS).

PLAR procedures must also be available to exceptional students. Assessment strategies must be adapted for this group in keeping with their special needs; for example, extra time might be allowed for the completion of work, or a quiet environment might be provided for activities. While PLAR may be of benefit to some gifted students, it is not intended to be used as a replacement for or alternative to enriched or other special programs for gifted students.

PPM No. 129 outlines in detail the PLAR policy and requirements that apply to regular day school students.

PLAR for Mature Students:

A mature student is a student who is at least eighteen years of age on or before December 31 of the school year in which he or she registers in an Ontario secondary school program; who was not enrolled as a regular day school student for a period of at least one school year immediately preceding his or her registration in a secondary school program (for mature students, a school year is a period of no less than ten consecutive months immediately preceding the student’s return to school); and who is enrolled in a secondary program for the purpose of obtaining an OSSD.

Because of the broader life experience of mature students, the requirements concerning the application of PLAR procedures are different for them than for regular day school students. Principals will determine the number of credits, including compulsory credits, that a mature student needs in order to meet the credit requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). At the discretion of the principal, up to 16 Grade 9 and 10 equivalency credits may be granted to a mature student following an individual assessment.

Mature students may earn 10 of the 14 remaining Grade 11 and 12 credits needed to meet diploma requirements in three ways:

• they may demonstrate achievement of the required secondary school curriculum expectations and receive credit through the challenge process;
• they may present education and/or training credentials for assessment through the equivalency process; or
• they may take the course.

It should be noted that Levels 2 and 3 in classical languages are equivalent to Grades 11 and 12, respectively; that Levels 3 and 4 in international languages are equivalent to Grades 11 and 12, respectively; and that Levels 4 and 5 in Native languages are equivalent to Grades 11 and 12, respectively.

Mature students must earn a minimum of 4 Grade 11 and 12 credits by taking the course at a secondary school (or through any of the options outlined in section 10). Mature students who have previously accumulated 26 or more credits towards the diploma must successfully complete the required number of courses to bring their total number of credits up to 30 before they will be eligible to receive the OSSD. Mature students working towards the OSSD under OS/OSS must also satisfy the diploma requirements with regard to the provincial secondary school literacy requirement. Principals will determine the number of hours of community involvement activities that a mature student will have to complete.

PPM No. 132 outlines in detail the PLAR policy and requirements that apply to mature students.

Regular day school students who transfer to an Ontario secondary school from a school outside Ontario or from a non-inspected private school may be granted equivalent credits through the PLAR equivalency process for regular day school students based on the principal’s evaluation of their previous learning. The total number of equivalent credits and the corresponding number of compulsory credits are recorded on the OST. The equivalent credits should be entered as a total, and the required items of information should appear as follows: “Equivalent Credits” should be entered in the “Course Title” column; “PLE” in the “Course Code” column; “EQV” in the “Percentage Grade” column; the total number of credits in the “Credit” column; and the total number of compulsory credits in the “Compulsory” column.

The Ontario Student Transcript (OST): Manual, 2010, p.13-14

10.1.4 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Requirement

If you entered Grade 9 in September 2000 or later and are working toward an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), you must write the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). Students in Bright Future Academy seeking an Ontario Secondary School Diploma will take the Secondary School Literacy Test in Grade 10. Students must pass the test in order to graduate, and their result is recorded on their Ontario School Transcript.

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) is the usual method for assessing the literacy skills of students in Ontario for the purpose of determining whether they meet the provincial secondary school literacy requirement for graduation. The test thus identifies students who have demonstrated the required skills in literacy as well as those who have not demonstrated the required skills and will need to do further work. The test identifies the specific areas in which these latter students need remediation. The test is scheduled by and administered through the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) once each year, usually in the spring. Students will usually take the OSSLT in the school year following the school year in which they enter Grade 9. Students who do not successfully complete the OSSLT will have opportunities to retake the test in subsequent years, on dates scheduled by the EQAO.

10.1.5 Community Involvement Activities

All students must complete a minimum of 40 hours of unpaid community involvement activities before graduating from high school. This requirement is additional to the 30 credits needed for a high school diploma. Students who are the sole responsibility of Bright Future Academy will be able to choose their own community involvement activities, within guidelines that will be provided by Bright Future Academy. Students will be responsible for fulfilling this requirement on their own time, and for keeping a record of their activities on a tracking booklet supplied by the school. The student is required to submit the tracking booklet yearly, the data from which is placed on the OST to be kept in the student’s OSR. Students will provide documentation of completion of volunteer hours to the Principal of the school where the student’s OSR is held.

In order to promote community values by involving students in their community in a positive and contributive manner, students must complete the 40 hours of community activities outside of scheduled class time. Students are to select community activities appropriate to their age, maturity and ability. The student is not to partake in any activity in which the student’s safety will be compromised. Any activity NOT on the approved list must receive written approval of the Principal of Bright Future Academy before beginning the activity.

Community Involvement Activities not approved:

• Any paid activity (i.e. babysitting);
• Cooperative education;
• Any activities or programs organized by the school;
• Playing on sport teams;
• Any involving the operation of a motor vehicle or power tools or scaffolding;
• Any involving in the administration of medications or medical procedures to another person;
• Any occurring in an unsafe or unsupervised environment;
• Any displacing a paid worker;
• Any in a logging or mining environment if the student is under 16 years old;
• Any in a factory, if the student is under 15 years of age;
• Any taking place in a workplace other than a factory, if the student is under fourteen years of age and is not accompanied by an adult;
• Any involving handling of substances classed as “designated substances” under the Occupational Health and Safety Act;
• Any requiring the knowledge of a tradesperson whose trade is regulated by the provincial government;
• Any involving banking or the handling of securities, or the handling of jewelery, works of art, antiques, or other valuables;
• Any consisting of duties normally performed in the home (i.e. daily chores) or personal recreational activities;
• Any involving activities for a court-ordered program (i.e. community-service program for young offenders, probationary program).

Community Involvement Activities approved:

• Fundraising for non-profit organizations
• Coaching or assisting sports at the community level
• Church activities such as helping teach Sunday school, bazaars, etc.
• Assisting seniors with chores
• Involvement in community committees, food banks, fairs, etc.
• Participation in environment projects such as a recycling projects, etc.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Stakeholders

The Principal is required to provide information about the community involvement requirement to parents, students, and community sponsors. The Principal is also required to provide students with the information and forms they will need to complete the community involvement requirement, including the school’s list of approved activities from which to choose. After a student completes the 40 hours of community involvement and submits all documentation of their completion to the school, the principal will decide whether the student has met the community involvement requirement and, if so, will record it as completed on the student’s official transcript.

In consultation with their parents, students will select an activity or activities from the list of approved activities, or choose an activity that is not on the list, provided that it is not an activity specified on the Ministry of Education’s and the school’s lists of ineligible activities. If the activity is not on the list of approved activities, the student must obtain written approval from the principal before beginning the activity.

Before beginning any activity, students will provide the principal or other school contact with a completed “Notification of Planned Community Involvement Activities” form indicating the activity or activities that they plan to do. This form must be signed by the student, and by his or her parent if the student is under eighteen years of age. More than one such form may be submitted when additional activities are planned that were not included on a previously submitted form.

A “Completion of Community Involvement Activities” form must be completed by the student, the student’s parent (if the student is under eighteen years of age), and the community sponsor (that is, the person or organization that provided the community involvement opportunity for the student). The student must submit the form to the principal or other school contact upon completion of the 40 hours or at appropriate intervals determined by the principal.

Parents (or guardians) should provide assistance to their child in the selection of their community involvement activities. Parents are also encouraged to communicate with the community sponsor and the school principal if they have any questions or concerns. A parent must sign the “Notification of Planned Community Involvement Activities” form and the “Completion of Community Involvement Activities” form if the student is under the age of eighteen years. Parents are also responsible for obtaining the appropriate insurance covering the student for any unseen circumstances while involved in these community activities.

One of the purposes of the community involvement requirement is to develop strong ties between the students and their community, fostering valuable and long-term relationships. Persons and organizations within the community may be asked by the student to sponsor a community involvement activity. Any training, equipment, or special preparation that is required for the activity should be provided by the person or organization. It is crucial that students are able to fulfill their community involvement requirement in a safe environment. The person overseeing the student’s activity must verify the date(s) and the number of hours completed on the “Completion of Community Involvement Activities” form. Community sponsors will be responsible for ensuring that their liability insurance will protect them for their involvement in the program. The community sponsor should be aware that the students do not have either accident insurance or Workplace Safety Insurance through the Bright Future Academy. The community sponsors should ensure that the students are provided with adequate safety instructions, are trained properly for their work and supervised to ensure a safe volunteer experience.

10.2 Ontario Secondary School Certificate

The Ontario Secondary School Certificate (OSSC) will be granted, on request, to students who are leaving secondary school upon reaching the age of eighteen without having met the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. To be granted an OSSC, a student must have earned a minimum of 14 credits, distributed as follows.

Compulsory Credits (total of 7)

• 2 credits in English
• 1 credit in Canadian geography OR Canadian history
• 1 credit in mathematics
• 1 credit in science
• 1 credit in health and physical education
• 1 credit in the arts, computer studies or technological education

Optional Credits (total of 7)

• 7 credits selected by the student from available courses

Note: The Principal, to better serve a student’s educational interest, and in consultation with the parent, may replace up to three courses with courses meeting the requirement for compulsory credits. Either the Principal or the parent my initiate the process. The total of compulsory and optional credits will still not be less than 14 for granting an OSSC. The substitution will be noted on the OST.

10.3 Certificate of Accomplishment

Students who are leaving secondary school upon reaching the age of eighteen without having met the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma or the Ontario Secondary School Certificate may be granted a Certificate of Accomplishment. The Certificate of Accomplishment may be a useful means of recognizing achievement for students who plan to take certain kinds of further training, or who plan to find employment directly 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.

Students who return to school to complete additional credit and non-credit courses (including courses with modified or alternative expectations in special education programs) will have their transcript updated accordingly but will not be issued a new Certificate of Accomplishment. The Ontario Secondary School Diploma or Ontario Secondary School Certificate will be granted when the returning student has fulfilled the appropriate requirements.

10.4 Old Diploma Requirements

If you first enrolled in Grade 9 before September 1, 1999, you must fulfill the old diploma requirements outlined in the chart below. You can do so by taking new curriculum courses to complete your diploma, unless you have previously completed a course at the same grade or higher. For example, if you successfully completed the SNC2A science course under the old curriculum, you will not get an additional credit for completing the new Grade SNC1D or SNC2D science courses.

Compulsory Credits for the Old Diploma Requirements

Subject Area	Number of Compulsory Credits
English/français (at least 2 Senior Division*)	5
French/anglais	1
Mathematics	2
Science	2
Canadian History	1
Canadian geography	1
Arts	1
Physical and health education	1
Business / technological studies	1
Additional credit in social science**	1
Total Compulsory Credits	16
Elective Credits	14
Total Credits	30

* Senior Division: Grades 11, 12, and OAC
** social science: geography, history and contemporary studies, personal life management, family studies, and economics.

11. English Second Language (ESL) and English For Academic Purpose (EAP)

The linguistic diversity of Ontario’s student population continues to increase. Some students in our school, require support in learning English including TOEFL/IELTS and to develop English literacy to enable them to achieve the curriculum expectations in all subjects and at all grade levels.

The programs of study offered by Bright Future Academy must be flexible in order to accommodate the needs of students who require instruction in English as a second language or English literacy development, and teachers of all subjects are responsible for helping students develop their ability to use English.

Appropriate accommodations to teaching, learning, and evaluation strategies are constantly being made to help students gain proficiency in English, since students taking English as a second language at the secondary level have limited time in which to develop this proficiency. Our teachers are acutely aware, that it may take up to seven years for a student to acquire a level of proficiency in reading, writing, and abstract thinking in a second language that is on a par with the level mastered by speakers of a first language.

12. Guidance and Career Programs

Bright Future Academy provides supplementary individual student counseling with respect to course selection and post secondary planning. By doing so individual student needs and concerns are met and appropriate plans can be put into place. In addition, the skills and competencies that students acquire through the guidance and career education program outlined in Ontario’s “Choices Into Action, 1999” will not only help students succeed in school, but will also contribute to their success in the workplace.

Throughout their secondary school education, students in Bright Future Academy courses will learn about the educational and career opportunities that are available to them; explore and evaluate a variety of those opportunities; relate what they learn in their courses to potential careers in a variety of fields; and learn to make appropriate educational and career choices.

To this end, Bright Future Academy:

• clearly states competencies for students in each subject;
• provides a range of career exploration activities within each course;
• prepares an individual pathways plan for each student whose Ontario Student Record (OSR) is held by Bright Future Academy;
• provides to students individual assistance and short-term counseling when requested;
• provides program of study advice;
• provides timely information on post-secondary programs to all of its students.

Students attending Bright Future Academy, whose Ontario Student Records are held by Bright Future Academy, will have individual pathways plans created in consultation with the student, the student’s parent or guardian when the student is under 18 years of age and the Bright Future Academy Principal.