School Calendar

Moodle is an online Learning Management System and requires an internet connection to be accessed. Google Apps is a suite of cloud computing productivity and collaboration software tools and software. It includes Google’s popular web applications including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Hangouts, Google Calendar, and Google Docs. Students will be given a student login and password to login to both Moodle and Google Apps to access all course material. In order to login and use the service your browser is required to have JavaScript and Cookies enabled. Furthermore desktops are required to have Adobe Flash Player 10.1, or greater, installed. It is highly recommended that students use Chrome Browser to access their courses and work on activities. Students can access their courses on Chromebooks, Macbooks, PCs, tablets and Smartphones.

Some courses may require additional hardware such as a camera, microphone or speakers. Please refer to the specific course outline to determine if any additional software or hardware is required or provided in the course.

Every student in Ontario is required to remain in secondary school until they reach the age of eighteen or obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Kanata Academy Online is not a traditional high school and we believe we offer a high quality education that embraces the changing face of education and provides students with opportunities to meet their goals while learning the skills they need to be successful in the changing face of post secondary education and the work force.

Kanata Academy’s Online Administrative staff promise to create and maintain meaningful and productive interactions between students to ensure that technology and learning online does not in anyway deter the learning process. The Principal and teachers promise to provide meaningful and quality course content to meet the Ministry Curriculum expectations and to properly prepare students for postsecondary opportunities and the workforce.The Principal and teachers also promise to allow parents to be involved in their child’s education by allowing access to course materials and assessments. Online grades, report cards, feedback and conferencing allow parents to stay up to date on their child’s progress.

Regular attendance and participation in is essential to school success. Students who do not participate regularly in their online course regularly will risk experiencing a negative learning experience. Kanata Academy Online will maintain attendance records to ensure that students and teachers login to their course on a regular basis. Due to the continuous entry and exit model of our fully online courses, there is not yearly or semester calendar followed. Students who leave a course before completion must communicate their intentions either in writing to the Principal or over the phone before they will be officially withdrawn. Constant and relevant feedback and communication will be given to students to encourage regular attendance and participation. Students who have not completed their course within 18 months from the day of enrollment in that course, will be automatically unenrolled from the course.

It is important to note that as of December 20, 2006, all students under 18 years of age, are required to be in attendance at school unless they have already graduated or are otherwise excused from attendance at school.

5.3 Code of Conduct for Computer Use
The school reserves the right to monitor all material in user accounts on the file server in order to determine the appropriateness of computer use when a challenge has arisen. The following processes have been put into place:

• The Brightspace Integrated Learning Platform at the Kanata Academy Online is intended for educational purposes only. Any use of any LMS tool within course for any other purpose other than the intended educational purpose is prohibited. The inappropriate uses include, but are not limited to, criminal, obscene, commercial, or illegal purposes.
• Student access into the LMS is provided as long as the student follows the guidelines set by the school Principal, provincial, and federal laws.
• If the LMS is used inappropriately or in a prohibited manner, the Principal reserves the right to terminate the registration or suspend the user. There is the possibility of further disciplinary action including legal prosecution, if the appropriate laws, regulations, or contracts deem it necessary.
• Malicious LMS network damage, interference or mischief will be reported to the appropriate authorities.
• It is important to be aware that activities in an online environment are not private. The school reserves the right to monitor all material that is placed in a user’s account and to remove it if deemed necessary.
• The security of the online environment is only as effective as the practices of its users. Therefore, it is important that the student user:

• Never reveal your password to your course to any individual except your parent.
• Always report to your Principal any email or chat message which causes you concern or any message which requests inappropriate personal information from you.
• Never attempt to access unauthorized material or to impersonate another user. Any attempt to vandalize, harm or destroy data of another user is prohibited. Any attempt to vandalize the data of the course or school is also prohibited.

A positive learning and teaching environment is essential if students are to succeed in school. Kanata Academy Online is committed to creating school learning environments that are caring, safe, peaceful, nurturing, positive, respectful and that enable all students to reach their full potential. When a school has a positive climate, all members of the school community feel safe, included, accepted and actively promote positive behaviours and interactions with each other. Kanata Academy Online will conduct a School Climate Surveys to hear directly from students, school staff and parents about how they view our school climate. The results of the survey will allow us to make informed planning decisions about programs to help prevent bullying and promote safe and inclusive schools.

Ministry of Education Policies and Procedures
Promoting a Positive School Environment
Ontario’s Safe School Strategy
Shaping a Culture of Respect in Our Schools
Ontario’s Code of Conduct
Progressive Discipline
Caring and Safe Schools

The following processes have been put into place to create a safe school environment for the student:

• Google Drive and Gmail are provided to all students for school functions but remain the property of Kanata Academy Online.Inappropriate electronic material is not permitted in the Google Drive or Gmail. The school reserves the right to inspect a student’s Google Drive or Gmail, when and where the welfare of the school is involved.
• All students are expected to treat other students, teachers and admin staff with respect, courtesy and consideration. Profanity will not be acceptable in any of the communication tools provided within the online courses.
• All students will accept the authority of the teachers and all teachers will demonstrate respect for all students.
• Threats, distasteful remarks, abuse of any kind, or harassment by any individual which impairs the health and welfare of any student or staff member is not permitted and is to be reported to the Kanata Academy Online Principal immediately.

Plagiarism occurs when a student presents another person’s work as the student’s own. The Kanata Academy Online Plagiarism Policy is designed to teach the student to identify plagiarism, to distinguish between the two types of plagiarism, to identify strategies to avoid plagiarism, to practice proper paraphrasing and to explain the consequences of plagiarism by the student. Kanata Academy Online teachers have access to software which detects plagiarism. Commercial search engines are often very good at detecting work copied from material available online.

Negligent Plagiarism means presenting someone’s work as your own in an accidental, naïve, careless or reckless way. This often happens when a student paraphrases incorrectly or when a student borrows words or phrases from another source and forgets to cite the source.

Dishonest Plagiarism means that the student has knowingly presenting a person’s work as their own. All instances of plagiarism that are not considered to be negligent plagiarism will be assumed to be dishonest plagiarism.

Kanata Academy Online provides on-line systems and resources for use by teachers and students. Online resources include all material that is accessed through a computer or telecommunications network. All policies, procedures, codes of behaviour and rules of the Kanata Academy Online apply to those using online systems and resources provided by or on behalf of Kanata Academy Online.

The “Code of Online Conduct” pertains to the use of on-line systems and resources.This Code has been prepared to protect the rights and safety of all. Kanata Academy Online takes appropriate measures to ensure the security of the facilities and information that may be contained in them. Kanata Academy Online reserves the right to monitor the use of online resources by all that access the systems.

Personal Safety Rules: Never reveal information about your personal identity (such as your name, address, phone number, age, physical description or school) to strangers whom you may encounter online. Likewise, do not reveal such information in a public online forum where you may not know everyone who might see the information. Never reveal personal information online about someone else unless you have their prior permission and you know the information will not be used for harmful purposes. Never reveal your access password or that of anyone else. Never send a picture of yourself, another person or a group over an electronic network without prior informed permission of all the individuals involved and, in the case of minors, their parents or guardians. Report immediately to a teacher any message or request that you receive that bothers you or that suggests personal contact with you. Never publish the specific dates, times and locations of your whereabouts to people who are not directly entitled to such information or to public forums where unknown persons might access the information.

Unacceptable Sites and Materials: On a global network such as the Internet it is impossible to effectively control the content of the information. On occasion, users of online systems may encounter material that is controversial and which other users, parents or staff might consider inappropriate or offensive. It is the responsibility of the individual user not to intentionally access such material. If such material is accessed by accident, the incident must be reported immediately to a teacher or appropriate authority. Kanata Academy Online is committed to meeting obligations under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Ontario Human Rights Code by providing safe schools and workplaces that respect the rights of every individual. Discrimination and harassment will not be tolerated. It is not acceptable to use online systems to knowingly access sites, which contain material of a discriminatory or harassing nature. Users of the Kanata Academy Online On-Line systems will not knowingly access, upload, download, store, display, distribute or publish any information that: is illegal or that advocates illegal acts or facilitates unlawful activity; threatens or intimidates any person or suggests violence, hatred or discrimination toward other people; uses inappropriate and/or abusive language or conduct; contains inappropriate religious or political messages; violates or infringes the rights of any other person according to Kanata Academy Online policies, Ministry of Education policies, the Ontario Human Rights Code, or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; is racially, culturally or religiously offensive; encourages the use of controlled substances, participation in an illegal act or uses the system to incite criminal actions; is of a defamatory, abusive, obscene, profane, pornographic or sexually explicit nature; contains personal information , images, or signatures of individuals without their prior informed consent; constitutes messages of sexual harassment or which contains inappropriate romantic overtones; solicits any users on behalf of any business or commercial organization without appropriate authorization; supports bulk mail, junk mail or “spamming”; propagates chain letters, or other e-mail debris; attempts to hide, disguise or misrepresent the identity of the sender.

It is the responsibility of students to be academically honest in all aspects of their schoolwork so that the marks they receive are a true reflection of their own achievement. Academic dishonesty, therefore, is a serious offence, and, as a result, it is imperative that students understand what academic dishonesty entails and are clear as to consequences. It is the responsibility of school staff to communicate to students that academic honesty is required in all aspects of their school work.

Practicing academic honesty also demonstrates that students are:

1. Self-directed, responsible, lifelong learners;
2. Collaborative contributors, and
3. Responsible citizens

Kanata is committed to ensuring the integrity of student achievement within its courses by promoting academic honesty among its students. Students are responsible for upholding integrity and will be held accountable for the quality of their work and actions. Kanata Academy Online takes preventative measures to reduce the incidence of academic dishonesty among its students. Academic dishonesty consists of any deliberate attempt to falsify, fabricate or otherwise tamper with data information, records, or any other material that is relevant to the student’s participation within any course.

Academic Dishonesty is broadly understood to mean offences against the academic integrity of the learning environment. This would include, but is not limited, to the following:

1. Copying from another student or making information available to another student for the purpose of copying during a test/ examination/ quiz or for individual/ group assignments;
2. Failing to follow instructions of the presiding teacher during an examination;
3. Submitting any written work (electronic or hard copy) in whole or in part which has been written by someone else;
4. Using direct quotations or paraphrased material in any assignment without giving the proper acknowledgement.

Relevant policies set out in Ontario Schools: Policy and Program Requirements, 2011 (OS) as set out by the Ministry of Education of Ontario are informative for parents and students. Links to all of the appropriate Ontario Curriculum Documents are made available to parents, guardians and students from the Introduction Unit of each course. They are also available to the general public from the Ministry of Education’s website.

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 expectations of a 110-hour course that has been developed or approved by the Ministry of Education. The curriculum is organized into several types of courses, intended to enable students to choose courses suited to their strengths, interests, and goals. The following three types of courses are offered in Grades 9 and 10:

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
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
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
4. The common course code of all courses at Kanata Academy Online consists both of a five code character and a course title component, as designated by the Ministry of Education and Training in Ontario:

For example: ENG3U Grade 11 English University Preparation

Grades 9 and 10 courses

Students choose between academic and applied courses in each of the core subjects – English, French as a second language, mathematics, science, geography, and history.

Academic courses

Academic courses develop a student’s knowledge base 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.

Applied courses

Applied courses focus on the essential concepts of a subject, and develop a student’s knowledge base 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.

Open courses

Open course are the only type of course offered in most subjects other than those listed above. They are designed to prepare students for further study in a subject, and to enrich their education generally. Open courses comprise a set of expectations that are appropriate for all students.

1. • Students in Grades 9 and 10, along with their parents or guardians will make the choice between academic, applied or open courses primarily on the basis of their strengths, interests, and needs. Kanata Academy Online guidance counseling team, and teachers are here to assist the student in making his or her choice of course selection. 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 courses do have prerequisite requirements. 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.

Changing Course Types

A student may change his or her educational goals in secondary school. If the student decides to embark on a new pathway, he or she may find that a prerequisite course that has not been completed, is now required. In the case of mathematics, however, the sole prerequisite for the Grade 10 academic mathematics course is the Grade 9 academic mathematics course, so a student who is planning to move from the Grade 9 applied mathematics course to the Grade 10 academic mathematics course must take either the Grade 9 academic mathematics course (MPM1D) or the designated transfer course (MPM1H). 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

Grades 11 and 12 Courses

Grade 11 and 12 students will choose from among destination-related 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. These prerequisites are identified in the Course of Study document for each course. The following four types of courses are offered 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
   • 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
   • 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
   • 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

Prerequisite Courses
Courses in Grades 10, 11, and 12 often require the student to have completed a prerequisite course. All prerequisite courses are identified in curriculum policy documents published by the Ministry of Education, and no course apart from these may be identified as prerequisites. Any school operating in Ontario 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. The Principal may also initiate consideration of whether a prerequisite should be waived. The Principal will make his or her decision in consultation with the student, the appropriate staff and the parent or guardian.

Programs for Exceptional Students
Recognizing the needs of exceptional students and designing courses to meet those needs are important and challenging aspects of program planning. Students who have an existing Individual Education Plan will have that IEP honored through the implementation of appropriate accommodations.

Reaching Ahead
Elementary school students may reach ahead and take high school credits. This may occur only after the Principal of Kanata Academy Online consults with the student, the parents or guardian, and the Principal of the elementary school of the student. Kanata Academy Online will issue the OSSD credit.

Online Courses Available
Students may register for any course at any time during the calendar year, progress through at their own rate and finish the course at any time up to 18 months from the time of registration.

Blended Learning Day Courses
Students will access their courses online but in a more structured environment. They will follow a timetable set out by the Principal.

The Seven Fundamental Principles state:

1. are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students;
2. support all students, including those with special educational needs, those who are learning the
3. language of instruction (English or French), and those who are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit;
4. are carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals and, as much as possible, to the interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences of all students;
5. are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the school year or course and at other appropriate points throughout the school year or course;
6. are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;
7. provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement;
8. develop students’ self­ assessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning. (Growing Success, pp 6) For Grades 9 to 12, a final grade (percentage mark) is recorded for every course. The final grade will be determined as follows:
9. 70% of the grade will be based on evaluation 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.
10. 30% of the grade will be based on a final evaluation administered at or towards the end of the course. This evaluation will be based on evidence from one or a combination of the following: an examination, a performance, an essay, and/or another method of evaluation suitable to the course content. The final evaluation allows the student an opportunity to demonstrate comprehensive achievement of the overall expectations for the course. ​(Growing Success, pp 41)

Growing Success Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting

At Kanata Academy Online, we have further broken down this 30% into RST and exam components.

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:

1. address both what students learn and how well they learn;
2. 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;
3. 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;
4. are appropriate for the learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs and experiences of the students;
5. are fair to all students;
6. accommodate the needs of exceptional students, consistent with the strategies outlined in their Individual Education Plan (IEP);
7. accommodate the needs of students who are learning the language of instruction;
8. ensure that each student is given clear directions for improvement;
9. promote students’ ability to assess their own learning and to set specific goals;
10. include the use of samples of students’ work that provide evidence of their achievement, and
11. are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the course and at other appropriate points throughout the course.

The achievement chart for each subject matter is included in the curriculum policy document, specific to 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 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:

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 a subsequent course. A student whose achievement is below 50% at the end of the course will not obtain a credit for the course.

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

Reporting on Achievement of Curriculum Expectations

The report card, which follows the Provincial Report Card very closely, provides a record of the student’s achievement of the curriculum expectations in the form of a percentage grade. This 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. This may be a final examination, a rich summative task, or a combination of both an exam and an RST.

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.

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).

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

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 student’s 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.

Final Examination

1. Each course has a final assessment that will be given as a final examination, a rich summative task, or a combination of both an exam and an RST.
2. Students in the same course should be similarly evaluated, which means that final exams assessments will use the same format although particular questions may be different among the students.
3. A course with a final examination must be written in a supervised environment with a proctor. A proctored exam is one that is overseen by an impartial individual, the Proctor, who monitors and supervises a student while he or she is taking the final exam. The Proctor enters the private password to allow student access to the final exam. The Proctor ensures the security and integrity of the exam process. Students in online courses with final exams, must fulfill their responsibilities in arranging and taking a proctored final exam.

Coursework

1. Students must complete all of the assigned coursework.
2. Coursework may include assignments, tests, projects, labs, discussions, etc.
3. Students assume the responsibility to ensure that they have completed all of the assigned requirements of the course before completing the final exam or assessment task.
4. Once the final exam is written or the final assessment is submitted, no further assignments may be submitted, unless prior arrangements have been made between the student and the teacher.

The Ontario Student Record (OSR) is the official school record for a student registered in a school in Ontario. Every Ontario school keeps an OSR for each student enrolled at that school. The OSR contains achievement results, credits earned and diploma requirements completed, and other information important to the education of the student. These records are protected by the Education Act and Freedom of Information legislation in the Province of Ontario. If a student is enrolled in Kanata Academy Online as well as another Ontario secondary school, the OSR is held by the school where the student is taking the most courses. Kanata Academy Online will not hold the OSR for students who have already graduated at another school. If the student is currently attending another school – public or private – and is simply taking a single course from Kanata Academy Online, then that student’s OSR will reside at the school that the student is attending and taking the most courses. Kanata Academy Online establishes or obtains the student OSR only if the student becomes the sole responsibility of Kanata Academy Online.

Contents of the OSR:

1. 1. Form 1A
   2. Provincial Report Card: KA will file both the midterm and final report cards in the student’s OSR or KA will send these report cards to the student’s school where this OSR is held
   3. Ontario School Transcript (OST)
   4. Documentation Files for such things as IPRC, IEP, psychological assessments, Violent Incident Form, etc.
   5. Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) Challenge for Credit: Cumulative Tracking Record
   6. Annual Community Involvement Report
   7. Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test results

Personal information in the OSR is maintained for at least one year after use. Report cards and documentation files are maintained for five years after use. The OSR folder containing the OST and the Office Index Card will be maintained for fifty-five years after a student retires.

Access to the OSR
Students and their parents or guardians (if the student is under age 18) may examine the contents of the OSR. Access to the OSR is also granted to the educational personnel from the Ministry of Education.

Transfer of the OSR
The OSR is an ongoing record and may be transferred from Kanata Academy Online if the student transfers to another school. Transfer of all of the original material in the OSR occurs by Priority Post when Kanata Academy Online receives written request from the receiving school. If a student transfers outside Ontario, then only a copy of the OSR is transferred.

The Ontario Student Transcript (OST) is an official document maintained by the Ontario school for each student. The OST 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 coursework and diploma requirements. The OST will be issued to students whose OSR is held by Kanata Academy Online as required and upon graduation. In September 1999, the Ontario Ministry of Education instructed that schools in Ontario implement a policy of full disclosure. This policy states that all grade 11 and 12 courses attempted by students must be recorded on Ontario Student Transcripts.

Students needing a certified copy of their Ontario Student Transcript from Kanata Academy Online may contact the Administration Head. If the student is currently attending another school – public or private – and is simply taking a single course from Kanata Academy Online, 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 KA, the principal of the publicly funded secondary school is responsible for ensuring that the KA credit is recorded on the student’s OST. KA will automatically forward an official copy of the student’s final report card of the course taken at KA to the student’s school holding the OSR, so that the credit can be added to the OST. KA establishes or obtains the student OSR containing the OST, only if the student becomes the sole responsibility of KA.

Withdrawal from a Course

• Withdrawals occurring within 5 days of the issuing of the first report card from Kanata Academy Online 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 any time 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.

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.

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.

Earning an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
Kanata Academy Online is a Ministry of Education accredited private high school. You can accumulate credits towards an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), just like students at any Ontario high school.

What You Need: OSSD Requirements

The credits needed for graduation with an OSSD are different depending on when a student first enrolled in high school. But all diplomas require that students have a minimum amount of study in English, Mathematics, Science and other subject areas. Adult students (18 and over) may be able to receive credits for courses and training programs they took outside of secondary school.

Credit for Learning Outside High School

Get the credit you deserve. Students over 18 may be able to get a maximum of 12 credits for learning outside of Ontario high schools. You may be eligible for either maturity equivalent credits, or for Prior Learning Assessment (PLAR).

What You Need to Graduate

The credits and other diploma requirements you need to graduate depend on when you first enrolled in high school in Ontario.

When did you first start Grade 9?

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.

Started Grade 9 On or After September 1, 1999

To graduate with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) you must earn credits, participate in community involvement activities, and complete the provincial secondary school literacy requirement.

Credits Needed to Graduate
Students must earn the following compulsory credits to obtain the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

The 40-hour Community Involvement Requirement
As part of the diploma requirements, you must complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities. These activities may be completed at any time while you earn your secondary school credits.

If you first enrolled in Grade 9 before September 1, 1999, you get your OSSD by completing the requirements that were in effect at that time. (The curriculum changed in 1999.)

To find out what you require to earn your high school diploma, obtain a copy of your Ontario Student Transcript from your last high school and contact Kanata Academy Online.

You can get any additional credits you need for your OSSD by taking new curriculum courses.

OSSD Requirements Under the Old Curriculum

If you entered Grade 9 in the 1999 – 2000 school year or in subsequent years, you must successfully complete the Provincial Secondary School Literacy Requirement.

The test determines whether you have acquired the reading and writing skills considered essential for literacy. It is based on the Ontario curriculum expectations for language and communication, particularly reading and writing, up to and including Grade 9.

How to Take the Test
Once you have completed the requirements for Grade 9 (8 credits), and have earned at least one credit through Kanata Academy Online, contact us for information regarding the test.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) is the formal evaluation and credit granting process whereby students may obtain credits for prior learning. Prior learning includes the knowledge and skills that you have acquired, in both formal and informal ways, outside of secondary school. You may have your knowledge and skills evaluated against the expectations outlined in provincial curriculum policy documents in order to earn credits towards the secondary school diploma. All credits granted through the PLAR process must represent the same standards of achievement as credits granted to students who have taken the courses.

Request for a PLAR AssessmentRequest for a PLAR Assessment

• You may ask for an assessment of your diploma requirements after you have successfully completed one course with Kanata Academy Online and submitted an original student transcript.
• If you have completed the eligibility requirements outlined on the PLAR Fact Sheet, you will be asked to complete the PLAR Application Package.

If you are a mature student, you may be able to receive Maturity or Prior Learning credits depending on when you first entered secondary school.

Who is a Mature Student?

• is at least 18 years’ old
• has not attended a traditional school (i.e. Day School) for at least one year
• is enrolled in a secondary school credit program for the purpose of obtaining an OSSD

Two Routes to Credit:

How many maturity credits can I earn?
You may be recommended for up to 12 maturity credits for:

• life and work experience since leaving secondary school
• successful completion of courses not usually considered secondary school subjects (this could be certification or designation in a specific program that required a minimum of 110 hours of instruction or training)
• successful completion of each period of an apprenticeship program (for example, electrician, hairdresser or mechanic)

How Do I apply for Maturity Credits?
After you have completed one full Kanata Academy Online course, you may submit a request to the attention of the Guidance Counsellor for an official diploma assessment. You will need to submit your original secondary school transcript, a current resume and (if applicable) original documentation of courses and training completed outside of secondary school.
If all documentation is in order, you will receive a one-page diploma assessment outlining your diploma requirements and the number of maturity credits you have been granted.

Can I earn my diploma with maturity credits?
No, a mature student must still complete a minimum of four Grade 11 or Grade 12 credits after becoming a mature student. These credits must include Grade 11 or 12 English. Kanata Academy Online’s diploma assessment will tell you exactly how many more credits you need.

Cooperative education is a hands-on method of learning that allows students to earn secondary school credits towards their OSSD by combining in-school studies with related work experiences. The student’s learning activities at the work placement are closely aligned to one or more related course(s) in which the student is enrolled or which he or she has successfully completed. The cooperative education course and the related course(s) together constitute a student’s cooperative education program.

The cooperative education course includes pre-placement, integration and placement components. The Ontario Ministry of Education Policy document for Cooperative Education and Other Forms of Experiential Learning, provides an overview of required hours for each of these components.

Students must remain at their placements until the date stipulated in their Work Education Agreement, even in cases where the required course hours have been completed before the end of the school term. The completion date of this agreement coincides with the completion date of other school courses.

Cooperative education will be available to KA students from Grades 11-12. It is possible for a Grade 10 student to be placed in the Cooperative education program, but it will be determined by the principal on a case-by-case basis.

Virtual Cooperative education is a program that allows students who are at least 16 years of age to earn secondary school credits while completing a work placement.

In Virtual Co-op, students complete all or part of the placement component of their program remotely using electronic communications technology. The placement supervisor may be located in their local community or in another community, city, or province. Students may earn a minimum of one and a maximum of two cooperative education credits for each related course, whether it is a full- or half-credit course. If the related course is a multiple-credit course, a student may earn a maximum of two co-op credits for each credit earned in the related course.

The Virtual Cooperative Education course consists of a classroom component and a placement component. The classroom component includes pre-placement sessions and classroom integration sessions. The pre-placement sessions prepare students for
the workplace and include instruction in areas of key importance, such as health and safety. The classroom integration sessions provide opportunities for students to reflect on and reinforce their learning in the workplace as the program progresses. A personalized placement learning plan (PPLP) is developed for all students in a cooperative education program. A student’s progress in achieving the curriculum
expectations and in meeting the requirements identified in the PPLP will be assessed and evaluated by the eCo-op teacher through regular workplace monitoring meetings with the student and the student’s workplace supervisor.(MOE, 2011a, pp. 75-76)

Some students at Kanata Academy Online may require support in learning the English language and to develop a full range of English literacy skills to enable them to achieve the curriculum expectations in all subjects and at all grade levels. The programs of study offered by Kanata Academy Online will 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.

Students who enroll in Kanata Academy Online are required to provide information during registration about their English language learning backgrounds, including the number of years they have been learning English. This information is provided to teachers so they can target instruction and provide appropriate accommodations throughout the course. Appropriate accommodations to teaching, learning, and evaluation strategies help students gain proficiency in English, since students learning English as a second language at the secondary level have limited time in which to develop this proficiency.

English Language Learners (ELL) are encouraged to explore opportunities to work in their first language, to use a bilingual dictionary, to keep a vocabulary log, and to use graphic organizers to help them complete complex tasks. ELL are provided with extra time on quizzes, tests, and examinations to ensure they have time to process the demands of the task as well as to process the language. Special consideration is given to more recent evidence of achievement.

Kanata Academy Online will provide 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 “Creating Pathways to Success: An Education and Career/Life Planning Program for Ontario Schools, 2013” will not only help students succeed in school, but will also contribute to their success in the workplace.

Kanata Academy Online does the following to support students:

1. supports English Language Learners, when necessary, by providing instructional and assessment accommodations within courses;
2. provides opportunities within the Four Areas of Learning in Education and Career/Life Planning (Knowing Yourself, Exploring Opportunities, Making Decisions and Setting Goals, Achieving Goals and Making Transitions) in all newly revised courses;
3. provides individual assistance and short-term counseling to students, when requested;
4. provides current information on post-secondary programs and admission requirements to all of its college/university bound students;
5. provides the opportunity for Grade 8 students to “Reach Ahead” to Grade 9 courses with the approval of their elementary school Principal. This program allows students to explore course options and academic interests early in their high school career;
6. provides access to Career Cruising or My Blueprint for all students whose Ontario Student Record is held at Kanata Academy Online. This program allows students to plan their education, review their options for post-secondary programs and assists in the course selection process;
   • communicates directly with Ontario Universities Application Centre and Ontario College Application Service regarding student achievement;
   • communicates directly with post-secondary institutions regarding student achievement.

At Kanata Academy Online courses are entirely online and students experience firsthand the benefits of a technologically enriched education and thereby acquire skills for the 21st century. Increasing reliance on computers, networks, and information technologies in society makes it essential for students to become computer literate and to develop information literacy skills. Information literacy is the ability to access, find, select, gather, critically evaluate, create, and communicate information. Kanata Academy Online places a great deal of emphasis on using the information obtained to solve problems and make decisions.

Software Programs for Students

Students will become familiar with a wide range of available software programs. Among the applications that can aid student learning are multimedia resources, databases, video lessons, simulations, Google Hangouts, collaborative online learning through Google Docs, learning modules, and simulations. Students will also be expected to use software applications that help them develop general skills in such areas as writing, problem solving, research, and communication. It is important that students learn to critically evaluate the accuracy, validity, currency, comprehensiveness, and depth of the information they access using information technology, particularly the Internet. In general, students must acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to allow them to use computer and information technology safely, effectively, confidently, and ethically.

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 Kanata Academy Online will be able to choose their own community involvement activities, within guidelines that will be provided by Kanata Online Academy.

Students will be responsible for fulfilling this requirement on their own time, and for keeping a record of their activities on a tracking form supplied by the school. The student is required to submit the tracking form yearly and the data will be 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.

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 Kanata Academy Online 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 (i.e. cadets);
• 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 jewelry, 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 nonprofit 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 environmental projects such as a recycling projects, etc.

Roles and Responsibility

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.