School Profile 2024-25
Opportunities
Opportunities In Science
The Bay Area Science and Engineering Fair (BASEF)
The Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair (BASEF) is one of the oldest and largest science fairs in Canada. For over 50 years, BASEF has provided a forum for students to develop their scientific skills and prepare for national and international competition. Students from NPC have been participating at BASEF since 2004 and we have a great history of many awards, medals and students who have gone on to the Canada-wide and international science fairs! Have a look at the science section of the North Park Collegiate website to view past projects and winners.
Contests in Biology, Chemistry and Physics
North Park science students have many opportunities each year to participate in academic contests through institutions such as: the University of Waterloo, the University of Windsor, the University of Toronto and the Ontario Association of Physics Teachers.
Opportunities In Mathematics
North Park Collegiate mathematics students have the opportunity to write several mathematics contests from the University of Waterloo. These contests are written each year for all grades.
Opportunities In Music
Senior Wind Ensemble
NPC’s senior wind ensemble is open to experienced musicians who are performing at a grade 10, 11, or 12 level. This ensemble performs in both the Winter and Spring Concerts, as well as on tours to feeder schools. This semester, we have the opportunity to play at the Sanderson Centre again for commencement. We perform a wide variety of music, including music from shows such as “The Mandalorian” and “Guardians of the Galaxy”; as well as works from a wide variety of composers. We often go on trips to experience live music in alternate settings. Some former trips have included university tours, travelling to Stratford to see “Chicago”, and travelling to Toronto to see “Come From Away”. Further, band is offered as a course. Students may choose to earn a credit to participate in band, which counts towards their 30 credits required to graduate. We hope you come and join this dynamic group of musicians!
Music Council
North Park’s music council is a collection of students interested in musical leadership. This group of students helps influence the music we perform, chooses the concert theme, and leads sectionals for students who play the same instrument. Music council also plans fun events for the band such as socials, musician of the month, and will run the music social media page. Follow us @npc_mus.
Library Learning Commons
The Library Learning Commons provides a safe, friendly environment, offering a balanced collection of print and digital resources to meet both curricular and personal interest needs.
Through virtual and physical learning partnerships, we provide integrated learning opportunities which are global, connected, social, cross-curricular and interdisciplinary. In partnership with classroom teachers, the teacher-librarian teaches guided inquiry, whereby students learn to define problems, form questions, explore ideas, analyse, synthesize and evaluate information and communicate new understandings. We strive to challenge students to think critically about the information they find, to instill in them a passion for reading and learning, and to equip them with multiple literacy skills for success in life after secondary school.
Link Crew
North Park Collegiate is one of a few schools in Grand Erie to offer the Link Crew transition program.
All Grade 9 students will be mentored by carefully selected and trained senior students throughout their entire first year of secondary school. These leaders are extensively trained to be positive role models, motivators and teachers who guide their group of Grade 9 students to discover what it takes to be successful in secondary school. The first day of school begins with a large group assembly and then small group activities, with the goal of easing transition and developing relationships that will assist them throughout high school. There will be both social and academic events throughout the Grade 9 year to develop spirit and encourage a welcoming school environment.
- Studies have shown that secondary schools offering comprehensive Grade 9 transition programs are able to raise academic achievements, improve overall school climate and reduce drop- out rates. The transition to secondary school can be a major event in the life of a young person. We are so pleased that this program exists to support students, which will lead them to experience success over their four years at NPC.
Withdrawing from a Course
If a student (including a student with a completed Individual Education Plan) withdraws from a Grade 11 or 12 course within five instructional days following the issue of the first provincial report card in a semestered or non-semestered school, the withdrawal is not recorded on the Ontario Student Transcript (OST).
If a student withdraws from a course after five instructional days following the issue of the first provincial report card in a semestered or non-semestered school, the withdrawal is recorded on the OST by entering a ‘W’ in the ‘Credit’ column. The student’s percentage grade at the time of the withdrawal is recorded in the ‘Percentage Grade’ column.
Credit Recovery
Credit Recovery offers students a supportive environment that focuses on the key expectations of a course and also assists students with pathway planning and developing improved learning skills that will help them in earning their Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
DELF
The DELF (diplôme d’études en langue française, or French language studies diploma) is an internationally-recognized certification of proficiency in French for non-francophones. DELF exams take place in 175 countries worldwide. There are six separate diplomas possible, based on the six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR): A1 and A2 (basic user), B1 and B2 (independent user), and C1 and C2 (proficient user).
In Ontario, Grade 12 Core, Extended, and Immersion FSL (French as a Second Language) students have the opportunity to challenge one of the following three exams, under the guidance of their French teacher: A2, B1, or B2. French language skills are evaluated in the four areas of oral comprehension, oral expression, written comprehension, and written expression. Obtaining DELF certification not only opens doors to post-secondary and employment opportunities, it also serves as an official, internationally-recognized testament to a student’s language learning journey and accomplishments. Grand Erie encourages its students in all FSL pathways to challenge the DELF in their Grade 12 year.
Dual Credits
Grand Erie District School Board has partnered with Conestoga College, Fanshawe College and Mohawk College to allow students to earn college credits before they graduate secondary school. These credits are delivered in three different ways within the Board:
School Within a College (SWAC)
Is offered by Conestoga in Brantford and Fanshawe in Simcoe. If you are between the ages of 17 and 20 years old and need 5 – 10 credits to graduate, speak to your guidance counsellor about this program.
Team Taught
Is taught in combination with a college instructor and secondary school teacher during a student’s regularly scheduled class.
After School
Is taught by a college instructor (and supported by a secondary school teacher) after school in one of the local secondary schools. Students from other schools are welcome to enrol. Speak with your guidance counsellor for further information.
eLearning
Grand Erie offers access to a variety of courses (9-12) through eLearning, which features entirely online learning through the Brightspace platform. The teacher may be from a school in Grand Erie District School Board or from another school board in Ontario. In eLearning courses, students will not have an assigned classroom or live taught lessons at a specific time in the day, but will instead navigate the learning and assignments on their own asynchronously with the digital support of their teacher.
Students enrolled in eLearning courses are required to attend and engage in their eLearning courses regularly and consistently, just as they do for face-to-face classes. Grand Erie students will have access to a device within their home school during their eLearning period so that they can work on their course during the regular school day. eLearning courses can be selected during the course selection process on myBlueprint or through home school guidance councillors.
Grand Erie Learning Alternatives (GELA)
Scheduled day programs, booklet and e-Learning are available.
For more information, contact your school’s Guidance Counsellor.
Night School
Summer School
Grand Erie District School Board will be offering summer school for grades 9 - 12 credits during the month of July. Locations will be sent to each school in the spring. For additional information call 519-753-6079.
Indigenous Education Advisory Committee (IEAC)
IEAC is an advisory committee mandated by the Ministry of Education in September of 2017. The mandate of the committee is to enhance and improve Indigenous Education for all students. The committee reports to the board on the Board Action Plan and programming for both Elementary and Secondary panels. The committee is comprised of board personnel, community members and organizations with an interest in Indigenous Education, including parents.
myBlueprint
As part of our commitment to Career Education and supporting the ministry mandate for Creating Pathways to Success, we have moved forward with a board license of the myBlueprint Education Planner. Our license provides access to all students 7-12, their families, and all 7-12 staff in Grand Erie.
myBlueprint has been supporting Ontario school boards for 13+ years. The service supports teachers, empowers students, and engages parents with their child’s education, career, and life planning. Accessible via the website on any browser, myBlueprint captures current progress in the classroom and offers a complete representation of a child’s unique pathway.
myBlueprint’s Education Planner is mobile-friendly, and ever-evolving to support the needs of Grand Erie students. The program allows students to view their graduation requirements and over 12,000 post-secondary programs across the country based on their Ontario specific courses.
Ontario Student Record (OSR)
The OSR is the official, on-going educational record for each student and is stored in the school most recently attended by the student. Teaching staff, each student, and the parent(s) or guardian(s) of a student are entitled to have access to the student’s OSR. Supervised access can be arranged by appointment during normal business hours. Transcripts of marks are issued on written or personal request.
Once a student reaches the age of 18, by law, they control access to the OSR by anyone not mentioned above. Parents of adult students will only have access to a student’s academic records upon written authorization from the student. All senior level courses remaining on a student’s timetable five days after the first provincial report will be recorded on the transcript.
Transcripts requested after a student has graduated and is no longer attending secondary school are subject to a charge of $5.00 per copy.
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)
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 students have acquired, in both formal and informal ways, outside secondary school. Students may have their knowledge and skills evaluated against the expectations outlined in provincial curriculum policy documents in order to earn credits toward the secondary school diploma. The PLAR process involves two components: “equivalency” and “challenge”.
Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC)
SEAC is an advisory committee mandated through the Education Act as a standing committee of each school Board. The committee reports to the school Board and makes recommendations to the board on special education programs and services. The committee is comprised of Trustees, Board personnel, community members, and associations representing a wide variety of interests related to students with exceptional needs.
Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)
Students enrolled in a SHSM program are required to complete a bundle of classroom courses, workplace experiences and sector certifications to receive a special designation on their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
Participation in an SHSM program can help students prepare for apprenticeships, college, university or transition to work.
Grand Erie District School Board has programs in the following sectors:
- Agriculture
- Arts & Culture – Performance and Production, Journalism and Media
- Construction
- Environment
- Health & Wellness – Fitness, Healthy Living, Health Care, Hairstyling
- Horticulture & Landscaping
- Hospitality & Tourism
- Information & Communications Technology
- Manufacturing
- Sports
- Transportation
Special Education (Specialized Services)
Each one of Grand Erie’s Secondary schools has a Special Education department with Learning Resource teachers that can support the development and implementation of Individual Education Plans. Some of our schools have Self-Contained programs to support the learning needs of individual students for which the most enabling environment for them to meet their program goals is in a smaller class setting with higher staff to student ratio. In addition, system Student Support Services are available to support students and programming in the areas of Speech and Language Services, Psychological Services, Social Services and Behavioural Services.