Student Success

The GOAL of the Notre Dame Student Success Program is to provide opportunities for all students to succeed
based on their individual needs and help them reach their full potential to successfully move into their chosen post-secondary pathway.

S3 (Students Striving for Success)

This after school initiative is available for grade 9 and 10 students to provide them with an opportunity to practice their literacy and/or numeracy skills, develop their test-taking strategies, and improve their study skills.  The advantages of this program include:

  • one-on-one and small group instruction from ND teachers
  • no cost
  • opportunity for homework completion with peers in a relaxed environment
  • early intervention of difficulties
  • improve current academic standing

Numeracy sessions are offered for grade 9 students enrolled in math at the end of each semester, and literacy sessions are offered for grade 10 students prior to the OSSLT in March. 

 

Credit Intervention & Rescue

Credit Intervention is an opportunity part way through t the semester that teachers may provide in order to help a student get caught up in work that they have fallen behind in, which may cause them to be at risk of not obtaining the credit. Students are offered this opportunity at the discretion of their teacher(s). 

Credit Rescue is an opportunity following the final exam period that teachers may offer to students to complete additional work that would enable them to either achieve their credit or the minimum mark required for summer school admission (35%).  Students are offered this opportunity at the discretion of their teacher(s).

 

SAL (Supervised Alternative Learning)

The purpose of SAL is to assist students at risk of leaving school early, to either return to school or transition to a viable post-secondary option when they reach the age of eighteen.

The goal of SAL is to maintain a connection to learning for students who are not attending school regularly and have not seen success with other retention strategies, as well as support their continued progress toward their educational and personal goals.

A key focus for a student in SAL is to earn secondary school credits so that he or she can work towards obtaining an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.  Students can earn credits in SAL in the follow way

  • taking one or two credits at school for part of the day
  • credit recovery
  • e-learning (only with recommendation of student success team)
  • independent learning courses

In addition to achieving credits, SAL is designed to help students acquire valuable skills by providing opportunities for students to develop their essential skills and work habits, as well as earn certifications and participate in training programs.

Most SAL students enroll in credit recovery where they can earn credits they previously attempted, but did not obtain and then continue to achieve credits through a correspondence model with the aid of a classroom teacher.

 

Alternative Education

This model of education is available to students who require an alternate setting, program and teaching strategies.  It affords the opportunity to:

  • prepare for transitions to and from secondary and post-secondary educational sites; and
  • create a sense of community, belonging, and "reconnecting" through a faith-based Catholic Restorative Practice model.

DCDSB Alternative Education Programs are available at Father Donald MacLellan CSS and include:

  • Catholic Return Ticket for grade 7 to 12 students on long term suspension or expulsion
  • Reconnect for students aged 16 to 18, located in Whitby
  • Centre for Success for students during their last semester of high school, located at Durham College
  • Re-engagement for students aged 18 to 20 with locations in Ajax and Oshawa

For more information, please visit DCDSB Alternative Education or see your Student Success Teacher.

 

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about your child's progress, speak to your child's