Guidance » Guidance

Guidance

Welcome to the EBS Guidance Department! We are so excited to help support you in your education path and future career goals. 

 

Guidance Counsellor: Nia-Lynn Quill

Contact: [email protected]

Phone: (807)630-6177

Facebook: Nia Quill EBS Guidance 

 

Administrative Assistant: Jessica Pascal 

Contact: [email protected]

Facebook: Jess Pascal 

 

Book a guidance appointment.

Request transcript or student records.

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) Graduation Requirements

What do you need to graduate?

To earn a high school diploma in Ontario, students must:

  • earn 18 compulsory credits.
  • earn 12 optional credits.
  • pass the literacy requirement.
  • earn at least 2 online learning credits.
  • complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities.

Read more about each requirement below.

Students can keep track of their credits and graduation requirements using the EBS Diploma Planner.

What is a compulsory credit?

Students must earn the following 18 compulsory credits to get their Ontario Secondary School Diploma:

  • 4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)
  • 3 credits in mathematics (at least 1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)
  • 3 credits for group 1, 2 and 3 courses (1 credit in each group)
  • 2 credits in science
  • 1 credit in Canadian history (Grade 10)
  • 1 credit in Canadian geography (Grade 9)
  • 1 credit in the arts
  • 1 credit in health and physical education
  • 1 credit in Native Language
  • 0.5 credit in career studies
  • 0.5 credit in civics and citizenship

What are Group 1, 2 and 3 credits?

Of the 18 compulsory credits, students must complete one from each of the following groups:

Group 1:

  • English (including the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course) 
  • Native languages
  • First Nations, Métis, and Inuit studies
  • classical studies and international languages
  • social sciences and the humanities
  • Canadian and world studies
  • guidance and career education
  • cooperative education

Group 2:

  • health and physical education
  • the arts
  • business studies
  • French as a second language
  • cooperative education

Group 3:

  • science (Grade 11 or 12)
  • technological education
  • French as a second language
  • computer studies
  • cooperative education

What is an optional credit? 

Students must earn 12 optional credits by successfully completing courses offered in their school’s program and course calendar. Ask the guidance counsellor for an updated list of optional credits being offered this year.

What is the literacy requirement?

All students must meet the secondary school literacy graduation requirement to earn their high school diploma. At EBS this can be done in two different ways:

  1. Passing the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). Students at EBS have two opportunities to write the OSSLT in a school year, one in the fall and one in early spring. Students eligible to write the OSSLT will automatically be selected to do so.

  2. Students who do not successfully complete the OSSLT have the opportunity to enrol in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OLC4O) course.

What is the online learning credit requirement?

Beginning with students that entered Grade 9 in the 2020-21 school year, students must earn at least two online learning credits to get their Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

The online learning graduation requirement also applies to adult learners that will be entering the Ontario secondary school system starting in 2023-24 school year.

Community Involvement Hours Requirement

Students are required to earn a minimum of 40 community involvement hours before they graduate in Grade 12. 

For more information on community hours and for a copy of the community hours form, please click here.

Community Involvement Hours

The community involvement requirement is designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop awareness and understanding about civic responsibility. Students can actively participate in supporting and strengthening their communities. It also provides the opportunity for students to learn more about themselves and possible career opportunities.

Students can start accumulating their community involvement hours in the summer before entering Grade 9.

Students who are looking for community involvement opportunities should:

  • make sure they know which activities qualify for the community involvement requirement. They can speak to their guidance counsellor to see if the activity qualifies. 
  • ask their principal or guidance counsellor for more information.

The following activities can count towards your community hours, if approved by the school principal or guidance counselor:

  • up to 10 hours of paid employment if a student is 14 years or older and completes a reflection exercise demonstrating how their work contributed to their community.
  • community involvement during school time, for example, walking a younger child to and from school or helping younger siblings with schoolwork.
  • duties normally performed at home, for example, helping an elderly relative with errands or providing after school care for a sibling.
  • Volunteering at school events
  • Working with other departments in the community to help run events.

Please click here for the Community Involvement Hours Form.