Transitioning to High School

High school can be a great shock to many people. Differences such as 78 minute classes can be overwhelming. The curriculum moves much faster and the material must be learned in five instead of ten months. The classes you begin in September will be half over on October 31. One of the most obvious differences is that teachers give you more autonomy and you need to be responsible for your own work!

The cafeteria is huge and busy; there are larger classes; final exams are written in the gym, not in classrooms, and an important skill for new students, is learning how to negotiate the crowded, narrow hallways.

High school does have a lot of benefits. There are dozens of different clubs and sports. There are over thousand chances to make a new friend and even a Grade 12 student, who has been at Pearson for three years, can still see at least 15 new faces everyday. Getting involved with a club or team is a wonderful way to feel part of your new community early in the school year.

High School Recommendations

Junior high teachers will make high school recommendations for all Grade 9 students. These recommendations will be based on a body of work completed throughout the school year and may be subject to change as the year progresses. Junior high teachers will review recommendations at the end of June and make adjustments as needed.

If your child has struggled with junior high content or would benefit from working their way towards the higher-level classes, the following statements may be true:

• Students at this level of achievement may benefit from starting with English 10-2, Social Studies 10-2, Science 14, Math 10-3
• High school counsellors will work with students to create an individual plan to upgrade to the higher level courses if student wishes to take English/Social Studies 10-1, Science 10, Math 10C
• The pace of this plan may look different with individual students in order to accommodate learning needs.
• NEW – Students who wish to take Math 10 Common may benefit from taking Math Competencies 15 in the Summer School in order to be better prepared for success in Math 10 Common.

Note: We will honour the recommendations made from the junior high teachers. Students will be registered for the academic classes recommended by the junior high teachers.