Message from the Administration …
Dear Students:
Registration for a year at high school requires that you make many important decisions. This booklet is a guide to help you make these decisions wisely. Niverville Collegiate is a semestered school for Grade 10 to 12 students, so it is even more important that you take great care when making your choices. Make sure that you don’t make hasty decisions that may cause you problems in the future. Discuss your choices with your parents, teachers, and counselor. Above all, make your own decisions; not ones based on the influence of your friends.
Remember that you should choose your program to fit your own abilities, interests and goals or aspirations. Although there is not as much choice of courses in Grade 9 and 10, it is very important to put forth your very best effort in each of your subjects. This way when choices do occur later in high school, you will be ready and able to face these challenges confidently.
You will be following in the footsteps of many young people like yourself who have tried to strive for success academically, athletically, and musically. They have made positive contributions not only to Niverville Collegiate but also to society as a whole. We expect you to carry on this tradition.
Please work your way through this booklet so that you clearly understand its contents and do not hesitate to ask our school counselor for more information to assist you in making your decisions.
Sincerely,
Michael Koester, Angela Burtnack-Schinkel,
Principal Vice Principal
CHOOSING YOUR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM
You can choose from several routes to get your high school certificate.
To choose the route that is best for you, think about:
- your interests, skills, and abilities
- the career or profession you are considering
- the education or training that is required
- the courses that you need
- your personal commitment towards your education
Deciding on a career early makes it easier to choose the appropriate courses. It is also important for everyone to choose the courses that will keep the most doors open for future career choices while being realistic about personal commitment and motivation to succeed.
Once you have chosen your high school route, you must decide on the level of compulsory courses (Foundation/General, Specialized, Advanced).
Before choosing these courses, consider the following:
a) Did you achieve a clear solid pass (above 70%) in your subjects in the previous year?
b) Are you prepared to do the work required in the level of courses you have chosen?
You are strongly advised to choose levels at which you can succeed.
If you fail any course, you do not receive credit in that course.
Compulsory courses that are failed must be repeated.
What is required for a High School Diploma?
To graduate from high school, students must earn a total of 30 credits in their Grade 9 - 12 years. The 30 credits include certain compulsory courses and other optional courses. Students are encouraged to take more than 30 credits in total.
What is a credit?
A credit is defined by Manitoba Education and Training as a course of study undertaken in approximately 12% of a student’s time, (110 to 120 hours of instruction) and earned by a student through successful completion of that course of study. Similarly a half credit is defined as a course of study undertaken in approximately 6% of a student’s time (55-60 hours of instruction) and earned by a student through completion of that course of study. Therefore, attendance in class is an important component of achieving standing in a course.
Subject prerequisites:
Due to the sequential development of skills or the sequential mastery of content inherent in certain subjects, prerequisites are necessary in these subjects. Course prerequisites are indicated in the course descriptions. The indicated prerequisites must be attained before beginning the next level.
What are compulsory courses?
Grade 9 students must have the following 5 credits:
English / Math / Social Studies / Science / Phys. Ed. & Health
Grade 10 students must have the following 5 credits:
English / Math / Science / Geography / Phys. Ed. & Health
Grade 11 students must have the following 4 credits:
English / Math / History / Phys. Ed. & Health
Grade 12 students must have the following 6 credits:
English (any two choices) / Math / Phys. Ed. & Health and a minimum of another two Grade 12 Dept. of Ed. credits
What are optional courses?
In addition to the compulsory courses, other course selections must be made to complete a minimum of 30 credits for graduation. These courses may be selected from any of the options that the school makes available. These are listed under the optional courses.
THE CREDIT SYSTEM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MANITOBA
High School years are designated as: Grades 9-12. A course numbering and identification system has been implemented at Niverville Collegiate according to the Department of Education mandate. The numbering system for high school courses is made up of a three-character, alpha-numeric code. The first and second characters are numerals, while the third is a letter:
First Character
1 - for courses developed for Grade 9
2 - for courses developed for Grade 10
3 - for courses developed for Grade 11
4 - for courses developed for Grade 12
Second Character
0 - course developed or approved by Manitoba Education and Training for one credit
5 - course developed or approved by Manitoba Education and Training for ½ credit
1 - course developed by school or division
2 - course developed elsewhere, such as university, out-of-province, etc.
Third Character
F - Foundation: educational experiences which are broadly based and appropriate for all students and which may lead to further studies at the post-secondary level.
G - General: general education experience for all students.
S - Specialized: educational experiences in specialized areas leading to further studies at the post-secondary level.
A - Advanced: academically challenging courses which go beyond the curriculum expectations for general and specialized courses and which are developed by the Department or the school (previously known as honours courses).
M - Modified: courses for which the curriculum has been modified to take into account the capabilities of students with special needs.
Example…History 30S Grade 11, developed by the Department of Education, for one credit, specialized course.
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