Pathways to Success - Our Program

Pathways to Success Program

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s commitment to student success lies at the core of its Pathways to Success Program. Our objective is to give our “at risk” and struggling students in Grades 7-12 the best education possible. Working in partnership with parents, teachers and community and parish representatives, our goal is to support student learning and student success!

The Pathways to Success Initiative
(2003 - present)

The thrust of the Pathways to Success initiative is to establish committees (See Committees section), collect base line data to determine students’ needs, facilitate professional development opportunities for teachers, and provide resources for teachers and students. Many of the resources provided included a variety of supports for literacy acquisition and cross-curricular literacy strategies. Accordingly, a significant amount of release time is afforded to teachers so they can enhance their expertise in reading and writing instruction and offer stronger literacy programs.

In order to meet the unique challenges and needs of Northern boards a Regional Literacy Conference was held in North Bay in April 2004. It provided further opportunities for teachers to learn valuable skills and continue to build capacity and expertise in the area of literacy.

Noteworthy gains have also been made in the area of school-to-work transition programs and experiential learning opportunities for workplace bound students at the secondary level. The highlight of 2003-2004 was the creation of our Skills for Success and Workplace Pathways Program for students who have chosen a workplace destination after leaving high school (See Our Program section for a complete explanation of the program). Continued development of school-to-work programming and the introduction of numeracy strategies will become the focal points for 2004-2005.

Our Pathways to Success Program is rooted in the recommendations of three seminal documents:

1. Think Literacy Success, Grades 7-12, Report of the Expert Panel on Students At Risk in Ontario, 2003.

2. Building Pathways to Success, Grades 7-12, Report of the Program Pathways for Students At Risk
Work Group, 2003. (Large PDF Document- Please be patient.)

3. Leading Math Success, Mathematical Literacy, Grades 7 to 12, Report of the Expert Panel on Student Success in Ontario, 2004. (Large PDF Document- Please be patient.)

Recommendations from these reports help guide schools and school boards in allocating funds and human resources and focus on the themes of developing expertise, using information, supporting students at risk, and promoting effective practices and innovations. Recommendations from these reports will continue to be integrated into the planning for the 2004-2005 academic year

Key Flagstone in the 'Pathway to Success': SCDSB's Unique and Innovative 'Skills for Success and Workplace Pathways' Program

The Sudbury Catholic District School board has taken a bold lead in providing opportunities for struggling secondary school students through the development and implementation of the Skills for Success and Workplace Pathways program. The program is available exclusively to students of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.

The program arose from an analysis of local labour trends, dialogue with community partners, and a need to service our level one students who are bound for the workplace. It is a five year program that attempts to balance a student’s personal goals with a realistic assessment of his / her skills, abilities, and interests, which will lead to either an OSSC or an OSSD.

The first two years of the program are prescriptive. In year three the student has the option of choosing one of four possible career pathways: Business / Retail, Hospitality and Tourism, Personal Services, and Technology .

For more information on program specifics, reference Skills for Success and Workplace Pathways - Creating Opportunities (PDF Document).

Other major initiatives and resources that have shaped Pathways to Success:

CASI Reading Assessment

A diagnostic reading assessment that determines students’ reading level so that teachers can plan remedial and intervention strategies for struggling readers
Data collected is used to assist teachers with planning and allow for the development of board-wide improvement plans
As of September 2004, CASI will be in place in all Grade 6-8 classes system-wide

Soar to Success Reading Program

Soar to Success is an excellent companion resource for the CASI Reading Assessment
Soar to Success delivers specialized instruction to older, struggling readers to help reach or even surpass grade level reading ability. Goals are accomplished through fast-paced, structured lessons using narrative and expository text, graphic organizers and strategic teaching strategies
As of September 2004, Soar to Success will be in all Grade 7-8 classes system-wide

Reaching Higher Resource Package

This package was developed as a resource for teachers to support students in Grade 6 to 9 who are performing at level 1 or below in language
It helps teachers recognize where individual students require support and helps them determine the appropriate strategies to assist their students
Cross-curricular literacy strategies are also addressed in this resource
All Grade 6-9 teachers have been in-serviced in this resource package

Think Literacy: Cross-Curricular Approaches, Grades 7-12

Perhaps the most important resource document available to help support struggling students in literacy
Strategies and ideas presented are designed to assist students at risk, but will benefit all students
The document provides practical, hands-on, classroom-ready strategies and recommends related resources that apply across subject areas in Grades 7-12
All teachers in Grades 4-10 have been in-serviced in this document this year; teachers in Grades 11-12 will be provided training in 2004-2005

Supporting Student Success in Literacy, Grades 7 –12

This resource recommends strategies to teachers that can be implemented at the classroom, school, and / or board level
Effective best practices from Ontario School Boards in the following areas are discussed: effective use of data, cross – panel planning, cross – curricular strategies, use of information technology and literacy outside the classroom.

ELS 300 (Grade 11 Literacy Skills: Reading and Writing)

This is a course that is offered to support students who were unsuccessful in their first attempt to pass the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)
The course emphasizes the strengthening of essential reading and writing skills.

Targeted Implementation and Planning Supports (TIPS)

This is a comprehensive web-based resource that supports curriculum implementation of Grades 7, 8 and 9 Applied Mathematics
All Grade 7, 8 and 9 Applied Math teachers have been trained in TIPS
Math manipulatives have been purchased to support level one students in elementary and secondary schools. Teacher in – service on the use of Math manipulatives took place in October 2004.

OSSLC (Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course)

In order to provide additional opportunities for success for all students the Ministry of Education has mandated that all high schools in Ontario offer the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course
Students who have attempted the OSSLT at least twice and were not successful in passing the OSSLT (a graduation requirement) have the option of enrolling in the OSSLC
Successful completion of the course will meet the literacy requirement for the diploma
In 2003-2004, the OSSLC was offered at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School and St. Charles College; it will be offered at Bishop Carter Alexander Secondary School in the fall of 2005

Regional Literacy Conference (North Bay, April 5/6, 2004)

Collaboration among Sudbury Catholic, Rainbow, Near North, and Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic Boards to help address the unique needs of teachers and students in the North
Carousel of best practices in literacy, workshops, presentations, publishers displays
110 delegates/presenters from all four boards in attendance
Teachers were able to gain expertise and build capacity in such areas as reading strategies, cross-curricular literacy, assessment, and differentiated learning
Teachers returned to their schools and continued to build expertise among staff and continued to encourage positive change

Co-operative Education

COOP and OYAP (Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program) are in place within our secondary schools

Work Experience

We have provided one week to multiple week job experiences for students

Pathways Exploration Days

Elementary and Secondary schools hosted career days where various career and employment opportunities were highlighted. Speakers from various businesses and industries delivered workshops to students.