OSSD Requirements

Diploma Requirements for the Secondary Program of Ontario's Ministry of Education and Training are identified below.

• ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOL DIPLOMA (OSSD)
  • 30 credits (110 hours each)
  • 18 compulsory credits
  • 12 elective credits
  • 40 hours of service involvement
  • Grade 10 Test of Reading and Writing Skills
• SPECIFIC DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS
  • 4 English - 1 credit per grade
  • 1 French as a second language
  • 3 Mathematics - at least 1 in Grade 11 or 12
  • 2 Science
  • 1 Canadian History
  • 1 Canadian Geography
  • 1 Arts (Visual, Music, Drama)
  • 1 Health and Physical Education
  • 1 Civics and Career Studies (.5 each)
  • 1 additional credit in English or a third language or Social Sciences and the Humanities or Canadian and World Studies.
    This includes: ETS4U1 Literature, EWC4U1 Writer's Craft, LWGBD1 German, LWGCU1 German, LWGDU1 German, HFN1OH Food and Nutrition, HIF2OH Individual & Family Living, HPC3O1 Parenting, HHS4M1 Family Studies, HRT3M1 World Religions, HZT4U1 Philosophy, CGF3M1 Physical Geography, CHW3M1 World History to 16th Century, CGW4U1 Geography, CHY4U1 World History.
  • 1 additional credit in Health and Physical Education or Business Studies or the Arts.
    This includes: PPL2O1 Healthy Active Living, PPL3O1 Healthy Active Living, PSE4U1 Exercise Science, BDI3C1 Introduction to Entrepreneurial Studies, any Music, Art or Drama.
  • 1 additional credit in Grade 11 or 12 Science or Grade 9 - 12 Technology.
    This includes: SBI3U1 Biology, SCH3U1 Chemistry, SPH3U1 Physics, SBI4U1 Biology, SCH4U1 Chemistry, SPH4U1 Physics, BTT1OH Computer, TTI1OH Integrated Technology, TDJ2OH Construction Technology, TIK2OH Computer, TTJ2OH Transportation Technology, TTJ3C1 Transportation Technology, ICS3U1 Computer & Information Science, IDC4O1 Interdisciplinary Studies.

ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOL CERTIFICATE (OSSC)

The Ontario Secondary School Certificate is granted on request to students who leave school before earning the OSSD provided that they have earned a minimum of 14 credits. Specific details regarding credit requirements for this Certificate are available from the school office.

CERTIFICATE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

Students who leave school before fulfilling requirements for the Ontario Secondary Diploma or the Ontario Secondary School Certificate may be granted a Certificate of Accomplishment. The Certificate of Accomplishment may be a useful means of recognizing achievement for students who plan to take certain vocational programs or other kinds of future training or who plan to find employment after leaving school.

COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES

Community service is an OSSD requirement which also reflects a Rockway tradition. Students from Grades 9 to 12 must complete a minimum of 40 hours of community service activities at any time during their years in the secondary school program.

• Community service activities may take place in a variety of settings; business, not-for-profit organizations, public sector institutions and informal settings.
• This community service requirement may not be fulfilled through activities that are counted towards a credit (e.g. cooperative education and work experience), through paid work or by assuming duties normally performed by a paid employee.
• The requirement is to be completed outside students' normal instructional hours. Activities may take place during designated lunch hours, after school, on weekends or during school holidays. Rockway students may count their community service hours contributed during Envirathon/Servathon towards fulfillment of their community involvement requirement.
• Community Service Information booklets and record sheets are distributed to all Grade 9 students.
• Students must submit documentation attesting to the completion of each activity to the main office.
• The principal will determine if the student has met the requirements.

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

All students must successfully complete the Grade 10 Literacy Test in order to meet the requirements for earning an OSSD.

• Students will normally take the test in their Grade 10 year.
• The test will be based on the Ontario curriculum expectations for reading and writing up to and including Grade 9.
• The test will identify those students who have demonstrated the required minimum Literacy skills.
• Rockway will provide remedial assistance for students who do not complete the test successfully.

Accommodations: Students who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or who are ESL learners may be able to get an accommodation for writing the Literacy Test. Guidance Counselors will work with these students to define these accommodations (which consist of supports and services enabling students with special needs to demonstrate their competencies in the skills being measured by the test).

Deferrals: In certain circumstances students may be deferred from writing this test. Such circumstances include English proficiency for ESL students exceptional learning need or other special circumstances.

Exemptions: Only students who are not working towards an OSSD can be exempt from writing this test.

Rockway offers more to our students than the OSSD. Read about the Rockway Mennonite Collegiate Diploma.