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Department Information Credit Recovery and Credit Rescue List of Student Success Program IDC4UP: Peer Leadership, Teaching and Mentoring Specialist High Skills Major: Environment Dual Credits Moving Up Youth Substance Abuse Program Girls Empowered Mentorships Series Back to Department Listings

Department of Student Success

Department Information

Student Success is not only about meeting the individual needs of students, but also providing them with more opportunities to capitalize on their strengths and develop their interests.

The purpose of the Student Success Team is to:

  • Identify and support students who are at-risk
  • Provide more opportunities for learning
  • Monitor student progress
  • Provide supportive programs and resources for at-risk students

Credit Recovery and Credit Rescue

Credit Recovery provides students with an opportunity to get a credit without repeating the course. Credit Rescue is a more intensive intervention so that students “complete not repeat” their courses. These programs focus not only on improving learning skills, but also target particular curriculum expectations that students have not achieved.

The Credit Recovery Process:

  1. Subject teacher recommendation (Completed Course Placement Form)
  2. Student Success Team makes decision
  3. Subject teacher completes credit recovery profile
  4. Credit recovery teacher designs credit recovery learning plan

List of Student Success Programs

IDC4UP: Peer Leadership, Teaching and Mentoring

This course prepares and motivates students to provide leadership and peer-assistance to others in their schools and communities. Students will develop skills in communication, interpersonal relations, coaching, leadership, teamwork and conflict management. Student will also learn about the value and complexity of social diversity; all of which would be valuable to students interested in tutoring, mentorship or pursuing a career in the teaching profession.
Students provide:

  • Teaching assistance in Grade 9 courses
  • Mentorship and support to Autistic students through Best Buddies
  • Peer tutoring afterschool and at lunch

Specialist High Skills Major: Environment

The Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program in the Environment gives students an opportunity to specialize, gain qualifications, and plan a career pathway in various areas of the Environment sector while still in high school. The SHSM Program has a number of required components, designed to give students a "leg-up" to pursue post-secondary opportunities in an Apprenticeship, College, University or Work placement.
In order to complete a SHSM in the environment student:

  • Complete a package of 9 specific courses.
  • Complete Industry Certification (WHMIS, CPR , GPS and Standard First Aid, plus three Environment-specific certifications)
  • Obtain job experience (e.g. co-op work experience, job shadowing, job twinning).
  • Use the Ontario Skills Passport to document the development of essential skills
  • Gain “Reach Ahead Experience” (ex. visiting a post-secondary institution)

Click here to see the Macdonald SHSM-Environment Guide

Information on this and other Specialist High Skills Major Programs please visit:

Dual Credits

Dual Credit programs allow students to earn a secondary school credit and a college credit at the same time.

Students have the opportunity to:

  1. Earn high school credits while studying at a local college or taking apprenticeship training
  2. Gain experience in a post-secondary setting.
  3. Get a head start on learning and training for their future.
For more information on this and other Specialist High Skills Major Programs please visit:
   TDSB District School Board/ Experiential Learning

Moving Up

Our Grade 9 and new Grade 10 Orientation creates a welcoming and caring environment for students. Informative workshops and team building activities, support students’ emotional, social, and academic needs.

Youth Substance Abuse Program (YSAP)

The YMCA Youth Substance Abuse Program has designed a peer mentoring program to help youth interact with one another to gain more education about the harms related to drug use and to discuss strategies for reducing risks such as disease and injury.

Over the course of the year, YSAP counsellors will work with our senior students to provide them with in-depth education about harm reduction, facts on drugs and alcohol, drug and alcohol user stereotypes, boundaries, confidentiality, leadership skills, role playing, and community resources. After their training, the school’s peer mentors not only conduct their own presentation for junior students about substance abuse, but will they will also visit Grade 9 and 10 classes following the assembly. This gives participants the opportunity to ask questions of the peer mentors and their adult supervisors, such as YMCA Youth Substance Abuse Program counsellors, Toronto Public Health nurses, and Toronto District School Board social workers.


“Research shows that a sense of belonging to the school enhances student motivation, improves achievement, and protects against adolescent substance abuse.” --Arunkumar, Zimmerman, 1994

Click here to see the YSAP information guide

G.E.M.S: Girls Empowered Mentorship Series

G.E.M.S provides a space where girls can talk to peers about their world, and with the help of mentors, address the challenges unique to young women in a fun and active way.
Please click on the following links for more information:

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