Students are required to meet the provincial literacy requirement in order to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Successful completion of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) will satisfy this requirement. Students who have been eligible to write the OSSLT at least twice, and were unsuccessful at least once, are eligible to take the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course to fulfill the literacy requirement.

Each student is responsible for finding and completing 40 hours of volunteer work to be eligible for graduation. ASK Online Canada advises its full time students of the requirements and procedures for completing the 40 hours of community involvement. Full time ASK Students receive information and the appropriate forms. Students must obtain the Principal’s approval before commencing a placement. The necessary forms are available through the Principal.

Ministry of Education List of Ineligible Activities

The Ministry of Education has developed a list of activities that may not be chosen as community involvement activities. These are referred to as ineligible activities. An ineligible activity is an activity that:

• is a requirement of a class or course in which the student is enrolled (e.g. cooperative education portion of a course, job shadowing, work experience);
• takes place during the time allotted for the instructional program on a school day. However, an activity that takes place during a student’s lunch break or “spare” period is permissible.
• takes place in a logging or mining environment, if the student is under sixteen years of age;
• takes place in a factory, if the student is under fifteen years of age; takes place in a workplace other than a factory, if the student is under fourteen years of age and is not accompanied by an adult.

• would normally be performed for wages by a person in the workplace.
• involves the operation of a vehicle, power tools, or scaffolding.
• involves the administration of any type or form of medication or medical procedure to other person.
• involves handling of substances classed as “designated substances” under the Occupation Health and Safety Act.

University Applications for Full time ASK students:

ASK Online Canada will facilitate the university applications for full time students of ASK – for students whose OSR is at ASK Online Canada. Students who are full time with ASK Online Canada may request a PIN – a Personal Identification Number which enables students to apply to university and upload documentation. After students receive their PIN, they may complete a 101 Application with OUAC. Once the student has applied, all academic information from Grades 11 and 12 will be uploaded to OUAC. ASK Online Canada can provide additional guidance to students regarding the application process if required. The fee for this OUAC service is $100. Please note that this fee is separate from any fees that OUAC charges.

For students applying to post-secondary schools outside Ontario or students who
are OUAC 105 applicants, ASK Online Canada will communicate with up to three post- secondary institutions at no charge with a letter of enrolment, midterm report, and a final report. If a student wishes for ASK Online Canada to communicate with more than three institutions, a fee of $35 is applicable for each additional school.

There are four important documents that students should be aware of throughout their time in secondary school.

Ontario Secondary School Report Cards: Every student receives a midterm report and a final report in each course they take.

The Ontario Student Transcript: Every student has an ongoing transcript that records their progress towards earning the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

The Ontario Secondary School Diploma: Each student who successfully meets the requirements will receive an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

The Ontario Student Record: Every student has an Ontario Student Record that contains all relevant documentation from their elementary and high school education.

Report Card

ASK Online Canada issues an official Ontario Secondary School Report Card when a student reaches the midterm point of a course and again upon course completion. One copy will be sent directly to the school holding the student’s Ontario Student Record (OSR) to be added to the record and to the Ontario Student Transcript (OST). The student will also receive a hard copy by mail.

The report card provides a percentage grade which reflects the corresponding level outlined in the achievement chart for the discipline. A student successfully earns the credit when a final grade of 50% or higher is earned.

The final grade for each course in Grades 9–12 will be determined through the completion of both course work and a final evaluation. Course work and assessments will make up 70% of the final grade. This portion of the grade should reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement. However, special consideration can be given to more recent evidence of achievement. The remaining 30% of the final grade will be based on a final evaluation delivered as an examination, performance essay, and/or other method suitable to the course content.

The report card also provides a record of the learning skills demonstrated by a student in each course. Learning skills will be assessed in the following six categories: Responsibility, Organization, Independent Work, Collaboration, Initiative, and Self- Regulation. These learning skills are evaluated using a four-point scale (E–Excellent, G–Good, S–Satisfactory, N–Needs Improvement). The report card includes the teacher’s comments on what a student has learned, their significant strengths, and the next steps for improvement. The report may also include the principal’s comments on a student’s performance.

Ontario Student Transcript

The Ontario Student Transcript (OST) is an official document issued by public, Catholic, and Ministry-inspected private schools in Ontario, as well as international schools authorized to grant Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) credits. The OST is a record of all secondary school courses and other OSSD requirements completed by a single student. This document is stored in the student’s Ontario Student Record (OSR) and is retained for 55 years following the end of a student’s high school education.

The OST will track and record

• OSSD credits successfully earnedUnsuccessful course attempts in Grades 11 and 12Withdrawals from Grade 11 and Grade 12 courses if the student progresses past the mid-term point
• Repeated courses in Grades 11 and 12
• Equivalent credits granted for schoolwork completed at institutions outside of public, Catholic, and Ministry-inspected private schools in Ontario or Ontario international schools
• Completion of the required 40 hours of community involvement
• Satisfaction of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy requirement
• Any Ontario Secondary School Diploma or Certificate earned

ASK Online Canada will be responsible for keeping the OST updated for any student whose OSR resides with ASK. An official copy of the OST may be released to a student upon request if ASK Online Canada holds that student’s OSR. Students requiring a copy of the OST from ASK Online Canada may contact us.

Ontario Secondary School Diploma

The Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) is the primary goal of high school students in Ontario. Students must successfully complete a total of 30 credits (of which 18 are compulsory), satisfy the Ontario Literacy Requirement, and complete 40 hours of Community Involvement Activities in order to earn the OSSD. A credit is earned following the successful completion of a 110-hour course that aligns to the curriculum expectations as outlined by the Ontario Ministry of Education.

ASK will issue the OSSD to students who take all of their courses with ASK or to those who have completed courses at other schools but have successfully completed their final credit or credits with ASK. The OSSD issued by ASK is the same OSSD as that issued by any public, Catholic, or Ministry-inspected private school in Ontario and is recognized by colleges and universities around the world.

Ontario Student Record

The Ontario Student Record (OSR) is a physical file folder which must be created for each student upon registration. This includes registering for any public, Catholic, or Ministry-inspected private school in Ontario and registration at international schools authorized to grant OSSD credits. The OSR contains all official school records for a single student. Every student taking a course with ASK Online Canada must either have an existing OSR or must arrange to establish a new OSR. The contents of the OSR are protected by the Education Act and Freedom of Information legislation for the province of Ontario.

If a ASK student is also currently attending or has graduated from another school granting OSSD credits, that student’s OSR may continue to reside at the home school. When a student completes a course, ASK will send an official copy of the final report card directly to the home school, where the credit will be added to the student’s Ontario Student Transcript.

If ASK is a student’s primary school of registration or a student does not have an existing OSR, ASK may need to contact the student to facilitate the creation or acquisition of these records.

Requesting an Existing OSR

If ASK determines that the most appropriate course of action is to request a student’s existing OSR from his or her home school, the following must occur:

The student, or parent/guardian if the student is under 18 years of age, will contact the school hosting the OSR to grant permission for the OSR to be transferred to ASK.

The student will contact the Guidance department at ASK to confirm that permission has been granted.

• The Guidance department at ASK will formally request that the school transfer the student’s OSR to ASK.

The responsibilities of ASK will include requesting and receiving the OSR, reviewing the documents in the OSR, and maintaining up-to-date records within the OSR, including the Ontario Student Transcript.

Establishing a New OSR

If ASK determines that a new OSR must be created, the following steps will occur:

• The student will provide a copy of government-issued identification to ASK Guidance.
• ASK will issue an Ontario Education Number (OEN) unique to that student.
• ASK will create an OSR for the student.The responsibilities of ASK will include issuing the OEN, creating the OSR, and maintaining up-to-date records within the OSR, including the Ontario Student Transcript.

OSR Services

After an OSR has been established by ASK or received from another Ontario school, there are optional services available from ASK.