Moving to high school is about much more than selecting a school. It involves decisions about programs and courses too. Most students begin thinking about high school in Grade 7 and will be planning for the future using tools such as the Ministry of Education Individual Pathway Plan (IPP) or MyBlueprint Education Planner. The IPP is part of Creating Pathways to Success, The New Education and Career/Life Planning Program for all Ontario students (grades K-12). The program emphasizes the importance of careful planning as students make their way through school. All students from Grades 7 to 12 will develop an Individual Pathways Plan (IPP) that they will review and revise twice each year. MyBlueprint is an online planner that some school boards are using for individual pathways planning.
Planning for high school for students with special education is more complex, and you will want to know how the high school supports students with special needs. School staff, who know your child, will be able to provide you with information on high school programs and link you with the special education staff at the high school. As you gather information about the high school options, you will also want to develop a transition plan for the student, documented as part of their Individual Education Plan (IEP). You may need to set up planning meetings at the high school and opportunities for the student to spend time in the new school.
For more information on the IEP, read more from the article, The Individual Education Plan – Frequently Asked Questions. For tips on the transition to high school, see the additional posts under the section of this blog on High School.
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