Online Learning in the Upper Grand District School Board
Online learning, also known as e-learning, offers secondary students an opportunity to take courses that are delivered entirely using the internet and do not require students to be physically present in the classroom. They are for eligible students of the Board and they are delivered by Ontario Certified Teachers. Students and teachers use the Provincial Virtual Learning Environment as the platform to engage with the course work. These are “asynchronous” courses – the teacher and students will often work on the course at different times during the school day. Students in e-Learning course(s) should expect to spend an equivalent amount of time daily on e-Learning courses as they would with regular, in-school courses.
Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, the Ministry of Education has set new guidelines for Ontario school boards in regards to students who are fully remote or fully online learners. The guidelines read as follows:
“In respect of such pupils, school board staff will be required to attest that they have reviewed pupil residency documents (proof of address) at the start of each school year to ensure the pupil and their parents/guardians are living in Ontario”.
This will mean that for the students who are fully learning online, parents/guardians (or students over 18 years of age) will be asked to fill out an attestation form and provide proof of address showing residency in Ontario.
Ontario eLearning Consortium
The Upper Grand District School Board is also a member of the Ontario e-Learning Consortium. With the other member school boards, we work together to optimize e-Learning programs and enhance student learning through emerging technologies and innovative practices. Through this partnership students in the UGDSB have access to a broader range of courses taught by Ontario Certified Teachers in other Boards. Potential course offerings from the Upper Grand DSB and other member boards can be found on the OeLC registration site.
Online Learning Graduation Requirement
Beginning with the cohort of students who entered Grade 9 in the 2020-21 school year, all students must earn a minimum of two online learning credits as part of the requirements for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma unless they have been opted out or exempted.
For more information, please see “Secondary Schools: Online Learning Graduation Requirement” or contact your school’s Guidance Department.
How to Enrol in an e-Learning Course
During the regular course selection process in late winter/early spring, students will be able to see courses that may be offered by the Upper Grand DSB as e-Learning courses the following year. These will be listed in MyBlueprint and students may choose one or more of these courses as part of their course selections for the next year.
As part of our membership in the OeLC, students will also have access to more online course options available from partner school boards. Please contact your school’s Guidance Department for any questions or more information.
It is important to note, a student may only enrol in a maximum of 4 courses per semester as this constitutes a full-time course load. This total of 4 includes all classes in school as well as any online course(s).