Starting High School

So Many Questions!

Transitioning to high school is a time that comes with different emotions for both students and their caregivers. It comes with a lot of questions too: How will high school be different? What do course codes mean? What courses should I take? What high school do I want to go to? What extracurriculars might I want to participate in?

We’re Here to Help!

We recognize that students and caregivers have THE MOST important role to play in a student’s pathway and transition choices and we are committed to making the process as transparent and clear as possible. This page is meant to respond to the questions we get asked most frequently while reflecting some of the core components of support we offer at this time.

If you would benefit from connecting with someone directly, you can reach out to your student’s school, email any of the guidance offices at the secondary schools listed below, or get in touch via this form.

UGDSB High Schools

For more information on UGDSB’s secondary schools, visit our School Directory.

Attending High School in the UGDSB

At Upper Grand, we are dedicated to supporting success for all students, at all times, including in making the move from elementary to secondary school with confidence. Some UGDSB high school facts:

We have 11 high schools, with four offering French Immersion and one offering IB programming
We serve approximately 35,000 students and their families in Wellington County, Guelph and Dufferin
We offer different ways to support students in achieving their high school credits – including traditional classrooms, eLearning, specialized program offerings, and co-op
Extracurricular offerings are diverse, just like our students – from arts to robotics, sports, and equity, there is something to attract any student’s attention
Every high school has at least one dedicated guidance counsellor, a student success teacher, an equity representative, and a SHSM Lead
All schools have Specialist High Skills Majors Programs in a variety of sectors

Want to see more about what secondary school life is like in UGDSB? Check out the High School (gr.9-12) page!

Do you have a child entering grade 9 in a UGDSB school in the fall?

You can access each of the school websites through our School Directory. If you are unsure, reach out to the guidance office at the school your student is planning to attend and/or your student’s Grade 8 teacher.

Do you have a child entering a UGDSB school from a school outside of the board?

Please reach out to the school they plan to attend through our School Directory. If you don’t know where to start, please fill out this form.

How do I know which high school to attend?

To see what school(s) serves your area, use the Upper Grand DSB School Locator tool found here: SCHOOL LOCATOR.
You can access each of the school websites through our School Directory.

Please Note: If your child will be moving to a school outside of UGDSB for grade 9, you will want to explore the resources available to support transitions at the associated board. Ask the administrator at your school or your student’s grade 8 teacher for support with getting started.

Thinking of Getting a Head Start on High School?

Click here for there ways that grade 8 students can get a head start.

MyBlueprint: Digital Portfolio and Pathway Exploration Tool K-12 and Beyond

The Upper Grand District School Board supplies every student, K-12, with a free myBlueprint account to support their pathways exploration, K-12. This account is designed to grow and change with them, offering opportunities to document their work, their growth, and their reflections through All About Me (K-6) and then empowering them to engage in a personal inquiry of their self and their world through a variety of tools and guides in the myBlueprint Education Planner (7-12).

MyBlueprint is meant to provide students with equitable access to additional guidance support through:

self-concept surveys
budgeting tools
goal setting support
post-secondary exploration
job searching

There are many benefits to using this tool, including having opportunity to archive work, communicate with parents, teachers, and potential employers, and even apply for college/work! What’s more, the account belongs to the student – so when they graduate, they take it with them and can continue to use it to support any questions they may have once they leave high school.

Click here to learn more about this tool and ask your school about accessing your student and/or parent account! Parents/Caregivers are invited to create their own accounts to support this work and stay connected.

Once students start grade 7, their “All About Me” portfolio tool becomes a more comprehensive career/life exploration tool as well as the method they will use to do course selections in high school.