News

New Specialist High Skills Major Programs

May 27, 2010

Peel - This fall, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board will launch six new Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs at the secondary level. The new programs for 2010-11 include: Social Justice at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Secondary School, Business and Environment at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School, Business at St. Joseph Secondary School, Sports at St. Martin Secondary School, Energy at St. Paul Secondary School and Arts & Culture at Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School.

The addition of these programs in schools is instrumental in meeting the individual learning needs of students; building on their skills and interests to ready them for their post-secondary goals. “Specialist High Skills Major programs give students a chance to gain practical knowledge and theory in a specific sector,” said Marianne Mazzorato, Superintendent of Program. “The experiential learning and cooperative education component of these programs allow students to network and learn firsthand what it takes to gain employment in their chosen field."

A student who partakes in a Ministry-approved SHSM program must complete all five components in order to graduate with a Red Seal on their OSSD. An accurate description of these components can be found online at edu.gov.on.ca/studentsuccess. Completion of a SHSM is also specified on the student’s Ontario Student Transcript, which is available to any post-secondary educational or training institutions.

With the addition of these six new programs, Dufferin-Peel will now offer 19 SHSM programs in 13 secondary schools across the district. Dufferin-Peel will continue to offer the following programs: Hospitality at Ascension of Our Lord Secondary School, Arts & Culture at St. Edmund Campion Secondary School, Hospitality at Cardinal Leger Secondary School, Arts & Culture at Iona Catholic Secondary School, Health & Wellness and Hospitality at St. Francis Xavier Secondary School, Transportation St. Joseph Secondary School, Hospitality at St. Marcellinus Secondary School, Health & Wellness at St. Marguerite D’Youville Secondary School and ICT, Environment and Construction at St. Paul Secondary School.

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is one of largest and most diverse school districts in Ontario, with approximately 88,000 students in 145 Catholic schools throughout Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon and Orangeville. With over 10,000 employees, the board is also one of the largest employers in the region.


Media Contact: 

Nancy Marshall, Communications Officer (905) 890-0708 ext. 24278