OCDSB’s Specialist High Skills Major programs provide students with valuable real-world experience
When she was in Grade 11, Kaitlyn Pommainville, a Sir Guy Carleton Secondary School student, found herself donning a chef’s uniform while learning the latest culinary arts techniques in the state-of-the-art kitchen at Algonquin College’s School of Hospitality and Tourism. The experience is one example of the unique experiential learning opportunities students such as Pommainville are exposed to in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board’s (OCDSB) Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program. For Pommainville, it was that aha moment that solidified her decision to pursue a post-secondary education in culinary arts.
“If I didn’t go into SHSM, I don’t know if I would be pursuing my dream as a chef,” said Pommainville, who recently graduated from Sir Guy, will move on to a oneyear culinary skills program at Algonquin where she already earned dual credits as part of SHSM. “It definitely boosted my motivation to learn and made me more confident as a graduate because I gained experience I can add to.”
SHSM is a provincially funded program in which courses match students’ skills, interests and talents. It is facilitated at 23 OCDSB schools with programs ranging from social justice and green learning to digital media and production, and entrepreneurship. SHSM’s core curriculum is adapted to the specific sectors, and students can earn industryrecognized certifications while networking and gaining experience through community co-ops. It also aligns with the OCDSB’s Exit Outcomes — a set of five skills and five characteristics students possess by the time they graduate.
Students, who enter SHSM in Grade 11, graduate with a “specialist” designation as well as a high school diploma.
Barbara Berry, a physical education and co-op teacher, is the Sports and Recreation SHSM lead at Woodroffe High School. She’s witnessed students go from disengaged in their studies to passionate about what they are learning.
“SHSM opens multiple pathways and really enriches students’ experience,” Berry said. “Students need to be active participants in their education, and SHSM gives them the opportunity to think outside the box by going beyond desk learning and having applied experiences. Ultimately, it offers them a different view of the world.”
Pommainville agrees. In addition to earning dual credits with Algonquin, she also had opportunities to connect with her community. For example, during one such community interaction Pommainville and her peers catered a three-course dinner for seniors. Another time, they also hosted a silent auction where a fivecourse meal was served.
“Thanks to SHSM, I had the opportunity to meet several chefs. These networking opportunities will help me when the time comes to look for a job,” Pommainville said. She also earned certifications such as Smart Serve and Food Handler while in SHSM. Combining bookwork with real-life learning experiences is one of the greatest benefits of this program.
Over at Woodroffe, meanwhile, relationship building also occurs within the school. Two years ago, when Berry was looking for ways to evolve the program, she came up with the idea to partner with a fellow teacher who leads the school’s General Learning Program (GLP), which supports students with intellectual disabilities. It is a partnership that has seen SHSM students support their GLP peers during everything from a trip to Barbados, which included confidence building for GLP students and humanitarian efforts, to hosting integrated Special Olympics events.
“I’ve seen so much growth in my students,” Berry said. “One time, while we were taking a train, I noticed SHSM kids and GLP kids huddled around a phone, singing and dancing to something they were watching. This wasn’t teacher-led. It was them automatically thinking to include everyone. I’ve also seen GLP students turn to SHSM kids for help, unprompted, and vice versa.”
Students are not the only SHSM supporters. Berry said parents are seeing the positive changes in their children, and they have become vocal advocates for the program. When your child comes home happy, confident and proud of the skills they are learning, it’s good news for the family. Berry added that during a Meet the Teacher event last fall she couldn’t even make it to her classroom because so many parents wanted to learn more.
“Parents love it,” she said. “I even had parents of Grade 9 students stopping me to ask about SHSM. They were excited this valuable opportunity exists for their child.”
This September, the OCDSB will offer seven new SHSM programs: Arts and Culture - Performing Arts (Hillcrest High School and Canterbury Secondary School); Health and Wellness (Norman Johnston Alternate program); Hospitality and Tourism - Eco Adventure (South Carleton High School); Manufacturing - Engineering (Earl of March); Non-Profit - Community/International Development (Brookfield High School); and Transportation (Osgoode Township High School).
For more information, please visit www.ocdsb.ca.