Helping More High School Students Graduate McGuinty Government Prepares Waterloo Region Students For Future Jobs

Waterloo Region - Waterloo Region high school students have more opportunities for hands-on learning thanks to the government’s growing Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program, Kitchener Centre MPP John Milloy announced yesterday at St. Mary’s High School in Kitchener. The majors allow students to focus on a career path that matches their skills and interests.

New majors being offered in 2009-10 through local schools include: Arts and Culture, Construction, Information and Communications Technology, and Health and Wellness.

School - New Majors

Resurrection Catholic Secondary School - Arts and Culture Monsignor Doyle Catholic Secondary School - Construction Resurrection Catholic Secondary School - Information and Communications Technology St. David Catholic Secondary School - Information and Communications Technology St. Mary's Catholic Secondary School - Information and Communications Technology Huron Heights Secondary School - Health and Wellness Glenview Park Secondary School - Health and Wellness Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate Institute - Health and Wellness Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School - Information and Communications Technology Forest Heights Collegiate -Institute Information and Communications Technology Galt Collegiate Institute - Information and Communications Technology Bluevale Collegiate Institute - Information and Communications Technology Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate Institute - Information and Communications Technology Local schools also offer majors in Hospitality and Tourism, Manufacturing, and Transportation.

To view all of the majors and where they are offered, please visit the Waterloo Region District School Board website at http://www.wrdsb.ca/ and the Waterloo Catholic District School Board website at www.highskills.ca/.

“By providing these innovative learning opportunities, we are seeing more students engaged in high school and, more importantly, graduation rates are on the rise.”

- Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Education

“We are helping more Waterloo Region students succeed by giving them work experience in their community and opportunities to test-drive their career interests while in school.”

- John Milloy, MPP for Kitchener Centre

“We have been pleased to add SHSM to the wide range of programs and opportunities we offer to meet the needs and interests of secondary students in the Region.”

- MaryLou Mackie, Executive Superintendent of Education, Waterloo Region DSB

“The SHSM program offers students the opportunity to connect their high school education to future career options. Adding additional majors to our schools will allow more students to take advantage of this successful program.”

- Bruce Rodrigues, Superintendent of Instruction & Assessment, Waterloo Catholic DSB

Since 2003-04, 36,000 additional students have achieved their high school diploma with help from the government’s Student Success programs including the Specialist High Skills Major. - Specialist High Skills Majors are available in more than 430 high schools and at all Ontario school boards with a high school. - Roughly 20,000 students will take one of the 16 majors this year, compared with 600 students just three years ago.