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Bishop Smith CHS
Student Services

Our guidance counselors serve a key role in maximizing student success – in collaboration with parents, teachers, and internal and external support staff. Counselors provide post-secondary education planning, and preparation and support in regard to academic and social development. They support your child’s mental health and overall well-being. They encourage goal setting and responsible decision-making. They coordinate tutoring and mentorship training. And, they serve as leaders for our school-wide anti-bullying initiative.

Our guidance counselors offer one-on-one high school and career planning sessions. We use the myBlueprint platform. myBlueprint is an interactive online education planning tool. Students use the program to set yearly goals, prepare an annual course schedule, record community service hours, track high school graduation requirements, and explore post-secondary programs and institutions across the country. The myBlueprint platform was influenced by the Ministry of Education’s Creating Pathways to Success policy document.

In Ontario, students must complete 40 hours of community service to receive an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Grade 9-12 students are encouraged to acquire community service hours throughout the school year, as well as in the summer months. Students can use Hour Republic to track workplace hours. Click here to access a copy of our community service hours form.

When applying to college or university, your child may benefit from financial assistance through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). As part of the most significant reform of student assistance in North America, the government of Ontario is removing the financial barrier associated with attending college or university by providing generous grants. Click here to learn more.

Grade 12 students complete college and/or university applications with councillors in the fall. Click here to view this year’s post-secondary planning session, including important application dates.

Guidance counselors promote and support cooperative education. Grade 11-12 students can earn high school course credits while working either a half or a full day for an employer in our community. This would not be possible, however, without the support we graciously receive from our local employers.

Our guidance counselors promote and support Ontario’s Specialist High Skills Major program. A Specialist High Skills Major allows students to customize their high school learning experience to fit with their career interests. Click here to learn more.

We encourage you to call the school to speak to one of our guidance counsellors, our cooperative education teacher, or student success teacher, if you have any questions about your child’s development.