Website: www.wgss.ca

Email: Please ensure your son/daughter’s elementary school has your correct, up-to-

date email address!

Synervoice: An automated parent phoning system for attendance and other messages

Twitter: @sd35wgss

GatorBlocks: Agenda app for Iphone/Android

CONTACT WITH WGSS

Balan MoorthyLisa Marie FraserLogan KitteringhamSean JuteauAndrea RuffoKristine Ketter

PrincipalVice Principal (A-G)Vice Principal (H-N)Vice Principal (0-Z)Counsellor, Gr. 8PAC President

KEY CONTACTS

• Gator Blocks is a free scheduling app for iPhone and Android mobile devices that allow students to:

• See their class schedules, times and special days for both the day and week

• Type notes and reminders for later reference

You can review this presentation at

wgsscounselling.weebly.com

WGSS.CA Counselling Course Planning

Guidebooks – Forms – Presentations*

Walnut Grove Secondary School

Grade 8 Course Planning2019-2020

1 English Language Arts 8 English Language Arts 8

2 Mathematics 8 Mathematics 8

3 Science 8 Sciences 8

4 Social Studies 8 Sciences Humaines 8

5 French 8 Francais Langue & Comm 8

6 PHE 8 Education Physique 8

7 Elective 1 Elective 1

8 Elective 2 (& Career Ed) Elective 2 (Career Ed)

Regular Program French Immersion

For Grade 7 students who are currently in French Immersion but are planning to go into our English Program

Advised to select French 9 instead of French 8These students are placed into a grade 9 class.

There may or may not be other grade 8 students in the class.

FRENCH 9

English Language Arts & Social Studies

Humanities

Assignments-topic writing based

Project /theme based-hands on projects

Subjects separated in 2 different classes

Blended subjects- with an emphasis on Middle Ages

history content

Two teachers-1 for each subject

One teacher-both subjects

English and Social Studies or Humanities?What’s the Difference?

Students who finish the grade 7 curriculum and are working at a grade 8 Mathematics level in their grade 7 year may be recommended by their teacher for this course.

Students who are successful in Mathematics 9 in their grade 8 year may take Mathematics 10 in grade 9.

*Note: They are placed into a grade 9 class.

MATHEMATICS 9 in GRADE 8

Mathematics 9 placement requires an application teacher recommendation an acceptable level of achievement on

the Challenge exam.

Tuesday, March 5, at 3:00pm Rm 175

MATHEMATICS 9 EXAM

∗ Mathematics 9 in grade 8: know pros & cons

∗ Mathematics 8 curriculum content covered prior

∗ No course credit for Grade 8 Mathematics needed prior

MATHEMATICS 9 in GRADE 8

Gr. 7 teacher’s recommendation is required to write the English Language 8 Honours exam.

English Language 8 Honours is

* Faster paced* Pursues advanced understanding of story * structure and literary devices* Covers a broader range of literary genres * focuses on critical and analytical thinking skills

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 8 HONOURS

English Language 8 Honours requires an application teacher recommendation an acceptable level of achievement on the exam.

Two sittings of the English exam are offered.

Tues April 9 or Wed April 10,3:30pm at WGSS Rm 166

(students choose only one of these to attend)

English Language 8 Honours

Includes

∗ English Language Arts∗ Social Studies∗ Science ∗ Computers (2 terms)

GATOR POD

• Application form due by Friday March 8th, 2019 by 3:00pm.

• Students will then be contacted to attend an interview process on Thursday April 4th at WGSS.

• Successful applicants are notified after the interviews.

GATOR POD 8

PHE

GIRLS

BOYS

CO-ED Girls and Boys

ADST =Applied Design, Skills, & Technology

-

Each Grade 8 Student will have at least 1 ADST course and 1 FINE ART elective course.

TERM 3+ monthsFULL YEAR 10 months

Students will take the Career Education 8 course in one term

ANDEither 5 more Term electives

OR2 Term and 1 Full Year elective

1 Term Each Full Year Outside Timetable

Computers (ADST) Visual Arts (Fine Art) Jazz Band (Fine Art)

Textiles (ADST) Band (Fine Art) Choir (Fine Art)

Drafting & Design (ADST)

Computers (Fine Art) Drumline (Fine Art)

Electronics & Robotics (ADST)

Foods Studies (ADST)

Metalwork (ADST)

Engineering (ADST)

Woodwork (ADST)

Visual Arts (Fine Art)

Drama (Fine Art)

“Can I take 2 Full Year elective courses?”

“No”

This does not allow room to fit all your required courses in..

Full Year Drama and Full Year Art? X

Band and Full Year Computers? X

TERM 1SEP OCT NOV/DEC

TERM 2DEC JAN FEB/MAR

TERM 3MAR/APR MAY JN

ELECTIVE CHOICE

(eg. FOODS)

ELECTIVE CHOICE

(eg. ART)

ELECTIVE CHOICE

(eg. METALWORK)

ELECTIVE CHOICE

(eg. COMPUTERS)

CAREER EDUCATION

ELECTIVE CHOICE

(eg. DRAFTING)

Feeder School Visits 2019

School 1st Visit 2nd VisitWest Langley Feb. 5 am Feb. TBA

Gordon Greenwood Feb. 5 pm Feb. James Kennedy Feb. 6 am Feb. Topham Feb. 6 pm Feb. Alex Hope Feb. 7 am Feb. Dorothy Peacock Feb. 8 am Feb

IMPORTANT DATES

Gator Pod Application Forms Due Fri. March 8 by 3pm

Gator Pod Interviews Thur. April 5

Accelerated Math 9 Testing Thurs. March 83:30 pmRoom 175

English Language Arts Honours Testing

Grade 7 ELL Testing

Mon April 9 and Tues April 103:30 pmRoom 166Attend only ONE

Thurs. March 13:00 pmRoom 244

Ms. Ruffo - Grade 8 Counsellor at

604-882-0220 Local 236

aruffo@sd35.bc.ca

Check out: www.wgss.ca

MAIN CONTACT(after all feeder school visits)

Counselling

Counselling Services -Need Help?

The Counselling Department helps students with:

Personal concernsStudy/organizational skillsCourse selectionCareer planning

External CreditsVocational Counselling Graduation requirements or ‘Grad Check’Post-secondary information.Scholarship information

Counsellors also

∗ Initiate parent-teacher conferences for current Grade 8 students

∗ Check attendance profiles and Progress Reports upon request and where feasible.

∗ Make intercommunity referrals for students and families∗ Try to answer questions for incoming students through our

FAQ section. Please view the New Grade 8 Parent page, under Parent Community, on our website.

• Course Forms and Course Guides are given out at school visits.

• Forms, guides, and this presentation will be available online next week.

• Answers to Frequently Asked Questions are in the Course Guide.

• In-catchment, non-feeder school students can make an appointment through our main office.

• Grade 7 teachers will collect the pink course planning forms.

• Meetings for students with IEPs are arranged through staff between the elementary school and our school in late May/early June.

Welcome To WGSS !You will be our

High SchoolGraduates of 2024!