St. Louis Graduation – the Pinnacle of Resilience

Friday, Nov 8, 2024

Tonight marks the first of two St. Louis graduation ceremonies for the class of 2023-2024. And a St. Louis graduation brings its own kind of inspiration with many stories of resilience woven throughout.

Class of 2024

An astounding 361 Ontario Secondary School Diplomas will be officially conferred and an additional 66 Hairstyling, Barbering and Culinary Certificates will be presented. Every student in attendance will have their moment to shine and celebrate this milestone with their peers, family, friends and the school community.

We will also acknowledge some exceptional achievements by presenting 3 awards for student excellence – to students who are bound for university, college or the world of work. The loyal support we receive each year from the Canadian Federation for University Women – Kitchener Waterloo allows us to also celebrate the memory of Hildegard Marsden and the accomplishments of 2 more graduands who will be acknowledged for their achievements and pursuit of post-secondary education. One of these recipients, Kira DeGraaf, is also our Valedictorian.

Several years ago, St. Louis staff came together to create an award that spotlighted 1 or 2 students for their determination and hard work. This tradition will carry on again this year.

These traditions and this spirit of determination has ignited others to establish legacy tributes as well.

New Awards

The Catholic Community Foundation of Waterloo Region will be presenting an inaugural award that recognizes 5 St. Louis students who have demonstrated the pinnacle of resilience. Also, for the first time, we will be honouring the accomplishments of an Indigenous student in memory of former WCDSB staff, Melissa Resmer.

Resilience

The recurring theme of St. Louis graduation ceremonies is resilience.

Resilience. It’s a word that captures the essence of the human spirit when we are faced with adversity, challenges or obstacles in life. Our path is rarely fast, smooth, or straight and there are numerous ways that resilience is reflected. For each St. Louis student, their educational journey will look different, as is the story that brought them to this milestone occasion.

Next time you think of someone with resilience, be reminded that they are doing more than ‘fighting to survive’. They could be that person making conscious choices and taking action, with such intense focus, sometimes slow and steady, flowing through change, yet never giving up. They probably show grit, commitment, practice, patience and repetition. Along the way, they develop perspective and pursue continuous growth, sometimes reaching out to others, often paying it forward and helping others. While facing fears head on, often one step at a time, they also realize that to get out of survival mode and become “resilient”, they simply must include time for self-care, be calm and carry on.

The product of resilience is having joy-filled moments like graduation, filled with gratitude to those who helped you along the way. Congratulations to all graduates!

Stay Tuned

Watch for another St. Louis Newswire to learn about next week’s PSW graduation ceremony and the impact the program has had on the lives of PSW students and others in our community.

Hairstyling Intake, Term 2 Classes Start and Graduation

What’s new at St. Louis – Oct 31-Nov 4

Hairstyling & Barber Intake

St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Education Centre is hosting a public Intake session for those potential students interested in enrolling in the Hairstyling Training program. (Pre-registration online is required)

Attend an information session, and registration / intake session

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

4:00- 6:00

St. Louis – Kitchener Main Campus

LOW COST ~ PROFESSIONAL ~ QUALIFIED INSTRUCTORS ~ EARLY APPRENTICESHIP

Next class begins January 9, 2023 . In 8 months, learn foundational in-school theory, professional hands-on training, taught by certified teachers, plus get 2-month work placement experience. Up to 8 elective Secondary School Credits can be earned toward high school completion OR to increase your grades on your transcript, a benefit for any future post-secondary pursuits. AND start your apprenticeship early through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), and the first 220 hours on placement count toward becoming licensed.

Term 2 Classes

Only a couple of days left to register for in-person, teacher-led Secondary School Credits Day classes held at St. Louis -Kitchener Main Campus from Wednesday, November 2nd – December 22. Morning and afternoon classes available in Math, English, Physics, Biology or Ontario Literacy Course. **FREE**

**NEW – Culinary & Hospitality classes offered every 2 months– cooking and baking courses on a budget, learn for yourself or your family, learn to earn or learn to graduate! Term 2 offers credit classes specifically Hospitality & Tourism in the morning, Event Planning in the afternoon. $75 materials fee for each Hospitality course.

Visit St. Louis Guidance Services to REGISTER TODAY — Guidance Services are available Monday to Thursday 8:30am-12:30pm / 1:30pm – 4:00pm

It’s never too late to get your high school diploma or

upgrade for your college or university applications.

**Note: St. Louis school will be OPEN and ALL classes will be running during the CUPE Labour disruptions and pending strike. Please watch for UPDATES on https://stlouis.wcdsb.ca

Graduation

The most wonderful time of the year for the St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Education school community is GRADUATION!

On Friday, November 4 at 7:00pm. 259 Graduates from the 2021-2022 school year will receive their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. An additional 53 students will receive their Hairstyling / Barbering or Culinary Training Certificates. For some adults, graduation is the milestone they have been striving for, for a long time. We are so please to offer an in-person ceremony again at St. Mary’s – Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows Church in downtown Kitchener.

St. Louis Graduates 538 for Class of 2021

After a week-long graduation celebration in the cafeteria of St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Centre – Kitchener Main Campus, we are so proud of the 538 certificates and diplomas earned by our students.

9 Ways to earn Secondary School Credits

Earn in a Class

Of this total, 379 students achieved their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) in 2020-2021. Last year, ALL secondary school credit day classes (1) and correspondence (2) courses were held online, and many students persisted toward this goal. Guidance counsellors worked remotely with those adult students who wanted to have their learning gained through work and life experience assessed against the Ontario curriculum. By doing Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition – PLAR (3), up to 26 credits could be granted and the final 4 credits earned at St. Louis. This past month, some daytime credit classes returned to in-person learning and we have already begun to register for Term 3. Registration is open until December 16 for classes that begin January 5 . PLAR and correspondence have continuous intake.

Earn while you Work

Other students navigated Covid restrictions by earning secondary school credits in-person and on the job, through our Credits@Work (4) program. Every hour worked counted as credit hour earned. 110 hours are needed to earn each credit. Students earn earn these as co-op credits toward their OSSD and employers gain a greater skilled work force and students.

Earn while you Gain Skills

We also helped students earn credits and gain skills through our three School-to-Work programs (#5,6,7 ways to earn secondary school credits). 2020-2021 Certificates were granted to 23 Culinary Arts students, 46 Hairstyling students and 90 Personal Support Workers – almost all working in their respective industries.

We are currently registering for the Pre-Apprenticeship Hairstyling Training classes that begin on January 6th and April 4th, 2022. A minimum of 16 secondary school credits is required to start, tuition is covered by the Ministry of Education, the equipment and materials fee is $1300, and teachers are Ontario Certified with years of previous and current industry experience. Complete the Pre-registration Form online to get started!

The full-time (Mon – Fri) day (8:45-3:30) PSW Certificate program that starts February 22, 2022 and is the last chance to take advantage of the free tuition, free materials fees and the 300 hour paid placement covered by the government of Ontario. Start class in February, and be work-ready by November! Pre-Register Now and be invited for a PSW admissions presentation and interview on one of the following dates:

Monday, January 10th, 10:00am-1:00pm
Monday, January 24th, 5;00pm-8:00pm
Monday, February 7th, 10:00am-1:00pm

**While the Culinary Arts Program is under a program review for 2022, expressions of interest are welcomed.

Earn while you learn a language

While many students rely on that upgraded math, science or English credit toward their high school diploma, the 8th way some of our graduates may have earned a credit is through language credit classes (8). In the new year, we will begin planning the course offerings and registration processes for an exciting Fall 2022 line-up of languages taught by Ontario Certified Teachers September 2022- June 2023. International Languages – Secondary prepares youth and adults for post-secondary studies and careers in the fields of business, trade and communications.

Earn in Summer

Even though snow is on the ground now, we ‘Think Summer” early at St. Louis. Of the 538 graduates, a handful might say that ‘Summer School 2021‘ contributed toward their OSSD. However, there are hundreds of youth from Grade 8 – Grade 12 each year who choose St. Louis summer school, and summer co-op, as part of their secondary school credit journey. Watch for details in late February, early March about Summer 2022 course offerings.

If ever you thought it was too late or not possible, contact St. Louis Guidance Services because we believe there is Hope, Opportunity and Success for All who attend St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Education Centres.

To view a few of our happy graduates: 2021 St Louis Graduation2

What’s Keeping You From Finishing?

What’s keeping you from finishing your high school diploma?

Cost?

Not enough time?

Going back with teenagers?

Something else?

STOP

We have the answers to all your questions about finishing your high school diploma and achieving your goals fast! Finishing your high school diploma. It’s easier, faster and more within reach than you probably think. We understand. The idea of finishing your high school diploma in your final year of Grade 12 or as an adult of any age can be stressful. For some adults, it’s a fear of going back to school with a younger crowd. For others, it’s a cost consideration. Maybe you don’t think you have time — that the sacrifice is too hard.

It’s FLEXIBLE

At St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Education Centres, we’ve made it easy for you to take the next steps toward your successful future, with flexible options that suit your life timetable. You can take courses or earn credits at our Main Campus, at home, at work or online. Credits can be taken during the day, night or even in the summer. Ask us how to tailor your journey today or explore your website: https://stlouis.wcdsb.ca/programsandcourses/ssc/ .

It’s FREE

If you’re an Ontario resident over the age of 18, tuition is free when finishing your high school diploma. That’s right. You can achieve your high school diploma without tuition costs. Some materials fees do apply, yet still highly affordable.

It’s FAIR

Credits toward finishing your high school diploma can be applied for previous learning or experience you may already have. This means that finishing your high school diploma may be closer than you imagine. This is especially important for new Canadians who have previous academic and life experience prior to arriving in Canada.

The Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) is the preferred accreditation for employers, as a minimum standard. It’s what they look for when considering job applications and in today’s online application process, it’s an important tick box that must be truthfully answered.

Don’t let ANYTHING hold you back from taking the next easy step toward achieving your goals.

YOU DESERVE IT!

St. Louis is one of 60 locations in the Province to serve you and we are proud to serve Waterloo Region for over 30 years!

Still not sure if you are ready? Visit getmyhighschooldiploma interactive microsite for more information.

Or go directly to the St. Louis at 80 Young Street, Kitchener. Explore our website: https://stlouis.wcdsb.ca/. Email stlouis@wcdsb.ca with your questions. Call to speak with someone in Guidance at 519-745-1201.

PSW ’s take a night off work to Graduate!

Personal Support Workers working in long-term care, assisted living, community and home care settings are in such high demand that taking the night off to attend the St. Louis PSW Graduation could take some negotiating with colleagues and employers.

Of course, any graduation is a milestone worth celebrating. Tonight, 79 St. Louis trained Personal Support Workers will earn their certificate recognized by the Ministry of Long-Term Care and the Ontario Community Support Association accrediting body. During this 8 – month program, St. Louis PSW students put in a total of 497 hours of in-class and lab training, 135 hours of placement in the community and another 180 at a long-term care facility.

Two-thirds of the PSW graduates completed their training in the Spring and have been working ever since. The remaining just completed their CESBA testing this week and are working right away. St. Louis PSW graduates are sought after by local employers and we have a current employability rate of 98%. The extensive hands-on learning and teaching by experienced Registered Nurses; the longest supervised placement opportunities and the additional certificates in Gentle Persuasive Approach (GPA) and Palliative Care all contribute to their employment readiness.

AND whether students joined the PSW program with a completed Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or not, they automatically earned 6 secondary school elective credits that will be applied to their transcript. These credits are a bonus for anyone with their sights on post-secondary pursuits down the road.

For PSW Valedictorian, Erin Crockatt, tonight will be her second graduation in a week, as she walked to receive her OSSD last Friday night and crosses the same path tonight for her PSW certificate. Right now, Erin and all of her graduating peers are simply looking forward to a night off of work…. Even if they have an early morning Saturday shift.

St. Louis PSW Training enrolment information:

Attend Intake/information session: Monday, November 26 at 9:00am at St. Louis Kitchener Main Campus, 80 Young St., Kitchener or contact St. Louis 519-745-1201 x288 / stlouis@wcdsb.ca