Advanced Academic

Advanced Academic Placement (AP®)

The AP® Program provides special opportunities to those students who are motivated and planning to attend university. This program of university level courses and exams for secondary students was designed to allow the successful student to receive advanced credit and/or standing upon entering university.

The school division offers AP courses in three different high schools including Sisler, Grant Park and Daniel McIntyre. The courses may include; Biology, Chemistry, English, Calculus, Physics, Art and Psychology.

The AP program is recognized worldwide. Most universities and colleges in Canada and the United States recognize AP courses. Some universities actively recruit high school graduates who have AP course credits. At the present time, there are over 11 000 secondary schools that have students taking AP courses.

The Advanced Placement Program is best known for giving high school students the opportunity to earn university credit, to save on tuition, and even to graduate early from university. As well, AP offers students many additional benefits.

• AP allows high school students to take courses that are challenging, rigorous, and in-depth.
• Success in an AP course is one of the strongest predictors of college and university success. The credits they earn for the AP achievements enable many students to pursue a double major, to study or travel abroad, or to undertake a combined bachelor's and master's program.
• Students may also take more advanced courses in disciplines where they have received a firm grounding from AP. Students who participate in AP are ultimately given the responsibility to reason, analyze, and understand for themselves.
• The high school atmosphere gives the student the flexibility to take enriched courses without compromising social or extra-curricular activities.

International Baccalaureate

The International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, available to students throughout WSD who have met the requirements for the programme, is offered at Kelvin High School. The programme offers a challenging, comprehensive and highly academic curriculum for the academically talented student. The same course of studies is followed by students around the world.

High standards are maintained by means of external examinations set in Geneva, Switzerland. The IB programme is followed for three years (Grades 10 to 12).

Gifted and Talented

WSD is committed to an educational philosophy that recognizes the unique needs of gifted and talented students. Differentiated programming is provided through the regular classroom with the assistance of such supports as non-classroom personnel, community resources and professional development.

Schools use a variety of assessment strategies to determine the performance potential of all students. Both formal and informal methods are used to gather data on intellectual ability as well as behavioural traits such as task commitment and creativity.