Tenet

ODYSSEY MINI SCHOOL PROGRAM TENETs

 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The David Thompson Odyssey Mini School challenges highly motivated, creative achievers.  The program offers acceleration in Mathematics and Science so that students complete the Grade 8-10 curricula in two years.  Acceleration provides choice and flexibility, which allows students to tailor their education to meet their individual needs and goals.  The English and Socials programs focus on enrichment.  The Social Studies program runs from grade 8-11.  The English program runs from grade 8-12.  Under the guidance of the program coordinator, subject teachers, and counsellors, students can choose from a variety of Advanced Placement courses, electives, and delivery options, such as on-line learning, in grades 10-12.

At the senior level, Advanced Placement courses offered include AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1 and 2, AP Calculus AB and BC, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Psychology and AP Human Geography.  Other possible AP courses include AP Chinese Language and Culture, AP French Language and Culture, and AP Microeconomics.  Course availability varies due to the student enrollment and their interests.  Students may participate in any or all these courses provided they meet the established criteria (ex: teacher recommendation, enrollment numbers, etc.). Thus, the program can accommodate students with a variety of talents and interests.

 

GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR ENROLLED ODYSSEY STUDENTS

    1. Odyssey students engage in:

– a cohort of students with similar interests and abilities

– enriched and accelerated learning in Science and Math

– enriched learning in Social Studies and English

    1. Grade 8 to 9 students will take courses together as a cohort in English, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Grade 10 students will take English, Math, and Social Studies together as a cohort.
    2. Grade 8 to 10 students will enroll in a full course load (8 subject courses) at David Thompson Secondary. Course changes and/or timetable issues are subject to administration and counsellor review. Community Service, Peer Tutoring and study blocks are available in grade 11 and 12.
    3. Students who do not maintain program and/or DT CARES Code of Conduct expectations will be reviewed by the Odyssey Program Committee. Students may be subject to a probation period and/or removal from the Odyssey Program.
    4. Students may explore online/summer school courses after grade 9 to further their interests, with the understanding that enrollment in upper-level courses is space and timetable dependent.
    5. The program will support struggling students.  The Odyssey committee will meet with students and parents/guardians to develop an action plan to help the students overcome their difficulties and to meet their potential.
    6. Students will be part of the larger school community through participation in elective courses, clubs, athletics, and service.
    7. Students will abide by the DT CARES Code of Conduct.
    8. The Odyssey Program is a VSB District Choice Program and is open to all Vancouver resident students.
    9. Departing from the Odyssey course pathway (e.g., mandatory courses for the program) will result in the exclusion of the student from the Odyssey program.  See Program Courses for more details. 
    10.  For students who have accelerated in any subject courses (e.g., grade 7 student completed math 10) prior to admissions to the program, their placement in the appropriate grade-level courses may be considered; however, priority will be given to senior  students making requests for the same course.

 

ADMINISTRATION OF THE ODYSSEY PROGRAM

  1. The coordinator receives a block allocated by the Vancouver Board of Education (VBE) will:

-oversee intake of students

-liaise with teachers in the program

-be the contact person for the program

-attend district meetings

-monitor volunteer hours

-review achievement with counsellors and subject teachers

-chair the Odyssey Committee

  1. An Odyssey Committee, composed of the Odyssey coordinator(s), AP coordinator(s), DT administrators, and the representative(s) from the English, Social Studies, Science, and Math departments will:

-meet to review applicants for the September intake

-review student achievement after Semester 1 and 2

-recommend interventions for struggling students

-place students on probation when necessary, and

-recommend a student’s removal from a course(s) and/or the program.

  1. DT teachers and counsellors may attend monthly Odyssey Committee meetings.
  2. The Principal is an ex-officio member of the Odyssey committee and has final authority.

 

HOW TO APPLY

Report cards issued by public, private, and district learning schools/institutions are accepted.  Homeschooling report cards are not accepted.

Applying to Grade 8  (apply after the first grade 7 report card is received in December of that year as a new applicant)

Please see APPLY on the DT Odyssey Mini School website for the current application procedures.

Applying to Grade 9 (after completion of the grade 8 year as a new applicant)

Admission to the program  is based on:

  • teacher and staff recommendations
  • final grade 8 report card results (minimum of PROFICIENT in all subject courses)
  • student interview and/or DT Odyssey Program testing results
  • if spots are available (e.g., if no students leave the cohort, there will be no spots available)

Step 1:  Interested students will inform the Odyssey Program coordinator and the counsellor of their interest in the program by May 1st of each school year.   Email dtodyssey@vsb.bc.ca and their grade counsellor stating their interest.  Interested students will be placed on a waiting list.  Interested students will be notified of any openings.

If there is an opening in the program, then continue with the following steps:

Step 2: Students will complete an application form for the program.  Admission to the Odyssey Program is space dependent.

Step 3: Student applicants will be interviewed and/or assessed by the DT Odyssey Program coordinators on a specified date.

Step 4: Names of successful applicants will be notified by mid-May.  The Odyssey Program committee will make appropriate arrangements for the successful applicant(s).

Step 5: Successful student applicants will then be required to complete Science 9 and Math 9 by August of the same school year (e.g., VLN or other approved online school) with a PROFICIENT grade for their courses.

Note: if student applicants have completed Science 9 and/or Math 9 but are unable to join the Odyssey Program due to a situation change, the student applicants may or will be required to take Science 10 and/or Math 10 during the next school year.

Note: Successful applicant(s) entering the grade 9 cohort are reminded to complete the 20 volunteer hours by June 1st of their Grade 9 school year.

Applying to Grade 10/11 (after completion of grade 9/10 as a new applicant)

Admission to the program  is based on:

    • teacher and staff recommendations
    • final grade 9/10 report card results (grade 9 report with minimum of PROFICIENT in all subject courses; grade 10 report with minimum of a B letter grade in English and Social Studies)
    • student interview and/or DT Odyssey Program assessment results
    • if spots are available (e.g., if no students leave the cohort, there will be no spots available)

Step 1:  Interested students will inform the Odyssey Program coordinator and the counsellor of their interest in the program by May 1st of each school year.   Email dtodyssey@vsb.bc.ca and their grade counsellor stating their interest.  Interested students will be placed on a waiting list.  Interested students will be notified of any openings.

If there is an opening in the program, then continue with the following steps:

Step 2: Students will complete an application form for the program.  Admission to the Odyssey Program is space dependent.

Step 3: Student applicants will be interviewed and/or assessed by the DT Odyssey Program coordinators on a specified date.

Step 4: Names of successful applicants will be notified by mid-May.  The Odyssey Program committee with the grade counsellor will make appropriate course arrangements for the successful applicant(s).

Note: Student applicants will be required to have completed Science 10 and Math 10 by August of the school year.  Please note that if the student applicants have completed Science 10 and/or Math 10 but are unable to join the Odyssey Program due to a situational change, the student applicants may/will be required to take senior science courses and/or Math 11 during the next school year.

 

EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS IN ODYSSEY PROGRAM/CLASSES

    1. Students are expected to have an enthusiastic attitude to learning and exploration, and exemplary attendance.
    2. In grades 8 and 9, students are expected to be ‘Proficient’ as a final grade in each Odyssey subject as a final grade.
    3. In grade 10, students are expected to achieve a ‘B’ in each Odyssey subject as a final grade.
    4. Students in grades 8 and 9 are expected to provide documented proof of 20 hours of service in the community for each year.
    5. Students will be aware of the expectations for each subject as described in the yearly course outline.

 

STUDENTS NOT MEETING EXPECTATIONS

  1. Each subject teacher will intervene early and encourage and support the student.
  2. The subject teacher will report to the counsellor and the Odyssey Coordinator of any concerns about individual students.
  3. The Program Coordinator will bring the names of those students to the Odyssey Committee who will:

Step i) Provide interventions and/or supports (ex: action plan to parents, referral to Homework Club, School-Based team, tutoring support, etc), and possibly time extension for volunteer hours (ex: If in grade 8, the student has not completed 20 hours by June 1st, the student has until the end of June of the current school year to complete the mandatory 20 volunteer hours);

Step ii) The Odyssey Program Coordinator and/or counsellor will meet with the student and the parent/guardian about placing the student on probation until the end of the school year.

Step iii) Inability to meet the probation expectations will result in the removal of the student from the program.

Note: All decisions made concerning “Students Not Meeting Expectations” must have the principal and the parent/guardian signatures.

 

 

STUDENT CONCERNS

If a student, or group of students, has a concern about a class, teacher, content of the curriculum, etc., student(s) will follow the process outlined below unless it is a case of inappropriate behaviour in which case the situation goes immediately to the Principal.

STEP 1:

The student or their parent/guardian should bring the concern to the attention of the teacher.  Often concerns have developed because of miscommunication.  The teacher should be given the opportunity to hear the concern first and address it with the student(s) and/or the parents/guardians.

STEP 2:

If there is no resolution, the student/parent/guardian should present the situation to the counsellor who may be able to advocate for a solution.

STEP 3:

If the above steps have not resolved the situation, the student/parent/guardian should seek the counsel of the Principal who will explore possibilities for resolution.

STEP 4:

Finally, if a student wishes to drop an Odyssey course or withdraw from the Odyssey Program, the Odyssey Coordinator will inform the Odyssey Committee of the individual’s decision.

 

 

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