Oakridge S.S.

General School Description

Oakridge Secondary School is a community school located at the west end of Oxford Street in London, Ontario. Oakridge is semestered and has a student body of 1000 students in grades nine through twelve. As well, Oakridge has 3 classes for the developmentally challenged student. Oakridge offers essential, applied, academic, college and university courses as well as some courses at the senior level to assist students in their transition to work. The 60 teachers, 5 secretaries, 9 educational assistants, and 6 custodians work together to provide students with a wide range of educational programs and with a facility which encourages student learning.

School Organization

Oakridge offers:

• a wide variety of courses leading to university, college or the world of work
• a dynamic co-op program with placements for students going to college, or the world of work after high school
• Peer Mentors who work in pairs with small groups of grade 9 students to ensure a positive transition from grade 8 to 9.
• strong emphasis and recognition of academic, arts, and athletics
• professional school drama productions
• computer labs with Internet access
• a career centre to help with planning for the future
• a resource program to provide enrichment opportunities and to help students with special needs 
• a program for the developmentally challenged 
• a library, open from 8:00 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. daily, with an extensive collection of print and electronic resources

Goals

Oakridge is a community school in which staff work collaboratively with parents and the community to improve student learning. We believe that all students can learn when provided with the proper supports and resources. Our school goal states: "All grade 9 students will earn all 8 credits". In order to achieve this goal, we have taken the choice of taking "0's' away. Students in grade 9 and 10 will not be allowed to achieve a '0" is an assignment or a test. There are supports and resources in place to ensure that these students achieve a positive grade.

Co-instructional Activities CLUBS:

•  AV Light/Sound
• Cancer Campaign
• Chess Club
• Christian Fellowship
• Cloud 9
• Computer Programming Club
• Debating Club
• The Dining Club
• Equestrian Club
• Gay/Straight Alliance
• Grad Committee
• Healthy School Committee
• Intramural Sports
• Martial Arts Club
• Math Contests
• Model UN
• Multicultural Committee
• Music Council
• Muslim Student Association
• Multicultural and Race Relations Club
• Oak Mentoring Program
• Oak Radio
• Photography
• Reach for the Top
• Risk Club
• Safe School Committee
• Student Athletic Association
• Student Exchange
• Science Olympics
• United Way
• World Affairs Club
• Writers' Workshop
• Yearbook
• Film Club

ARTS:

• Drama
• Dance Company
• Dance Show
• Art at Lunch Bunch
• Art Club
• Set Painting and Design

MUSIC:

• Coffee House
• Concert Band
• Concert Choir
• Intermediate Band
• Music Council
• School Show
• Jazz Band

ATHLETIC TEAMS

• Badminton (boys and girls)
• Basketball (boys and girls)
• Curling (boys and girls)
• Cross Country Running (boys and girls)
• Football (one team for all grade levels)
• Golf (boys and girls)
• Hockey (boys and girls)
• Rowing Club(boys and girls)
• Rugby
• Soccer (boys and girls)
• Swimming (boys and girls)
• Tennis (boys and girls)
• Track and Field (boys and girls)
• Volleyball (boys and girls)

 Noteworthy Items

Each year senior students and Peer Mentors at Oakridge organize a Grade 9 Transition Activity called Catapult. The purpose of this event is to provide the opportunity for new students in Grade 9 to meet and make new friends, provide leadership opportunities for senior students and junior students and to start the year off on the right track for our incoming students. This event is held in October at a camp. During the first week in September the opportunity is provided for Grade 9 students and their parents to become familiar with the operation of the school. Parents are invited to a barbeque and meet the teacher night during the first week of school. Details of the orientation events will be mailed to each incoming Grade 9 student along with their timetable in the middle of August. The senior students organize a leadership camp during the middle of May. The purpose of the two day event is to prepare Oakridge students to take a leadership role at the school during their senior years. Approximately 40 students participate in this event.

Measures of Student Achievement and Success

At Thames Valley, we believe that assessment and evaluation of student achievement are integral parts of the learning process. Information gathered through assessment and evaluation helps teachers to determine students' strengths and weaknesses in their achievement of the curriculum expectations. It also serves to guide teachers in adapting curriculum and instructional approaches to students' needs and in assessing the overall effectiveness of programs and classroom practices. A variety of methods are used to gauge student progress including: teacher observation, classroom tests, projects and other examples of student work. For more information on our school's provincial assessment results, visit the Education Quality and Accountability Office.