Night School

Night School Courses

 

To register in a Credit Program:

  • Current Durham District School Board students, except DCE students, must register through myBlueprint. Look for “Continuing Education” on your dashboard.  Any questions regarding registration should be directed to your homeschool guidance.
  • Non-DDSB students and DCE students, please complete the DCE Program Registration Form (scroll down to the Night School section).

***NOTE*** - International and Indigenous Languages Elementary program webpage has been moved to a new location, please click here to see the new page. 

 

Program Summary

Night School provides students of all ages an opportunity to obtain credits towards an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, gain prerequisite courses for post-secondary destinations or employment, or to learn/perfect an international language.  Please check this page regularly for night school updates for the 2023-2024 school year. High school credit courses will be held Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6:00 pm to 9:15 pm. Night school programs are planned for in-person delivery at R.S. McLaughlin Collegiate and Vocational Institute, 570 Stevenson Rd N, Oshawa, ON L1J 5P1. Program delivery may transition to online due to health recommendations if required.



Update

Registration for Semester 2 is now Open! 

 

Semester 1 - Credit Course Information and Documents 
General Program Information

Credit courses run two nights per week:

  • Start Date - September 27th, 2023 
  • Final Class - January 17th, 2024
  • Final Day to Register: October 11, 2023 - 9:00am
  • ​Mid-term marks - November 13, 2023
  • ​Full-disclosure date - ​November 29th, 2023

Semester 1 programs CANNOT be shortened to accommodate January 1 starts at post-secondary institutions. 

  • Durham Continuing Education reserves the right to cancel programs should there be insufficient enrolment.  Register early to avoid disappointment.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Students attending a secondary school MUST have permission from their day school to take a night school course as the Ontario Ministry of Education has a limit on the number of courses a student may take concurrently.  You must speak to your guidance counsellor and receive permission prior to registering.

Program specific pages will be enabled as information becomes available.  Please check back often as information may change.

Semester 2 - Credit Course Information and Documents
General Program Information

Credit courses run two nights per week:

  • Start Date - February 7th, 2024 
  • Final Class - May 29th, 2024
  • Final Day to Register: Feb 21st, 2024
  • ​Mid-term marks - April 8th, 2024
  • Full-disclosure date - ​April 24th, 2024

 

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Students attending a secondary school MUST have permission from their day school to take a night school course as the Ontario Ministry of Education has a limit on the number of courses a student may take concurrently.  You must speak to your guidance counsellor and receive permission prior to registering.

Program specific pages will be enabled as information becomes available.  Please check back often as information may change.

Credit Language Courses (International Languages)
General Program Information

*NOTE* - DCE is not running a credit language course for the 2023/24 school. Please check back in the 2024/25 School Year.  

 

An International Language is defined as any language other than English and French. Credit language courses adhere to the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum expectations and are taught by accredited teachers.  The courses are design to develop knowledge and skills for those new to a language or to extend and perfect skills for those with previous knowledge.  Each course has 90 hours of instruction with an additional 20 hours of consultation time available to students.  Programs run from 6:00 pm – 9:15 pm.  

 

  • Start Date - TBA
  • Final Class – TBA
  • Registration Decisions - TBA (Students may still register for open courses after this date, however, selection may be limited.)
  • ​Final Date to Register: TBA
  • Mid-term marks - TBA
  • ​Full-disclosure date – ​TBA
  • No classes – TBA

 

Durham Continuing Education reserves the right to cancel programs should there be insufficient enrolment.  Register early to avoid disappointment.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Students attending a secondary school MUST have permission from their day school to take a night school course as the Ontario Ministry of Education has a limit on the number of courses a student may take concurrently.  You must speak to your guidance counsellor and receive permission prior to registering.

 
Frequently Asked Questions - General Information
Are these courses the same as high school credit courses? 
All credit courses offered at night school by Durham Continuing Education meet the curriculum expectations of the Ontario Ministry of Education and are the same credit expectations used by publicly funded and accredited high schools in Ontario. 
Can these courses be used for entry into college or university? 
Yes – night school courses are the same as any other Ontario high school credit and do meet the eligibility requirements for college and university programs. 
Do colleges and universities recognize these courses as the same as courses taken in a regular high school?
Yes – these are Ontario high school credits with the same expectations and curriculum of any other Ontario high school credit. 
Do I have to do prerequisite courses or can I jump right to the grade 12 University courses that I need for University entrance?
As an adult student, prerequisites are recommendations and not requirements. However, we seriously caution students from skipping the prerequisite courses as the lower level courses will assist you in mastering skills needed for successful completion of the senior University level courses. For students 18 years of age or younger, or those still attending a regular day secondary school, must have the pre-requisite courses. 
How many courses may I take at once?

Courses run two nights per week for four months. The maximum number of courses you could take per semester would be one.

I can’t attend night school tonight – how can I let me my teacher know?

Please use the course mail to send a message to your teacher.  If you do not have access to the course or alternate email for your teacher, please call 905.436.3211 and leave a message with reception – make sure that you tell them it is for night school, your teacher’s name and the course code. 

I have been out of school for many years – how do I get my transcript? 
Generally you can obtain your transcript from the last secondary school that you attended – schools are required to keep records for 55 years. Most schools will take the request over the phone. In some cases such as the Toronto District School Board, records are kept in a central repository and must be obtained from that central location. Check with your last school first. 
I have never attended school in Ontario – can I still get an Ontario diploma?
Yes – you can get an Ontario diploma. Some of your education from another province or country may also be recognized for credit towards an Ontario diploma. Each situation is different so once you get started in night school, see the on-site guidance counsellor to work out the next steps. 
I left school many years ago – can I still get a diploma?
Yes. Even if you never attended high school you can still obtain your diploma. Visit Durham Continuing Education and speak with a guidance counsellor to figure out what course to start with or see the on-site guidance counsellor once you have started night school. 
I will be away the last two weeks of classes and will miss the final exam – can it be changed to meet my schedule? 

Due to COVID-19, and the change in delivery model, there will not be a final exam in courses this semester.  Marks will be based on term work only. Course timelines cannot be extended or altered.

What courses do I need to graduate?
Although each individual situation is different, adult students will require 30 credits and compulsory credits that include English, Math or other, and a Science or Technology at the grade 11 and 12 level. See the on-site guidance counsellor when night school starts to explore your options. (Note: students who are currently attending a secondary school during the day should visit the guidance department of their home school for counselling). 
Frequently Asked Questions - Marks/Withdrawals/Cancellations
How can I get extra help at night school?
Teachers are there to help you within the course.  Begin by contacting your teacher via the course email.
How can I get my marks to college/university?

Current Durham DSB day students who have applied through their school to OCAS or OUAC, will have their marks uploaded to their transcripts for electronic transmission. All other students, and who wish marks to be included in electronic transmissions, will need to identify Durham Continuing Education – Night School as one of their school in their profile and will be required to provide an OCAS or OUAC number to allow for electronic transmissions.  A link will be provided within your course to facilitate this process.  As your teacher for more information.

How do I withdraw from my course?

Please complete the Withdrawal Request Form

I am an adult student who is or wants to apply to college/university. Is there someone who can help me with the process? 

For night school students who do not attend a regular secondary school, a guidance counsellor is available to help you. Please call 905.440.4539 during regular business hours to set up an appointment (identify that you are taking a night school course).

What do I do if my course is cancelled? 

If your night school course has been cancelled you have the following options:

1. Review the revised list of courses available on our website (www.dce.ca) to determine if you wish to transfer to another course. Please note that if you are currently attending secondary school, and are transferring into a different course than originally approved by your guidance office, you must obtain approval for the new course.

2. If you wish to take an alternate course you may call our office at 905-436-3211 or 1-800-408-9619 and ask for registration to arrange a transfer or you may email us at dceinfo@ddsb.ca to request a transfer.

3. If the course you require is not available with the Durham District School Board, the course may be offered in our eLearning or Learn@Home programs.  Alternately, Durham Catholic District School Board may be offering the course and may have room to accommodate you.

What is full-disclosure?
Full-disclose applies only to grade 11 and 12 courses. All attempts of a course where the student remains in the course after the full-disclosure date will show on the student transcript. Full-disclosure dates are listed on the Courses Available page and will be available at the night school site. 
When will I get my final marks? 
For students in a regular Durham District School Board secondary school, you marks will automatically be electronically deposited in your school records. A report card will also be sent to your home school to be added to your OSR. For students in secondary schools other than Durham DSB, report cards will be sent to your home schools. Please check with your school approx. 4 weeks after the completion of your course to ensure your records have been updated at your home school. For students who do not attend regular day school, a report card will be mailed to you (at the address of registration), 3 to 4 weeks after the completion of the course. You may wish to take the report card to your last school to have it added to your Ontario Student Record and transcript. (Note: if your last school is not willing to add it to your transcript and you need a record of this course for post-secondary application, then in future you will need to request proof for this course only at Durham Continuing Education). 

Students attending a secondary school MUST have permission from their day school to take a night school course as the Ontario Ministry of Education has a limit on the number of courses a student may take concurrently.  It is the responsibility of the student to ensure you have applicable pre-requisites and receive permission from your home school prior to registering. 

DCE is not responsible if a home school will not add a credit to the student transcript because it was taken without permission or without applicable pre-requisites. 

 

Current DDSB students MUST register via MyBlueprint.  Registration is not complete until the home school guidance counsellor has approved the course request within MyBlueprint.