Alternative Education provides students who require an alternate setting, program and teaching strategies opportunities to:
- prepare for transitions to and from secondary and post-secondary educational sites; and
- create a sense of community, belonging, and "reconnecting" through a faith-based Catholic Restorative Practice model.
Our Alternative Education sites provide students with:
- small pupil/teacher ratio;
- technology support (e.g., laptops, e-learning);
- outreach opportunities;
- non-academic supports; and
- a flexible schedule.
Programs
We offer four programs to best meet students' needs.
This program is available to students in Grades 7-12, who are on a long-term suspension or expulsion the ability to access academic and non-academic programs or courses.
Students on suspension, remain students of the referring school, while students who are expelled become Father Don MacLellan students.
For more information, call 905-428-7161.
Our Centre for Success program provides students the opportunity to complete their secondary school graduation requirements in a supportive adult learning environment. Located at Durham College, the program offers students the opportunity to complete courses needed for graduation, while enrolled in a Dual Credit program.
Please watch the video below for more information on the Centre for Success Dual Credit Program:
A Dual Credit program allows students to earn a college credit and a high school credit. Courses available as a Dual credit include:
- Introduction to Business;
- History of Music;
- Promotions and Publicity;
- Introduction to Psychology;
- Success Matters;
- H-VAC (Sheet Metal Fabrication).
Students are referred to the Centre of Success by their current home school. Students must be 17 years of age or older, have earned a minimum of 24 credits and are at risk of not graduating with his/her peers. Students must demonstrate self-regulation and academic skills to study at a college level and should be considering post-secondary options for college and/or apprenticeship.
The Centre for Success is located at Durham College's Oshawa Campus and Whitby Skills Training Centre.
This program is available to students between 16 to 17 years of age who are at risk of graduating. Students are referred to this program from their home school.
The program offers:
- teacher-led classes, outreach, credit recovery, online courses and experiential learning;
- access to support services such as: Social Worker, Child and Youth Counsellor,
- Special Education and Guidance Teacher, and Psychological Services; and
- transitional support to post-secondary pathways.
Our Reconnect program is located at our Father Donald A. McLellan Catholic Secondary School, 458 Fairall Street, Unit 7, Ajax, ON. For more information, call 905-666-1146.