For Grade 9 students, thinking about Grade 10 can bring some big questions.
What courses should I take? What am I interested in? What if I don't know what I want to do after high school yet? Could the courses I choose now affect my options later?
At the Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB), students and families don't have to navigate those questions alone.
As Grade 9 students prepare to select their Grade 10 courses, LKDSB is helping families understand the choices ahead and how students can make informed decisions while continuing to discover their interests, strengths and goals.
Grade 9 students don't need to have it all figured out
One of the most important messages for students at this stage is a reassuring one: you do not need to know exactly what you want to do after high school.
Pathway planning develops over time. At LKDSB, Grades 7 to 10 are focused on research and exploration, giving students opportunities to learn about different careers and pathways while making course selections that help keep future options open. More targeted pathway planning begins as students move into the senior grades.
Students may eventually pursue apprenticeship, college, university, community living or enter the workforce. Those pathways aren't always straight lines. High school gives students time to explore, learn more about themselves, change direction and gradually build a plan that makes sense for them.
Why Grade 10 course selection matters
With students coming from de-streamed Grade 9 courses, Grade 10 represents an important point in pathway planning.
The goal isn't to ask a 14- or 15-year-old to choose a career. Instead, it's about helping students understand how the courses they choose can connect with courses available in later grades and, eventually, different opportunities after high school.
Students can select different course types based on their individual interests, goals and learning needs and are encouraged to consider more than one possible pathway as they plan.
A conversation worth having together
To support families with these conversations, LKDSB has shared a Keeping Pathways Open video for Grade 9 students and their families.
The video brings together perspectives from LKDSB pathway leaders, skilled trades apprentices and Dr. Jon Callegher, Executive Director of Job Talks, to help families think about course selection and the opportunities that may be available beyond high school.
The message is about understanding the possibilities that exist before closing any doors.
Families are encouraged to watch the video together and use it as a starting point for conversation:
What subjects does your student enjoy?
Where do they feel most confident?
What are they curious about?
Are there careers or industries they'd like to learn more about?
How might their course selections support different possibilities in the future?
Sometimes, simply knowing what questions to ask can make the process feel much more manageable.
▶️ Watch the LKDSB Grade 9 Pathways Presentation
Support is available every step of the way
LKDSB's approach to pathway planning encourages students to continually explore four questions: Who am I? What are my opportunities? Who do I want to become? What is my plan for achieving my goals? Students in Grades 7 to 12 develop and revisit an Individual Pathways Plan (IPP), supported through the myBlueprint platform.
As students move through secondary school, they can also explore opportunities such as Cooperative Education, Specialist High Skills Major programs, Dual Credit and the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program.
Students and families who have questions about specific courses or course selections are encouraged to connect directly with their school's guidance team for support.
Whether a student already has a clear idea of where they'd like to go or is still figuring out what interests them, both are completely okay.
Right now, the goal is to explore, learn, ask questions and make choices that leave room for possibilities.