Academic Program

At London Christian High (LCH) we design each student’s learning program to engage in a robust, deep and rich understanding of the person of Jesus Christ. By extension, our desire is to provide each of our students with a high school education that incorporates all of the Ontario Ministry of Education requirements, delivered through a distinctively Christian worldview. This distinctive Christian perspective is found in each corner of our school, in all classes, in all teachers and staff and is ultimately at the foundation of our being. For more information, please see our Christian Worldview Core document.

All students who graduate from London Christian High will automatically receive the London Christian High Diploma in addition to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. 

London Christian High is accredited by the Ministry of Education to offer the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). In issuing the OSSD, London Christian High uses the credit system to track students’ successful completion of the high school program. The credit system is a means of promotion based on achievement in individual subjects rather than on overall achievement in a grade. A credit is earned for successful completion of a course of study consisting of a minimum of 110 hours. A course is successfully completed if the student obtains a final mark of 50% or better in that course. Similarly a 1/2 credit is earned for a course of 55 hours. To obtain an OSSD, students must successfully complete a program of compulsory and optional credits, the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, and a minimum number of community hours. More specifically:

18 compulsory credits (all are full credit courses unless otherwise noted):

• Grade 9: English, Math, Science, French, Physical Education, Geography, Integrated Arts (Art/Music/Drama) Integrated Technologies (Technical Design, Communication Design, and Construction Design)
• Grade 10: English, Math, Science, History, Civics & Citizenship (0.5), Careers (0.5), Bible
• Grade 11: English, Math, World Religions
• Grade 12: English

12 optional credits:

• Beginning in Grade 10 and increasingly in Grades 11 & 12, students can choose optional courses based on interest, pathway planning, and ability. Please see course offerings in our viewbook found on the Our Publications page of our website.

Ontario Secondary School Literacy test (OSSLT):

• This test is written in Grade 10 or the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course.

40 hours of Community Involvement:

• See details below.

All high schools students must complete 40 hours of community involvement to meet their grade 12 graduation requirements. Students may begin to accumulate volunteer hours in the summer between Grade 8 and Grade 9.

Community hours encourages awareness of civic responsibility, develop skills, explore interests, develop connections to future pathways, help students engage in their communities and gives the students opportunities to make valuable contributions to their communities. Examples of community involvement includes volunteer activities such as:

• Church programming (i.e. church nursery, worship team, sound/lights, production, day camp, cleaning, etc.)
• Coaching (i.e. volunteering for dance club, skating club, sports teams, etc.)
• Food bank volunteer
• Senior Centre volunteers
• Mission trips
• Social Service Agencies & programs (i.e. community meal at Ark Aid, women’s shelters, homeless shelter, Children’s Aid Society, etc.)
• Peer or Student Tutoring

At London Christian High, students will engage in rigorous Christ-centred learning with purposeful, world-changing results. To adequately prepare students for an ever-changing world, London Christian High teachers work alongside students in Purpose-Based Learning experiences that empower students to tackle real problems, to make real products, and to serve real audiences. Purpose-Based Learning provides students with opportunities for deeper learning as they apply their knowledge, explore careers, use technology, and practice 21st century workplace skills such as initiative, responsibility, collaboration, problem solving, and communication of ideas. A wide variety of examples of  LCH’s Purpose-Based Learning can be found on our website, including the Sanitation Station – a project by the Grade 9 Exploring Technologies class supporting local businesses during the global pandemic.

Students will have the option of participating in Co-operative education in their Grade 11 and 12 years at London Christian High. Also known as Co-op, this opportunity is designed to recognize and respond to diversity among our students, and provides a wide range of rigorous learning opportunities that are connected to communities outside our school building. Participation in this learning format can lead to transformational change in your student’s life, engaging them in unique opportunities they will remember throughout their lives.  Co-op credits are counted toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma requirements.

As needed, and depending on the course, textbooks are lent to students for the duration of each semester. Textbooks are the property of the school and, in borrowing them, students are expected to treat textbooks with care. In order to keep track of textbooks, students must return all texts prior to the writing of exams each semester. If a book is lost or damaged, replacement costs must be paid to the teacher. Students who do not return textbooks, nor pay for lost or damaged books, will not be permitted to write exams unless prior arrangements have been made with the teacher.

Field trips are designed to be an educational experience to complement classroom studies. As an integrated component of the course, students’ attendance is required. If students are unable to attend, they are asked to notify the teacher well in advance of the date of the trip. Since field trips are a school activity, school rules and guidelines apply.

For more information about Field Trips, please see our Field Trip Policy and our Permission/Acknowledgement Form.

Students will require more self-directed homework and study time as they progress from grade to grade. Teachers will post homework and assignments on Edsby. For information on how to access and use Edsby, click here.

Students are responsible for any school work missed during an absence. Tests and quizzes which are missed for legitimate one or two day absences will be written on the first day back to school unless other arrangements have been made with the subject teacher. The teacher may arrange a make-up test in the case of an extended absence. Tests, quizzes or major presentations missed during an unexcused absence (without having notified the teacher) may be given a mark of zero.

In the case of planned and expected absences (including field trip, drama, club, or sports activities), it is the student’s responsibility to discuss with the classroom teacher about classwork, assignments, tests, quizzes, etc., and to have these completed for the next class or the assigned due date.

Our goal is to encourage students to be accountable and take responsibility for their work. Students are expected to complete assignments by the due date. Failure to meet due dates may result in a deduction of marks up to and including a zero for the assignment. Individual teachers will communicate their expectations regarding due dates and consequences for late work in writing in the course syllabus distributed at the beginning of each course.

All students will receive a course overview outlining expectations, content, and assessment and evaluation procedures for each course at the beginning of each semester. Assessment tools include quizzes, tests, essays, projects, notebooks, daily assignments, and exams.

Culminating Activity:

All courses have a culminating activity which may consist of an examination, performance, essay, and/or other method of evaluation suitable to the course content and administered towards the end of the course. Exams will be written for some courses at the end of the semester, during scheduled class time. Students will receive scheduling information about the exam from their teacher.

Exams are written for some courses at the end of each semester. Exams are pre-scheduled and posted at least one week prior to exams. In the event of school closure due to weather or unforeseen circumstances, communication at the time of closure will provide direction on rescheduling exams. We strongly discourage students missing exams except in extreme, unavoidable circumstances. Please do not schedule vacations, appointments, or other activities that will conflict with exams. We understand that things come up in life unexpectedly, and are willing and able to have those conversations on a case by case basis as they arise. In general, however, final assessments are an important part of high school education.

Parent-teacher interviews take place during each semester and are scheduled in October and in March. Specific dates are posted in the school calendar accessible through Edsby. Please watch the Next@LCH 2-4 weeks prior to parent-teacher interviews for scheduling instructions and information.

Report cards are provided to students and parents four times a year to provide a report on student achievement throughout the school year. The report card focuses on two distinct but related aspects of student achievement: the achievement of curriculum expectations and the development of learning skills and work habits. Report cards are issued twice in first semester in November (mid-term) and February (final) and twice in second semester April (mid-term) and June (final).

The Student Support Services team, made up of the Guidance and Learning Commons staff, is committed to offering individual assistance to students in a wide variety of areas. Our team is available to help students find answers concerning:

• Course selection and education goals, developing study skills, with a focus on personal development and achievement
• Vocational choices including both information about careers and an understanding of oneself in relation to career possibilities
• Educational opportunities and requirements for post-secondary education (university, community college, apprenticeship)
• Interpersonal relationships
• Emotional health, mental health and personal concerns
• Other education, vocation and/or personal problems presented by a student or a parent.

While the Guidance team strives to see students twice a year, they depend on student requests to enable them to be of assistance when they are most needed.

Students with identified learning needs often have an Individual Education Plan, a plan written by the Learning Commons Lead in consultation with parents and the student.

For all returning students, the Learning Commons Lead will meet with parents and school between April and June to discuss student’s strengths and needs

For all new and returning students, the Learning Commons Lead will meet with parents and student at the end of August to go over draft IEP and make any necessary changes. The Learning Commons Lead will meet with student/teachers/EAs in the first few weeks of school to go over IEP needs. If any revisions are required mid-year, the Learning Commons Lead will follow up with the parents as needed.

At London Christian High, all students will develop an Individual Pathways Plan that they will review and revise each year. This iterative and flexible planning tool is intended to help students develop a deeper sense of how God has created them and God’s purpose for their lives. It helps students identify their interests and strengths; explore opportunities; make meaningful decisions; and set goals for the future.

The ongoing development of their pathways plan provides students with a valuable archive of their learning and with resources that can assist them with their planning. Parents and teachers are an important part of this student-led process. As students move through school and life, they will make many choices about their education and career/life plans.

Please see the Course Calendar for more information about pathways planning.

The myBlueprint Education Planner is an interactive online tool available to students from Grade 7 – 12. Teachers and parents are also able to access the many online resources. myBlueprint helps investigate and research educational options for all four pathways (apprenticeship, work, college, and university), discover learning styles, explore career interest surveys, plan and organize secondary school courses, set short-term and long-term goals, and much more.