Student Success Initiatives

P3 – After School Program

P3 is an after-school help program that runs in our library Monday through Thursday from 2:30 to 3:30 throughout the school year to provide direct academic support to students. There are Math/Science and English/Social Science teachers available each day. In addition, many students are paired with peer tutors to receive individualized assistance.

Students are welcome to

• complete homework
•  study for tests
•  complete group assignments
•  access computers
•  get extra help with concepts covered in class
•  have written assignments edited

Students also have the opportunity to receive help in study strategies, participate in Credit Recovery, participate in student tutoring programs and develop interpersonal skills in an informal learning environment.

Success Program

Success is a program to support and assist students who are credit deficient and potential early leavers. The program includes a variety of options, such as being enrolled in the GLN (Navigating the Workplace) course, cooperative education, online learning and credit recovery.

Dual Credits (Secondary and College)

A dual credit is one that can be applied as both a secondary school credit and college elective credit.

In our Connecting to College Program, students attend Niagara College for four afternoons a week earning two dual college/secondary credits. The student then has the flexibility to earn secondary school credits in the mornings at Saint Francis.

Niagara College also offers some SHSM dual credit programming.  This is a single credit option linked to the area of specialty that runs twice a week at the college for half a day.  See Student Services for the current offerings.

Credit Recovery

Credit Recovery is a program offered to a student who has completed a course but has not been successful in demonstrating achievement of the curriculum expectations to a passing level. The classroom teacher, program chair and the Credit Recovery Team can determine and develop a customized program which would best enable the student to meet the expectations and earn credit for the course. The credit recovery program is supported and completed through Success, P3 and Independent Study.

Tutors in the Classroom

Through the NCDSB, two prospective educators currently enrolled in a faculty of education program are made available to support classroom teachers and students in the areas of literacy and numeracy. The Tutors in the Classroom Program is conducted over both semesters.

Pope Francis Centre: Off-site Alternative Programs

The Pope Francis Centre is located at;
652 South Pelham Rd., Building B
Welland, ON
L3C 3C7

1. Fresh Start Program:

The Fresh Start Program is designed as both an intervention and prevention program for students while serving a suspension or limited expulsion. The program is taught by a certified teacher and a Child and Youth Worker (CYW) and is located at the Pope Francis Centre.

The program strives to address the academic and behavioral needs of the student. Fresh Start provides programs containing strategies for building positive attitudes, for providing continuous learning and for successful re-integration back into the school setting.

2. Jump Start Program:

Jump Start is part of NCDSB’s “start series” of alternative programs. The focus of the program is to provide those students who are experiencing chronic attendance issues an opportunity to attend school on an interim basis. The program is taught by the same certified teacher and Child and Youth Worker (CYW) as Fresh Start and is located in the same facility.

The key objective is to provide students with the academic, social and behavioral skills to change negative patterns of attendance.

3. Young Parents Program:

Young parents are supported with their education in a setting where child care and supports to learning about child development are combined with access to on-line learning.

4. Mental Health and Addictions Supports:

Students struggling with mental health issues and/or addictions are supported through specialized timetabling, counseling and supports.