Fifth Year Enrichment & Study Program - Education On Your Terms
Although many students choose to complete their secondary education in four years, St. John's-Kilmarnock School (SJK) provides an opportunity for its students to enrich their high school experiences by adding an exciting fifth year and extending their personal growth.
SJK's Fifth Year Enrichment and Study Program is customized to meet the needs of each student. Through a personally tailored timetable, students experience a broader range of academic courses and co-curricular activities than is possible in a four - year program. Furthermore, students are provided creative and challenging opportunities for co-operative work placements, the ability to earn post-secondary credits at the local tri-universities and the prospect of interesting national and international travel and exchange. Fifth year students can refine their leadership skills and give back to the SJK community by serving as tutors, mentors and assistant coaches for lower and middle school students, by participating in leadership conferences and by being involved in internal committees that help shape school policy and procedures. This extra time for community service can also have global possibilities.
Why Consider A Fifth Year of High School?
Academic Enrichment- Take a wider array of courses over the final two years of high school
- Improve access to university programs and scholarships by expanding your academic portfolio and increasing your academic average
- Enrol in additional Advanced Placement courses, earning credit or advanced standing at most of the nation's universities
- Opt for independent learning or online courses
- Pursue athletic dreams and benefit from an additional year of SJK's premier varsity programs, elite coaches and medal-winning teams
- Expand your dramatic arts, writing and musical portfolios
- Add opportunities to participate in provincial and national level arts or athletics activities
- Share with the SJK and the wider local, national and global communities as a volunteer
- Take university credit courses at the University of Guelph or the University of Waterloo
- Work closely with a university counsellor who will mentor you through the university course and introduce you to the campus library
- Plan for university in reach ahead courses and experience class sizes, standards, exams and university life
- Explore work placements that can be aligned with a flexible academic schedule
- Test drive professional dreams with "hands on" experience
- Utilize SJK's extensive academic and business network
- Work as a research assistant with a professor at a local university, or experience a work placement with a leading business in the Waterloo region
- Foster leadership skills by participating on committees that influence the development of the school
- Work as a tutor, class leader, teacher's assistant or assistant coach in the Lower and Middle Schools
- Attend or lead conferences for personal development
- Study and learn about different cultures and improve second language skills via exchange programs with SJK-affiliated schools
- Maintain SJK course requirements online while abroad
- Complete first-hand research for SJK courses while abroad and out of class
- Participate in programs linked to global possibilities
Commit Early For This Signature SJK Program
Request a meeting with our Fifth Year Enrichment and Study Program Coordinator or the Upper School Director to discuss customizing a program. It is possible to enrol in the program at any point in a student's high school career. Ideally, a commitment to the program by grade ten allows for a more cohesive sequencing of the student's final years.
Tuition
The base tuition for the Fifth Year Enrichment and Study Program is the same as the tuition schedule for grades one to twelve. However, students can apply up to $4500 of the tuition fees, paid
over the last two years of school, to offset costs of approved enrichment activities, such as workplace travel expenses, exchange programs, university course tuition and conference fees.
Testimonials
"By taking a Fifth Year, I was able to modify my timetable to help me further discover my interests and experiment in the work place with a co-op placement. Without the pressure of making a
decision at the end of my final year of secondary school, I was able to take a full credit of courses at the University of Guelph, as well as have a co-op placement in a field related to my interests. I
consider the extra time I took to pursue post-secondary education an investment to my future. I would like to thank my parents and SJK for making this opportunity possible."
Dylan Kirby - Fifth Year Student
"For many students keen to learn about the world in which we live and the problems that the world faces, it is difficult to balance decisions about when to complete high school, take in some international experiences and prepare for University. There is often a mad rush to join the herd in completing high school and going straight on to University or College. SJK offers a neat alternative for some students who want to be more involved in their communities, perhaps learn something about the international or at least the
volunteer community and prepare for University. A fifth year in high school affords time to consider some additional extracurricular opportunities throughout upper school that complement the academics in the class. There are many places to volunteer and lots of
options for taking university level credits during a fifth year in high school. The program offered at SJK provides a unique opportunity for students to expand their interests and prepare more effectively for University."
Dr. Alastair Summerlee - President and Vice Chancellor, Professor Biomedical Science,
University of Guelph
"We were grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such an intelligent, personable and highly motivated Fifth Year student. I think he was able to get a good glimpse of life as the
Opposition party and was of enormous assistance to us in performing research, preparing documents and helping us to manage our diverse workload. He seemed to enjoy his tasks and the quality of his
work was excellent"
Donna Duncan - Director of Policy at the PC caucus office at Queen's Park
"Today's Grade Twelve graduates are faced with a ton of choices and a host of deadlines—all in a very short period of time. SJK's Fifth Year Enrichment and Study Program gives students a time out; a chance to reflect on their options, customize their program, improve their profile and explore their interests in a stress-free, supportive environment. Some graduates simply aren't ready for university. However, by the end of SJK's Fifth Year, there is a much clearer vision and a very strong desire to move on to university. SJK's Fifth Year enables alignment, ensures confidence and promotes success in the final decision."
Karen Hunter - Parent
"For some students taking an extra year to complete their High School program is an excellent option. It provides the opportunities to be well rounded and to have a Liberal Arts education. Moreover it provides time to develop other interests and give back to the community. The Fifth Year Enrichment and Study program provides a chance to spread out those grade twelve credits and to have the opportunity to enjoy all that High School has to offer."
Ian Hornsby - Assistant Head of School and Upper School Director
For more information on the Fifth Year Enrichment and Study Program please contact Mr. James Cako, Fifth Year Coordinator at 519-648-2183 Ext. 601 or jcako@sjkschool.org.
