New – Indigenous-focused Graduation Requirement for current Grade 9 students
As part of the Province of British Columbia’s commitments to truth, reconciliation, and anti- racism, the Ministry of Education has announced that it will be implementing an Indigenous- focused graduation requirement for all students. This change to the graduation requirement will be in place for students graduating in the 2023/24 school year (current grade 10s) and beyond.
The change requires that 4 credits of the current 80-credit graduation requirements for the BC Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood Diploma) include an Indigenous-focused course(s).
As this information was not available at the time of course selection, we want to give our students the opportunity to plan ahead and meet this new graduation requirement prior to their grade 12 year if they so desire.
We are asking current grade 9s (2007 birth year) to fill in the following form indicating their Language Arts choice for next year. Students can also indicate if they wish to complete the requirement in Grade 11 or 12.
Grade 9 Student Form
Eligible course options being offered at Burnaby Mountain next year are listed below:
Grade 10 language arts options that meet the Indigenous-focused course requirement:
- English First Peoples Literary Studies + (EFP) New Media 10
- English First Peoples Literary Studies + (EFP) Spoken Language 10
Grade 11 options that meet the Indigenous-focused course requirement:
- English First Peoples Literary Studies + Writing 11
- English First Peoples Literary Studies + Spoken Language 11
Grade 12 options that meet the Indigenous-focused course requirement:
- BC First Peoples 12
- Contemporary Indigenous Studies 12
It is important to note that the English First Peoples 10, 11 & 12 courses meet the Language Arts requirements for graduation. They are equivalent to the English 10, 11 & 12 courses that we offer, and they are recognized and accepted as such by all universities and post-secondary institutions in BC. BC First Peoples 12 and Contemporary Indigenous Studies 12 also meet the Social Studies 11/12 Grad requirement.
The big ideas, learning standards, curricular competencies and course content for all courses can be viewed at the BC Ministry of Education Curriculum website.
For more information on the new Indigenous-Focused Graduation Requirement please refer to the BC Ministry of Education document Indigenous-Focused Grad Requirement Overview.
Our English Department Head, Ms. Jenifer Barsky, will be visiting grade 9 classes this week to answer any questions students may have or they can visit their counsellor.
“Reconciliation is not an aboriginal problem – it is a Canadian problem. It involves all of us.” “Education got us here and education will get us out.” – Honorable Justice Murray Sinclair, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
