TORONTO, Nov. 23, 2021 /CNW/ - Ontario Virtual School (OVS), a leading online education provider, has an extensive guidance counsellor offering for students, regardless of enrolment status or location. For more than a decade, OVS has been a respected leader in providing online high school Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) courses (Grade 7-12) to over 30,000 students in Ontario, Canada and around the world. OVS is a leading innovator in the education space, offering an asynchronous learning experience and disrupting the traditional guidance model. Schedule an appointment with an OVS guidance counsellor today.
"Guidance counsellors are a critical part of the academic experience and students' personal wellbeing," says Gary Michael, principal of Ontario Virtual School. "In the age of COVID-19, access to guidance counsellors has been both challenging and limited when students need more guidance than ever before. OVS is determined to be there for students whenever and in whatever area they need it."
OVS understands the importance of guidance counsellors to students' academic journey and are dedicated to providing a thriving educational environment. Guidance appointments can be booked online and are available seven days a week from 10am-6pm via phone or video chat.
Supplementing the traditional system
"The traditional guidance counsellor system in Ontario wasn't designed to support this many students, or the various mental health challenges they face today," says Dwayne Matthews, Education Strategist at TomorrowNow Learning Labs. "Only 14% of elementary schools have guidance counsellors, and the majority are part-time. Among secondary schools with guidance counsellors, the average ratio of students to guidance counsellors is 396:1. Access to guidance counsellors in Ontario is limited at best, and OVS fills a much-needed gap for students' academic and career planning needs."
OVS' guidance offering aims to help students with their educational journey from high school applications through to post-secondary. All OVS guidance counselors are Ontario Certified Teachers (OCT).
Counsellors can help students in several areas, including:
The guidance counselling program compliments OVS' founding principle that every student can be successful and reach their academic potential when they are engaged and active and supported in their learning. All appointments are done virtually, and students have the option of including others, such as family members, tutors, or academic advisors, in their conversations with counsellors.
"We believe it's important to always have someone available for students," says OVS guidance counsellor Borzou Salavati. "Whether that's during summer or winter break or even past school hours, including weekends, we want to ensure there is a guidance counsellor students can talk to about their academic and personal wellbeing."
About Ontario Virtual School (OVS)
Founded in 2010, Ontario Virtual School (OVS) is a leading online education provider of Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) credits to students around the world. OVS educators and online programs work hard to ensure that all learners are given the support and resources they require to reach their full potential. They transform and personalize the learning process by providing exceptional service and flexible learning to support the diverse needs of learners of today. OVS is inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education and is permitted to grant OSSD credits to students in Canada and internationally (BSID: 665804). All OVS teachers are certified by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT).
