Background:

All students of school age are entitled to an education program, whether or not that program leads to graduation. For students pursuing an Evergreen Certificate, their education program should enable them to meet their individual learning goals with dignity and appropriate recognition. Accordingly, they should have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that indicates their personal education goals, how those goals will be achieved, and on-going monitoring and assessment to know when the goals have been met and an Evergreen Certificate should be issued. Parents/Guardians and, whenever appropriate, the students, are to be provided an opportunity to be consulted and included in the preparation of the IEP.

The School Completion Evergreen Certificate is intended to honour and celebrate the successes in learning that are not recognized in a Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood Diploma). The School Completion Evergreen Certificate is used to recognize the accomplishments of some students with learning differences, disabilities and Individual Education Plans, who have met the goals of their education program other than graduation. This administrative procedure outlines the duties of teachers and administrators to ensure that Evergreen Certificates are awarded properly.

Procedures:

To be eligible to receive a Ministry of Education and Child Care-issued Evergreen Certificate, students must meet the following criteria:

1. The student must be enrolled in Grade 12 in a West Vancouver School District school.
2. The student must complete the goals and objectives of their Individual Educational Plan (IEP). The education plan should include goals and objectives in the following areas:
   • Individualized/Functional Academics
   • Life Skills
   • Employability Skills
   • Transition to Adulthood Planning
   • Physical and Personal Health
3. The student must show evidence of completing up to thirty (30) hours of work or volunteer experiences. The experience could be in the school, supported employment in the community or independent work. These experiences are to be documented with letters of reference as appropriate.
4. The student must complete the following physical activity requirements by completing up to eighty (80) hours of physical activity in the school, home or community. The physical activity may be defined in one (1) or more physical activities which could include physiotherapy, community-based activities, Special Olympics, adapted or regular physical education courses. These experiences are to be documented with letters of reference and schedules as appropriate.
5. The student must complete a transition to adulthood plan that outlines post-secondary and career options considered, and that describes the roles of work, leisure, health, family and support networks in building the transition to adulthood plan.

Principals must ensure that:

1. Meaningful consultation is an ongoing, collaborative effort involving students, families (parents/guardians) and educational staff, focused on open dialogue and joint decision-making related to the individual educational plan and transition to adulthood planning.
2. The decision to put a student in an Evergreen Program should not be made prior to Grade 10 and should include documented informed consent of the student’s parents/guardians.
3. Students and their parents/guardians clearly understand that the Evergreen represents the completion of personal learning goals but does not represent graduation.
4. The school submits the list of the students who have been recommended to receive the Evergreen Certificate (names, student PIN) to the Superintendent or designate.
5. School Completion Certificate Program (SCCP) reporting processes are completed as per the MoECC data submission processes.

June 2024