College Heights Secondary School has some exciting plans in store for students in the Upper Grand District School Board.
The school is undergoing big changes for the 2025-26 school year, in which they are reinventing and leading the future of alternative education within the UGDSB. And they are leading the way in connecting students to real world skills and careers in the trades.
“Many students launch successful careers using the certifications and training provided at College Heights,” CHSS Principal Heather Pierce says.
Along with learning skilled trades like auto repair and building construction, College Heights offers opportunities for students interested in healthcare, hairstyling and aesthetics, horticulture and landscaping, baking and cooking, and many other programs.
Inside the CHSS greenhouse.
“Sector-specific advanced training programs offer students practical experiences in a wide variety of applications. These experiences help students stand out in interviews and apply their skills in the workplace,” Pierce adds.
One recent success story is a student who was accepted into the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) Level 1 General Carpentry Dual Credit Program at Conestoga College. They are required to be signed as an apprentice by an employer by the time the program begins in March 2025.
“There were five students interviewed from various school boards in the area and only three were selected,” Pierce proudly states. “[The student] received numerous perfect scores on his interview mark sheet, and the college instructor that interviewed him was very impressed.”
The woodworking shop at CHSS.
College Heights also provides unique amenities to students, such as a commercial bakeshop and kitchen, a full greenhouse, and an autobody paint facility. The school's construction program will soon have a "building trades" focus, with extensions and enhanced opportunities in plumbing and electrical work.
A look at the commercial kitchen and bakeshop at CHSS.
Along with CWB certifications in welding and the standard SHSM certifications offered in other schools, students will have opportunities to receive enhanced certifications across all sectors in the future.
The future at CHSS
Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, College Heights will only be accepting students going into Grade 11 and 12 from other UGDSB secondary schools. Students interested in one of the programs need to apply during their Grade 10 year in order to secure a spot.
The school recently hosted numerous events that provided hands-on opportunities for Grade 10 students from Centre Wellington DHS, Erin DHS, John F. Ross, GCVI, and CCVI to get an idea of what CHSS has to offer. Due to interest, additional visits were needed for some schools to accommodate waitlists.
During the events, students got to braid hair, plant succulents, bake cookies, and build a craft in the woodworking shop, among other fun things.
“I was so impressed with the level of engagement that I observed during the visit,” Peter Sovran, Director of Education and CEO at the UGDSB, noted after one of the events he attended.
“Over the years I have come to know many students that have flourished in alternative education programs… from struggling and often avoiding traditional programming to full engagement and achievement,” Sovran says about the importance of what CHSS is doing.
Peter Sovran getting his hands dirty during a Grade 10 event at CHSS.
“We need to support every student to find their path and sometimes that means approaching learning in different, alternative ways.”
Students and parents can visit the school’s website to learn more about CHSS and the programs they offer. There is also an open house at the school on Thursday, December 12 from 6 - 8 p.m.
Holiday shopping at CHSS
The public is invited to stop by the school from December 17 to 18 between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to shop for student-made holiday items, including centrepieces, handcrafted home decor, cookies and boxed treats from the bakeshop, and other one-of-kind items, like the snowmen pictured below that were made in the woodworking shop.
