On October 8, 14 and 15, the Toronto Catholic District School Board’s (TCDSB) Central Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Resource Team hosted its annual SHSM Sector Days for SHSM Liaison Teachers.
These informative professional development (PD) sessions provided SHSM teams with opportunities to review Ministry of Education policy updates, examine board and program-specific school data, review budget tracking practices, learn about generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and technological updates, and share resources and community contacts to enhance SHSM program delivery.
Our SHSM teams also learned how various pathway programs, specifically Co-op, Dual Credit and Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), support SHSM students.
Throughout the sessions, we highlighted our strong community connections and provided teams with a list of centrally organized Sector-Partnered Experiences (SPEs) and certifications. We also introduced new industry partners who have stepped forward to provide quality programming for our students.
We are incredibly appreciative of the hard work our SHSM school teams do to support our students. Our SHSM Liaison Teachers volunteer their time and go above and beyond their regular teaching duties to champion the SHSM program because they see firsthand the positive impact it has on their students.
We are also excited to officially recognize 5 new TCDSB SHSM programs approved by the Ministry of Education for the 2026–2027 school year:
St. Joseph's Morrow Park Catholic Secondary School: Business
Senator O'Connor College School: Health and Wellness
James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic High School: Hospitality and Tourism
St. John Paul II Catholic High School: Hospitality and Tourism
Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School: Sports
In the 2026–2027 school year, the TCDSB will offer 93 SHSM programs across 11 economic sectors at 30 TCDSB schools.
Stay tuned throughout the year for more highlights showcasing the great work of our SHSM school teams!
