OVS BLOG & NEWSLETTERS

The Summer Reset: A Time for Students to Recharge, Reflect, and Refocus

The beauty of summer lies in the endless possibilities of how this precious time can be spent. Some of us use it as a time to catch up on unfinished projects or pursue tasks that were impossible to complete during the busy school year. Others are intentional about pressing pause on to-do lists and letting the stillness take over. The majority of us, however, fall somewhere in the middle, rather than an all or nothing approach to how the summer days are spent.

Don’t forget your laptop!

The beauty of summer lies in the endless possibilities of how this precious time can be spent. Some of us use it as a time to catch up on unfinished projects or pursue tasks that were impossible to complete during the busy school year. Others are intentional about pressing pause on to-do lists and letting the stillness take over. The majority of us, however, fall somewhere in the middle, rather than an all or nothing approach to how the summer days are spent.

Summer School: The Smart Choice for Your Future Self

You’ve made lots of smart choices in your life, whether it’s the choices you make surrounding course selection, your choice of high school, or the choices within your relationships, such as spending time with your parents last weekend, or helping a friend or a sibling with homework. The choices you make today can lead to happiness, a sense of calm, and future opportunities. Reading this blog while pondering summer school – another smart choice, congratulations! Thinking about “Future You” will lead to great things, no matter what your final decision is.

Managing Screen Time in Online Learning

The beauty of summer lies in the endless possibilities of how this precious time can be spent. Some of us use it as a time to catch up on unfinished projects or pursue tasks that were impossible to complete during the busy school year. Others are intentional about pressing pause on to-do lists and letting the stillness take over. The majority of us, however, fall somewhere in the middle, rather than an all or nothing approach to how the summer days are spent.

Summer School Reimagined

While many students are working hard to wrap up the school year and looking forward to summer vacation, there are other students who will be continuing their learning throughout the summer months. Whether the motivation is to reach ahead, upgrade a mark, complete a prerequisite for their OSSD or create flexibility in their timetable, students have a number of options on how this can be accomplished.

Finishing Strong: A Student Guide to the Final Weeks of School

While the rhythm of the traditional school year looks different across the globe, there are telltale signs in Ontario, Canada that the typical academic school year is drawing to a close. The days are getting longer. The weather is getting warmer. Summer vacation plans are on the horizon. But before students can fully embrace the dog days of summer, there are deadlines to be met, assignments to be submitted, and final assessments to be completed.

The mental health of children is not an in person vs remote learning conversation

Pretending that in class high school, circa 2019 was a panacea that we must return to if we are to restore “the perfect” mental health of students, is simply not true for millions of students globally. The “one size fits all” model benefits some students, but has historically been detrimental to others. Today we have

OUAC Updates

OUAC Updates With the start of a new school year comes a new university application season. It is essential for students to not only understand which applicant type they are, but to be aware of all upcoming OUAC applications deadlines.  Which Applicant Group Am I? First, here are some important basics for navigating the OUAC

Ontario University Fairs

    The OUF takes place from September 27th to 28th 2025, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) in the South Building. The fair runs from 9:30am to 5pm both days and offers free admission. This is a great opportunity for current high school students to talk with representatives from different universities and to really start thinking

OCAS Updates

For students applying to College, there is more flexibility when certain grades and submission are required. However, there are some key dates College applicants should be aware of as well.  Early October 2025: Online Application Opens In early October, access to the online college application becomes available November 1, 2025: Earliest Offer Date This is

OSSLT Updates

As a graduation requirement Ontario high school students need to complete the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). The Literacy Test is run by EQAO, available only at certain times throughout the year.  Full-Time OVS students in Grade 10 or above who are located in Ontario will be required to complete the Literacy Test. There are two

June 2026 Newsletter

As another school year comes to a close and we head into the summer months, students have a lot to both reflect on and look forward to. As OVS is a year round school, we continue to operate through the summer to support our students, whether they need to catch up on missed credits or are trying to get ahead and complete some requirements early, OVS has something for every student.

May 2026 Newsletter

As the end of the school year draws closer and summer on the horizon, OVS is gearing up for the end of the year and our summer curriculum.
In this newsletter, we’ll discuss final OUAC deadlines and Summer Courses, why also sharing some news about OVS’ community outreach and student spotlights.

April 2026 Newsletter

Welcome to the April Newsletter. This month we are sharing two student spotlights, a teacher highlight, and the OVS Podcast. You will also find repeated reminders about OUAC and OCAS deadlines. Students applying to university or college should review these updates.