a history of curriculum services canada

1995-1996
Second Update Released
October and early November 1995 brought a flurry of activity with the release of the second
Transition Years Catalogue print update and the FileMaker Pro for MAC version of the
catalogue, which was distributed by MET with a FileMaker Pro training video and by TVO
(free of charge). There followed a deluge of orders, many of which were processed and
tracked by OCC staff, which now included a secretary.
While the expanded staff processed the many small-quantity orders, most bulk requests were
placed directly with the developer boards. The Northern Ontario Catholic Curriculum Cooperative
(NOCCC) reported being “swamped” with orders far beyond their expectations
and the NOCCC Update praised the OCC listing:
“Thanks to the Ontario Curriculum Clearinghouse listing our materials in the Fall
edition of its catalogue, over the past month NOCCC has become partly a publishing
house. We have received 359 orders for copies of our curriculum items. It has kept staff
and volunteers hopping to fill these requests.”
This was one of many indications of the catalogue’s impact and importance. It also helped
demonstrate that OCC supported, rather than challenged, existing curriculum co-operatives.
Support would prove to be the key to OCC’s survival. On 2 November, the Minister
announced a sweeping change in whose wake the Clearinghouse would eventually thrive:
“Beginning immediately, a new, four-year secondary school system will be developed to
provide more focused, relevant and meaningful programs for all students entering Grade
9 as of September 1997. Once a four-year secondary school program is fully
implemented by 2001, savings will amount to some $350 million annually.”
The Minister specified “high graduation standards for all students” and promised that
university-bound students would continue to get “the high quality instruction they need to
meet university entrance requirements.” To accomplish these goals, teachers would need
radically different teaching materials for the fall of 1997. The OCC would play a critical
part in making this possible.
However, this future role was not yet clear and work continued uninterrupted. At the same
time that OCC was sending orders to developers to be filled, new entries for the JK-9
catalogue were being received. The deadline for the submission of worksheets to ONTERIS
(for entry into the database) was 15 November. These worksheets were part of a full
submission package that had been developed for Stage II. It included:
©2008 Curriculum Services Canada 27