Meet Chris Slade, Director of New Students at Royal Ontario Academy

Beginning an Ontario secondary school program can involve important decisions about credits, prerequisites, previous education, graduation requirements and post-secondary goals. These decisions can be especially complex for international students, mature students and students transferring from another education system.

As Director of New Students at Royal Ontario Academy, Chris Slade helps prospective students and families understand the preliminary steps involved in entering an appropriate Ontario education pathway. He brings more than 18 years of experience in education leadership, international education, admissions, student recruitment, academic program development, institutional partnerships and public-sector service.

Educational and Professional Background

Chris holds a Master of Science degree, with graduate research focused on organizational learning. His research examined how organizations develop, share and apply knowledge to improve decision-making, performance and continuous improvement. This academic background has shaped his approach to education administration, institutional development and the design of effective student-service processes.

His career has included leadership responsibilities in post-secondary education and experience working for the Government of Alberta. Working across educational and public-sector environments has given Chris a broad understanding of how institutions organize information, support stakeholders and improve systems over time.

Leading a Large International Admissions Operation

Before joining Royal Ontario Academy, Chris led the admissions department for the Centre for Global Engagement at Lambton College. At its peak, the department processed more than 90,000 applications per year and supported over 10,000 registered students annually across four Ontario campuses.

Leading an admissions operation of this size required careful processes, clear communication and consistent handling of academic records. It also provided extensive experience with international applications, enrolment systems, student recruitment, institutional partnerships and communication with students, families, education agents and partner organizations.

This experience helped Chris understand the practical challenges students may face when entering an unfamiliar Canadian education system. International applicants may need support identifying the correct documents, understanding prerequisites, interpreting requests for additional information and determining how their previous education relates to a Canadian academic pathway.

Applying This Experience at Royal Ontario Academy

At Royal Ontario Academy, Chris is often one of the first people prospective students and families communicate with when considering individual Ontario Secondary School Diploma credits or a broader diploma pathway.

He helps students clarify their academic goals, gather appropriate records and understand the preliminary stages of reviewing previous education. His work may include:

• Responding to new-student and parent enquiries
• Explaining ROA’s online learning model
• Gathering transcripts and supporting documents
• Reviewing academic records for completeness
• Identifying missing information or documents
• Discussing possible prerequisite concerns that require academic review
• Organizing international education records and translations
• Preparing student files for formal PLAR assessment
• Communicating with students, families, agents and education partners
• Referring final academic decisions to the Principal

Chris’s Role in the PLAR Process

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition, commonly known as PLAR, is a formal process through which eligible students may receive recognition for knowledge and skills acquired outside the Ontario secondary school system. It is not an automatic conversion of age, employment experience or international education into Ontario credits.

Chris completes the preliminary documentation and file-preparation work required to support the PLAR process. He may gather official transcripts, review records for completeness, identify missing documentation, organize translated materials and prepare questions that require formal academic consideration.

Important: Chris does not independently award equivalent credits or make final decisions about diploma requirements. All final PLAR, equivalency-credit, prerequisite-recognition and academic-placement decisions are made by Royal Ontario Academy Principal Phoebe Martin.

Maintaining this separation of responsibilities helps ensure that each student receives practical intake support while the final academic determination remains with the Principal.

Supporting Students From Different Education Systems

Students entering ROA may present transcripts, report cards, examination certificates or graduation documents from many different education systems. These records can use different course names, grading scales, credit structures, grade levels and graduation requirements.

Chris helps students identify the records that may be needed for a proper review. Depending on the situation, these may include official transcripts, certified translations, examination results, course descriptions, identification documents or evidence of previous enrolment.

Helping Students Plan the Right Next Step

A student’s first course request may not address the full academic situation. A student asking for a Grade 12 course may need to demonstrate the appropriate prerequisite. A university applicant may require several admission subjects rather than one course. A student seeking the OSSD may need to satisfy additional diploma requirements beyond earning academic credits.

Chris helps students and families identify these broader questions during the preliminary intake process. He encourages students to provide complete information about previous schools, courses completed, current enrolment, post-secondary plans, required admission subjects, application deadlines and any existing Ontario Student Record or Ontario Education Number.

Complete and accurate information allows Principal Phoebe Martin and the academic team to make a more informed final assessment.

An Approach Grounded in Organizational Learning

Chris’s graduate research in organizational learning is relevant to the way he approaches student services. Strong organizations do not simply collect information. They develop reliable processes for sharing knowledge, learning from experience and improving decisions.

In a student-intake setting, this means asking clear questions, documenting information accurately, identifying recurring sources of confusion and improving communication over time. It also means recognizing that every student’s circumstances are different, even when the same general policies apply.

Chris’s goal is to help students understand what information is required, which questions still need to be answered and what steps may be involved before an academic pathway can be confirmed.

Areas of Expertise

• New-student intake and enrolment support
• International and domestic admissions
• International education and institutional partnerships
• Academic-document collection and preliminary review
• Preliminary PLAR documentation and file preparation
• Student recruitment and pathway planning
• Organizational learning and process improvement
• Communication with students, families, agents and education partners
• Public-sector and post-secondary administration

Advice for Prospective Students

Chris encourages students to begin by identifying their final goal. A student who needs one prerequisite course will follow a different process from a student seeking the full OSSD. University and college applicants should verify the exact admission requirements for their intended program rather than relying on general assumptions.

Students should also gather official academic records as early as possible. Incomplete documents can delay academic review and make it difficult to develop an accurate course plan. Asking questions before registration can help students avoid unnecessary courses or missed requirements.

Supporting Student Transitions at ROA

Royal Ontario Academy serves students from Ontario, across Canada and around the world. Each student brings a different educational history, set of goals and reason for pursuing Ontario secondary school credits.

Through careful preliminary review, clear communication and organized file preparation, Chris helps new students begin the process with a better understanding of what is required. His work supports a smoother transition into ROA while ensuring that final PLAR and academic decisions remain with Principal Phoebe Martin.

Prospective students who need an individual OSSD credit or want to explore a broader Ontario diploma pathway can contact Royal Ontario Academy to begin the preliminary intake process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Chris Slade do at Royal Ontario Academy?

Chris supports new-student intake, gathers and reviews academic documents for completeness, identifies missing information and prepares files for formal PLAR and academic review.

Does Chris Slade make final PLAR decisions?

No. Chris completes preliminary documentation and file preparation. Principal Phoebe Martin makes all final PLAR, equivalency-credit, prerequisite-recognition and academic-placement decisions.

What documents may students need for a preliminary academic review?

Depending on the student’s situation, documents may include official transcripts, certified translations, examination results, course descriptions, identification documents and evidence of previous enrolment.

What experience does Chris bring to his role?

Chris brings more than 18 years of experience in education leadership, admissions, international education, institutional partnerships and public-sector service. He previously led an admissions department that processed more than 90,000 applications annually and supported over 10,000 registered students across four Ontario campuses.

Contact Chris at chris.slade@royalontarioacademy.com