Teaching & Learning: We are striving to provide flexible learning opportunities that support our students.
Parent Options
As we prepare for 2020–2021, we know that our students need access to high‐quality instruction. In-class instruction is available and safe for students and staff as it aligns with the Provincial Health Officer’s and Ministry of Education’s guidelines. We do also recognize that in‐class instruction might not be appropriate for all families, depending on their personal circumstances and well‐being.
During these challenging times, School District #43 acknowledges that individual needs and circumstances for students and families might necessitate considering alternative or other learning options. Below is a listing of the options available in the district. While capacity is limited in our programs, we are working to provide alternative for students.
In the case of Distributed Learning/Homeschooling options, please be advised that your child's spot at their home school cannot be held for them for the duration of this school year. You may choose to return to your home school this school year if space allows. Should you want to return to your home school for the 2021-2022 school year, you will need to contact your home school principal by April 2, 2021. Students currently registered in a language-based program of choice will need to assure they maintain the language skills for the program they are registered in. This may require a language assessment upon your return to the program for the 2021-2022 school year.
The following Learning Options are available to discuss with your school principal:
School-Based Gradual Transition Supports (K-8)
We understand that some families are concerned about the restart of school and want their child to return to face to face instruction but need some time to gradually return their child to school.
While we would like to all students to meet their classroom teacher on Monday, September 14th and to be in attendance, we understand some families may want more time or will be more comfortable with a slower, more gradual start. While schools are unable to provide the same level of flexibility as they did in June (all school-based teachers will be working with students face to face 5 days a week), we do want to provide families the flexibility to start at a pace that matches their family’s needs.
School principals will work with families to provide a gradual restart for this September as families require.
The school district is dedicating resources to develop some grade-level learning supports and tutorials that schools can send home to support their child while they transition back into in-class learning. While the materials will not be teacher-specific or necessarily in pace with your child ‘s classroom teacher, they will help support a child’s learning.
Parents will need to be able to support their child’s learning while they are at home. Your child will retain their school-based classroom placement; and, on the days and times that your child attends school, they will participate in the classroom/learning group. The amount of parental time needed to support your child is proportional to the amount of time your child attends classes.
The goal will be to increase your child’s classroom time as families’ situations evolve. While this is a short-term solution, it does provide families more time to transition back to regular school or to make other educational arrangements that better match their family needs.
Supports would be mostly in English and based on the B.C. Ministry of Education curriculum. Therefore, parents in language-based programs would need to ensure that their child’s language skills regarding the program of choice they are in, are fostered while they are learning at home. A gradual return will not impact a child’s language skills but a long-term prolonged absence from a program of choice would require families to reassess enrolment in a program of choice, as language acquisition is the core foundation of the program.
Parents would work with their school principal and classroom teacher to develop a timeline for their return. Families would need to inform the principal of this approach and their desire for a gradual return to maintain their classroom placement.
This approach is not a remote learning program but is rather a way to support a student’s self-paced return to regular in-class instruction.
These curricular supports will take time to establish but we hope to have things up and running in mid-September. You would however still inform your school principal now of your plans so we could begin planning.
Distributed Learning: Encompass K-9
The Encompass K-9 program has currently reached its enrolment capacity. Families interested in the Encompass learning option can be waitlisted for the program by calling the Encompass office at 604-945-7311. Please be in contact with your school's principal to discuss the options available to your child including the School-Based Transition Support program at your home school.
School District #43 is currently trying to expand its Encompass K-9 capacity for enrolment. When supported transitions at the school level do not meet a student’s needs, distributed learning is a potential option. The program is largely dependent on at-home support with limited face-to-face contact with teachers. It is an online program grounded in the BC Curriculum. We provide programming in English only and not in Programs of Choice (French Immersion, Montessori, Mandarin, etc.). Students registering in this program will no longer be registered in their home school as Encompass becomes your home school.
Distributed Learning: COL 10-12
Online learning for grades 10 -12 is an option for students who need flexibility to learn from any location or at times that work best for them. Coquitlam Open Learning (COL) is currently working to expand capacity.
Teachers are available for support when requested, though the teacher may or may not be available for real-time support.
Students can sign up for individual classes as a supplement to those they’re enrolled but cannot sign up for courses still in their schedule at other Coquitlam high schools. We can offer full-time online learning; however, we start students with 2 courses at a time and add more either when courses are completed or when students are showing success in both courses and desire a third course. Students enrolling in our expanded COL 10-12 learning option as an alternative to in-class learning at school will be unable to cross-enrol in both programs.
We encourage students to complete courses on a schedule planned with teachers. We recommend a pace faster than 10 months, but we make accommodations as needed. Teachers and academic advisors from our online learning program are available to discuss scheduling options.
Access to digital devices and internet connection is required. Loans of district computers may be possible on a case-by-case basis.
We will work to add spaces in course based on our ability to resource them.
Homeschooling
Parents may choose to homeschool. Homeschooling does not involve a student’s school and is the sole responsibility of the parent. Importantly, choosing to homeschool means remaining registered at your neighbourhood school for Ministry tracking purposes. The school, however, provides no instructional support. Homeschooling is not:
• supervised by a BC-certified teacher
• required to meet provincial standards
• inspected by the Ministry of Education
Homeschooling is an alternative method of teaching offered outside the B.C. educational system. More information can be located
here.
Hospital-Homebound
Parents with children who are medically diagnosed with immunosuppression may qualify for hospital-homebound support. During Phase 2 of the BC Restart Program, families who provide documentation from a specialist/physician affirming immunocompromised status are eligible for hospital homebound. Immunosuppression is a medical diagnosis. Information from the Ministry of Health and BCCDC regarding immunosuppression can be located here:
SD43 Learning Options Parent Info.pdf
