Communication Policy

HeritageFlex Christian Online SchoolAcademy (HCOS)FA) will make every effort to meet the following protocols in their communication to parents and students as well as between other HCOSFA teachers, staff and administration:

Communicate in a positive, polite and supportive manner, always keeping in mindconsidering the Christian nature of our school, its teachers, staff and families.

1. In cases where the communication may reflect frustration or conflict then the HCOSFA teacher or staff are advised to include their administration in the communication.
2. This does not preclude communication that may be corrective in nature as a teacher often needs to correct a student. It does mean that such communication will be done respectfully and with positive reinforcement.

The school’s preference for communication is first email, then phone.

3. It should be noted that this is a preference only. If at any time a parent or student cannot make contact via email for technological reasonsreasons, or for the necessity of clarity that comes with direct voice-to-voice communication, the HCOSFA teacher or staff will indicate an appropriate time to speak on the telephone.telephone or via zoom. If the teacher or staff cannot be reached directlydirectly, then contact will be arranged through the HCOSFA office.
4. All HCOSFA teachers and staff are responsible tofor managemanaging their email in an organized fashion within their email program.
5. All HCOSFA teachers and staff will confine their email communication to their onlineschool.caflex.academy email address and not use private email addresses for school business. If confidentiality is an issueissue, then the preferred communication mode of communication should be madeface-to-face throughor phone contact, not email.

A one to two two-day turn aroundturnaround in all communication is expected, withexcept the exception offor weekends and holidays where the time line will extend.holidays.

6. All teachers, staff and administration must check their email daily with the exception of weekends and holidays.
7. All teachers, staff and administration are expected to make timely responses during standard business hours.
8. HCOSFA teachers, staff, parents and students should avoid the use of urgent markers in email (Importance: High!) unless the issue is truly urgent or time time-sensitive.
9. A returned message does not mean that the issue is necessarily resolved within the timeline; it only means that communication has been returned. In the cases of marking papers, sending materials, and resolving tech support, the communication will try to specify projected time linestimelines for resolution. In the case of extended time away from school responsibilities for travel, conferences, or health issues the teacher or staff person will communicate to both the HCOSFA administration first for authorization and then their families and students.
10. It is understood that in the case of emergenciesemergencies, grace will be extended to teachers and staff and administration will notify families of a plan for communication.

In the case where communication is not being followed through in a timely mannermanner, as outlined in the previous pointspoints, the parent or student should notify the HCOSFA office that they have not had a timely communication from their teacher.

11. InitiallyInitially, this contact should be for the purposes of re-establishing communication and resolving the particular communication need.
12. If the communication issue is not resolved satisfactorilysatisfactorily, then school leadership should be contacted.

TheOnline onlinecourses, coursesincluding some FA hybrid courses, have forums associated with each class. These are monitored by the teacher
and the same rules apply to these forums as per an email.

13. Teachers and staff should set up each forum so that they receive email notificationnotifications when a student makes a post.
14. Teachers are responsible tofor checkchecking their students’student contributions to the forum and ensureensuring that they meet the appropriate communication standards as outlined at the beginning of this document.

Chat-room/forum protocols should also fit within the guidelines stated at the beginning of this document. The teacher is responsible tofor monitormonitoring communication within their group discussion.

15. Online class teachers will communicate via Zoom/Skype with their students during posted office hours to answer questions and give instruction or special help.
16. If the teacher can’t make the posted office hours, they will communicate to the class when the rescheduled time will be. They will also post any news items within their course menu.