Learning Groups

Mission, Values and Vision

image-1625771007149.pngOur Mission Statement:

To develop innovative, Christ-centred educational opportunities for learners to explore and embrace God's unique purpose.

Our Values:

Academic Success - engaged lifelong learners
We aim to inspire every student to become a passionate learner who reaches towards their personal best while continually seeking out opportunities to grow. Our goal is that students leave HCOS having developed the skills and tools to remain discerning lifelong learners.

Relationship - intentional supportive community
Responding to the needs of our families, we have developed a variety of opportunities for students to connect, to learn together and to build supportive community. Our teachers and staff pray for, encourage and come alongside our students and families as we partner with them in their academic journey.

Integrity - authentic Christ followers
One of the definitions of integrity is the quality or state of being complete or undivided. We believe this wholeness can only be found in Christ. Our desire for our students and, by extension their families, is to walk in the fullness of an authentic relationship with Christ within a supportive community that prays together, challenges each other and shares life together.

Flexibility - personalized learning choices
Just as every student is unique, their learning should be as well. We value creating individualized learning plans for every student that are designed to provide a flexible and tailored education, empowering and supporting parents as we partner with them. We strive to create innovative opportunities including individualized home education, any pace online courses, community building face-to-face learning groups, cross-enrolled options and much more.

 

image-1625770938952.pngOur Vision Statements:

The vision statements below outline the current and future objectives of HCOS. They are intended as a guide to support future strategic planning, by addressing what we aim to do and hope to become as a school. Each Vision Statement is focused on our relationship to or development of the following areas:

Parents 
We aim to support and empower parents in their student’s Christ-centered education through frictionless access to our comprehensive network of programs, people and information. 

Students
We aim to guide our students on a personalized educational journey with an array of opportunities to know and be known.

Teachers & Support Staff
We aim to inspire, equip and encourage teachers and staff to continually grow and pursue unique opportunities with consistent supportive accountability in a culture of engaged excellence. 

Provincial Organizations
We aim to establish ourselves as a well respected, sought after voice in shaping education.  

Other Schools 
We aim to be a leading collaborative influence to improve the reputation of IOL through mutually supportive relationships rooted in informed perceptions.

Curriculum 
We aim to create intuitive, accessible and meaningful curriculum that invokes transformational moments of delight, wonder and curiosity in students. 

Programs 
We aim to intentionally plan and provide thriving, sustainable and well-resourced programs that anticipate and meet the changing needs of our community. 

 

 

FAQ- General Questions

I am an HCOS Registered Student. How does that affect my participation in LG opportunities?

As a registered homeschooler with HCOS you have access to all of our Learning Group opportunities throughout the province. HCOS homeschoolers are eligible for Heritage Enrolled Community pricing; however, in some instances such as Community Connections and some Learning Camps, HCOS Registered Homeschoolers pay the same fee as General Community Students. For more information, contact Claire Pollok.

How do I volunteer with a Learning Group?

We require all staff and volunteers working with students to have a Criminal Record Check clearance letter on file with us prior to the event/class. You can contact us at any time to get this on file; it sometimes takes a bit of time to process. Please complete the LG Volunteer CRC Information form and proceed as per the instructions that will be emailed to you. 

What is the difference between Learning Camps, Community Connections and Community Connections Plus?

If I am not a student with Heritage. Can I participate in the Learning Group Opportunities?

Absolutely! While priority does go to Heritage Students, unless a Learning Camp is specifically noted as Heritage Community only, students from General Community schools are welcome to join us. 

HCOS reviews external applications on a case-by-case basis to determine if the program is conducive to student success. Contact LG admin for further information.

Why are there different fees for Heritage Students and General Community Students?

Heritage subsidizes their students through fee reductions and with the staff required to oversee and administer Learning Groups. General Community students are not subsidized by Heritage and therefore their cost for an event is higher to reflect the actual cost of an event.

How will changes in government protocols due to the pandemic affect my LG learning opportunity?

Learning Groups closely monitors weekly bulletins communicated regarding Educational Protocols in K-12 settings and works together with the protocols of the community venues to proceed with the learning opportunities planned. If any changes in a learning opportunity are required, we will communicate directly with all involved as soon as possible and adjust or refund fees if applicable.

What will face to face LG opportunities look like during the COVID-19 Pandemic?   

We invite families to visit the HCOS Family Book to review the K-12 Recovery Plan  for information.

What opportunities are traditionally offered?

Please visit our Year at a Glance calendar grid for an overview of all LG offerings to date this year.

I have another question not listed here. Who can I contact?

Please send any questions and concerns regarding a Learning Group activity to lg@onlineschool.ca, noting which LG opportunity you’re inquiring about. One of our team members will be happy to assist you.

FAQ- Applications

You’ve applied for an LG event. What’s the next step?

You’ve received the automatic message indicating that we have received your application.   

I signed up for a Learning Group online but didn't get an email confirmation.

If you did not receive the confirmation email, it could be that you entered your email incorrectly, your application was not submitted properly, or the email was redirected to your junk mail folder. If concerned, please contact lg@onlineschool.ca.

I received the confirmation email following my application, but now I am being told it is full and we do not have a spot.

A confirmation email is automatically sent when you complete the application. Prior to acceptance all applications are reviewed manually. Priority goes to HCOS students and, where there are group challenges, we wish to make sure a student is fully supported to ensure successful participation. All these points affect when the link for a Learning Camp may be closed as full and whether an application is approved for a student to attend. We appreciate your understanding.

Why do I have to give my child's BC Services Card number on an application every time?

Unlike a school that would have a student's emergency information on file and accessible, Learning Groups are run by many different coordinators in many areas throughout the province. In case of an emergency, the coordinator needs to have information on hand should we be unable to easily reach or contact a parent.

My child has a medical alert. What information will I need to provide?

When a serious medical alert is indicated on a Learning Groups application, if a Medical Planning form has not already been provided to Learning Groups for the current school year, a Learning Groups team member will be in contact to complete a medical planning form. Depending on the nature and seriousness of the medical alert, there may be additional documents to complete as well (eg. Permission to Administer Medicine, Diabetes Support Plan, Seizure Support Plan, etc.). 

Note that all documents must be on file prior to a child being dropped off at a Learning Groups event.

Why does Learning Groups need to know if my child has Learning Services or Inclusive Education Support?

Our goal is to best facilitate student success, and Learning Group applications have questions designed to support students in their participation at LG events. It is therefore important for us to be aware of any supports student may be already receiving so that we can effectively plan together for your child’s success at LG events and look at providing additional supports as needed. Additionally, when thinking about CC and CC+, classes have varying needs, and the dynamics are different than a familiar, low-key home environment.

FAQ- Community Connections

What are the main differences between the types of Community Connections? 

See the LG Types of Opportunities SOPHIE page for more information

How do I sign-up for Community Connections?  

All types of Community Connections are via a Learning Groups application link, separate from enrollment in the school. In any given year, returning students are first given an opportunity to apply. If space allows, students on the Waiting Pool list will be contacted and offered spots as available. Then if space remains, the application link will be posted to the HCOS Learning Groups website. 

If you are not currently participating in a Community Connection and are interested in attending in the next school year, or enquiring about possibilities for the current school year, please indicate your interest via the CC Waiting Pool

If I sign-up, does that mean my child has a seat?

All LG sign-ups are applications, which are subject to review and approval from the event coordinator. There are a variety of factors involved prior to acceptance for the final class lists.

Can families apply for CC as application links are opened and make the full payment on their PO or will this have to wait until they have paid their tuition for the following year and the amount of PO funds available is determined? 

Yes, as an HCOS program, families can indicate PO# payment for CC applications prior to all the PO funds being available. 

How do HCOS PO# funds work with CC and CC Plus?

When students apply to attend a CC or CC+ for the upcoming year, a minimum application fee amount is collected by credit card. The HCOS PO# can then be used for the balance of the fees.

CC: 

CC+: 

Please note: If there are not enough funds in the family Encom account) to cover the balance due, the amount outstanding will be charged to the credit card on file (used in the CC/CC+ online application).

How do Grad Credits work with CC+ Courses?

For CC+ courses, Gr. 10-12 Students receive a $100 credit towards each 4 credit course they take at CC, or $50 toward each 2 credit course. The $550 CC+ course fees appear in Encom as each student is added to the class and are automatically adjusted to take into consideration the applicable grad course resource credits so that only the balance shown is what is due to be paid. Visual example of how it will appear in Encom. The balance due will be assessed to available family Encom funds or processed to the credit card used in the application.

I’ve applied for enrollment with HCOS, and I want my child to attend CC. Now what?

We appreciate your patience as your enrollment is being processed by HCOS. While you are waiting for your HCOS enrollment to be confirmed and information verified, you may visit learninggroups.ca  to apply for the CC. If the application link to the CC is not available on our website, you may add your information to the CC Waiting Pool. This does not guarantee acceptance into CC but is a place to start. In the event that HCOS is not able to accommodate your child(ren) in the current school year, you may have opportunity to attend CC as a Heritage Registered student or General Community student (with the applicable fee), or you may remove your CC application by contacting lg@onlinschool.ca.

What production will Ignite Theatre or Sparks put on next?

Please check out ignitetheatre.ca for the grand reveal!

If my child wants to be involved in Ignite Theatre, what type of commitment is involved? 

Ignite Theatre is a Community Connections Plus with family project-based learning on a grand scale with parent responsibilities outlined here. One parent from each family is expected to put in volunteer hours throughout the year AND during our Theatre Week which is the weekend leading into Victoria Day and that full week. Parental involvement is CRUCIAL to the success and excellence of our production. Sparks CC is our recreational performing arts track, where students in grades 2 to 7 can explore the basics of musical theatre without substantial parent volunteer responsibility.

Are cancellation options different for CCs and Longer-term Offerings?

Yes, while most Learning camps are non-refundable, CCs and some longer-term Learning Camps may have a graduated cancellation fee schedule noted in an application. 

FAQ- HCOS Scripture Memorization Challenge

Which Psalms will be the focus for the Challenge?

For students wanting to learn 35 verses, the verses will be: Psalm 1, 13, 23, 57, and 150.
For students wanting to learn 70 verses, they will memorize the 35 verse selections as well as: Psalm 8, 30, 98, and 100.
For students wanting to cover 105 verses, they will memorize all of the preceding verse selections as well as: Psalm 46 and 139.

What translation should we memorize from?

This is your choice, but please choose a translation, not a paraphrase. Some recommended translations are: NIV, KJV, NKJV, NASB, and NLT.

We’ve already selected verses to memorize this year. May we use these verses for the Challenge?

Yes! Other verses may be used for the Memorization Challenge, if the student has not memorized them previously. Remember to learn the references and review consistently throughout the year so all verses can be recited in one sitting and reported in May. Hint: giving verses a title helps in recall.

My child memorizes verses in Awana and Sunday School. Can they use these verses instead of memorizing from the Psalms?

Yes! Students may use these verses towards the HCOS Memorization Challenge. Students will need to review and be able to say all of their verses in one sitting to a non-immediate family member and report it in May. Remember to work on references and review, review!

My child has learning challenges, or is in K-2 and and I feel the verses in the Psalms would be difficult for them, but would still benefit from regular exposure to God’s Word. Is there an option for that?

Yes! All students will benefit from regular exposure to God’s Word. Students with learning challenges of all types for whom the traditional “memorize and recite” method is not compatible are invited to engage in one of the suggestions on the bottom of the HCOS Memorization Challenge tracking sheet. If these are not suitable for your child, please feel free to email Jennifer at jennifer.barkman@onlineschool.ca and she will be more than happy to help brainstorm and research options. While we have tried to be as inclusive as possible with the suggestions presented, please feel free to adapt as needed. We would appreciate it if you would share the adaptations you make with us by email so that we can work to make our program increasingly inclusive.

When is the deadline to complete and report the memorization?

The deadline to complete and report the HCOS Memorization Challenge accomplishments is May 23, 2024. To be eligible for a prize, the student must say all their verses in one sitting to a non-immediate family member (grandparents/aunts/uncles qualify). More specific details regarding this will be sent in the beginning of May. Remember to keep reviewing throughout the year. References should be memorized. All verses need to be recited in one sitting and reported by the deadline.

Begin the Memorization Challenge right away and enjoy diving into God’s Word! Time spent memorizing is time invested in eternity. Two things are eternal – people and the Word. Memorizing as a family is investing in both!

If you are ready to join the HCOS Bible Memorization Challenge:
  1. Let your teacher know your decision to memorize and register on the Learning Groups Website
  2. Choose a realistic goal for the number of verses to memorize based on student ability and desire.
  3. Watch your email with goal/tracking sheet and encouragement and ideas for memorization once you’ve registered.
  4. Choose your translation – please choose a translation, not a paraphrase (NIV, KJV, NKJV, NASB, NLT are recommended).
  5. Start memorizing! Plan to review your verses, so that you remember them for life, and so they can all be recited at the end of the year.

FAQ Navigating the LG Website “Participate Now” Offerings Page

Learning Groups has a new website this year! All of our current offerings are listed on the “Participate Now” page and are labeled to show the status of an application. Each offering will have a label on top as seen below:

APPLICATION OPEN: Indicates that the opportunity is ready for applications. Click “Learn More” and then on “Details & Apply” to fill out an application.

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APPLICATION CLOSED: Indicates that the event is full OR the deadline has passed. Click on “Learn More” and it will either indicate “Application Full”  or “Application Closed” depending on the status. 

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COMING SOON: Indicates that we are in the process of finalizing some details for this opportunity, and that the Application will be open shortly.

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Cvent Transaction Notifications

The purpose of this page is to clarify payment transaction notifications you may receive. Cvent is the external software HCOS Learning Groups uses to process event applications. Depending on the payment method selected in an LG application, or funds available via Encom or credit card, you may receive a notification email such as presented in the scenarios below. 

Cvent is good in many ways but does have limitations for which it hasn’t developed an alternative yet. Cvent generates auto-payment emails using the Coordinator’s name so it seems to come from the coordinator, not the LG office.

Please refer any questions to lg@onlineschool.ca.

When the HCOS PO# is involved in the method of payment, fees are processed by the LG office according to what funds are available in the family’s Encom account . Speaking with your support teacher prior to applying for a Learning Group can help.

Insufficient Encom Funds

When there are insufficient Encom funds in the family’s account, there are two types of automatic emails that could result, as well as an invoice email.

Please note although the below scenarios denote the payment process for a CC, Learning Camp fee transaction notifications are similar.

Type 1: Payment Processed to Credit Card


If the automatic payment email ​ says "Your payment for the Community Connections _______ yyyy-yyyy event has been successfully processed to the credit card on file", this means that Encom funds weren’t sufficient to cover the CC fees (perhaps due to charges from curriculum  or online classes). When there aren't enough Encom funds, the balance is charged to the credit card that was used to pay the $50 application fee. The email is just to let you as the parent know that charge was put on your credit card. 

Type 2: ‘Payment Failure’ Email Notification

 

If the email states ‘payment failure’, then the payment processed to the credit card used for the $50 application fee did not go through. Learning Groups will send an invoice for payment. If you do not see an  invoice but have received a "Payment Failure" email, please check your junk mail.

Invoice Email

If the email states 'Please submit payment" or 'Balance Due', then the invoice shows additional amounts owing for CC which were not covered with Encom funds or credit card on file.  As a parent, you can go into Encom and see the 'additional resources' section for your family; perhaps Encom funds were also used for charges for curriculum, ipad purchases or online classes. Please keep track of your curriculum or third party purchases to ensure enough funding is available to cover LG learning opportunities as there is a time lag when invoices get to the office. 

To pay the invoice, click on the Cvent 'view your registration' link in the email, put in your registration confirmation number (provided in the email) and follow the prompts on each page to make the payment. You can add in a new credit card or the previous one that has funds available to process payment to. 

CCs with remaining balance will be automatically charged to the credit card on file in mid- November to early- December; as noted in the application payment options.

If there are credit card changes, please contact Desada Daigle to update; otherwise payment won’t go through and an invoice will be emailed to the family.  Making our email addresses safe will prevent them from getting blocked or going to the junk folder, depending on your settings. We ask families to not opt-out of receiving emails from us when registering their students for our learning opportunities in Cvent as this prevents invoices being emailed to you. 

If you have further questions, please email Desada at ddaigle@onlineschool.ca.

In the Cvent application for CC, parents have the option to make payment by credit card or PO# funds. Any balance remaining, due to Encom funds being unavailable, will be charged to the credit card on file.

CC+: HCOS Enrolled Students: $550 (minus any Grad Course Credits) will be processed to the HCOS PO# when CC+ courses are added to each student in Encom. Any balance remaining, due to Encom funds being unavailable, will be charged to the credit card on file. (parent choice- I understand)

CC and CC+ course fees for Inclusive Education supported students are processed using IE funds. IE families might notice CC+ course fees in Encom at certain times of the year, but a short time later the course fees are corrected in Encom and fees processed using IE funds.




General CC/CC+ Information

Parent Handbook

You will receive a Parent Handbook from your CC coordinator at the beginning of the year. Please save this where you can refer to it regularly as it has a lot of important and useful information.  Below is a sample handbook of what might be included. 

Most CCs have a Parent Orientation Meeting before the first class where the coordinator will review the ethos and expectations for the classes, introduce the teachers and assistants, and field questions. We expect that at least one parent of each family attends.  Please note the Scheduled Dates of Classes in your agenda/calendar and plan to attend as each class is about a week’s worth of learning in a campus school.

Instructors will be in touch with you about the following:

Email is the primary method of communication with your Coordinator and the Instructors on-site. If your child is sick, please keep them home. If your child has symptoms caused by allergies, they are welcome to attend. Please connect with the teacher or coordinator if allergy symptoms are significant.If your child misses a class, please let their instructor AND the coordinator know ASAP and then be in touch with the instructor about what they missed. It does matter to the instructor if there is a student missing, even in larger classes!

Cancellation of Classes 
If there are extreme weather conditions or a closure is declared in the local School District, classes will be cancelled. I will notify you all by email with as much notice as possible. If classes are cancelled due to extreme weather there will be no make-up class!

CC Contact Information 
There will be the names, grades/subjects and email for each teacher provided.

Maintaining Campus Health Safety
Our campus will be following protocols listed by the Ministry of Education. Additional precautionary measures may be implemented such as:

Please remind your children to practice the habits listed below under ‘Reducing the Risk’ and encourage them to keep their hands to themselves. 

Reducing the Risk

Illness
If your child is exhibiting any level of sickness or symptoms (other than from allergies), please keep him/her at home. Recent COVID-19 measures have demonstrated the value of social responsibility in taking care of others’ health and your own.

Behaviour Expectations
While we don’t anticipate regular problems, it is good to be clear about expectations. These expectations are just a beginning. We want to be proactive in developing the kind of learning environment that grows relationships, encourages learning, and honours God. Please review this list with your children before the first class. The expectations are, naturally, quite obvious and straightforward, but still worth discussing. 

Listening and Focusing:

  1. When a teacher or other student is talking, all others should be listening.
  2.  When you want to say something, raise your hand.
  3. Do your best to refocus quickly. If you are chatting with a partner or group, if something is funny, if there is a larger discussion – enjoy and participate, but then refocus promptly. 
  4. Enjoy your break time, but come back and refocus when called.

Distractions:

  1. Games or toys are reserved for break times and not during class.
  2. Please leave all electronics off during class (unless needed for your class).
  3. Save eating and drinking for snack and lunch time.

For students who ‘struggle’ to meet the expectations, this will be the standard course of action:

  1. For a once-off situation or infrequent situation, the teacher will talk to the student.
  2. For a common recurrence, the student will be sent out of the room to talk with me. If this happens, the teacher or I will inform you so we can chat about it.     
  3. If the situation continues, then I will set a time when we will all sit down and discuss the issue in order to make a plan for the way forward.  It may be that the parent is required to join their child in the class until the problem is changed or resolved.
  4. For a major occurrence, it will be as for #3.

I am sure that it will be a great year and that your children and their instructors will develop relationships of mutual respect.

Special Circumstances or Needs – Behavioural, Learning, Medical
On your registration you noted any health or learning needs that your child has.  I will be emailing you appropriate forms to fill out in order to help us care for your child well.  If there is anything else we should know about your child with regards to group learning and teaching situations, or if you learn of additional information during the school year, please email me so the instructors can be best prepared to help your child. 

For IE students with EA support, if an EA is absent due to illness and a substitute is not available, please do not send the students for that day, without EA support.

Christian Worldview and Content
HCOS is a Christian DL school and therefore the majority of teachers and students involved in the Learning Groups will be Christians.  There is still, however, diversity in faith and practice.  Christian and Biblical content will be included in the lessons, when it is fitting and natural. In all of our teaching, learning, and communication our goal is to love and serve God and each other. In doing this, we will develop an atmosphere of respect and generosity. This will be the most important way that we incorporate our Christian faith into our classes. 

Homework
Depending on your child’s age and the subject matter, most weeks the instructors will email some homework and practice options. These are aimed to reinforce what is being learned in class as well as to prepare your child for the next class or any upcoming assignments. Essentially, homework is encouraged as your child will gain so much more from their learning if it is completed.

If you have any concerns about your child’s learning and understanding in the class, please be in touch with the instructor quickly and regularly.

Fire, Earthquake and Lockdown Drills
We will have a fire drill a few times through the year, as well as earthquake drills and one lockdown drill. Some children may be averse to loud noises, so please prepare them for these drills.

What to Bring
We want every child to have a water bottle and lots of snacks as well as their lunch.  They will be given regular opportunities for snack breaks. Please also bring a jacket for outdoor play. NOTE: Our classes are a nut-safe zone due to allergies.

Typical Supplies List for CC
Each week, all students should bring a labelled pencil case/box with the following labelled items: 

Additionally, students in grades 4 and up should also bring:

 If PE is offered: appropriate clothing and footwear (non-scuff shoes) for PE classes.

Grades 7 and up: Tablet or laptop if possible; required for older grades 

Cell phones should be turned off during class time, or not sent at all.

HCOS Learning Groups Information

This page provides information and resources related to HCOS Learning Groups.

Welcome to HCOS Learning Groups! 

HCOS Learning Groups are committed to offering innovative, Christ-centered educational opportunities for home learners virtually and in person, through a variety of activities offered in communities around the province. We support home educating families by actively exploring and experiencing a range of knowledge and skills while nurturing our relationships with God and with each other.

As you consider all that HCOS has to offer, including Learning Group opportunities posted to date, I encourage you to look at the family resources and information posted on our HCOS and LG website  which may address questions you may have at this time and to become familiar with this SOPHIE page outlining our protocols. 

Staff

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Our Learning Groups Director, Christine Loewen, oversees all Learning Groups programs and LG administrative and office staff. Together she collaborates with them regarding the vision and mission in directing programming, the smooth implementation of processes and procedures and also the management of risks to ensure safe participation. She manages the financial aspects of the programs and communicates with Heads of School, directors and teachers throughout the year.

Our Learning Groups Assistant Director, Jonathan Zuidhof assists in managing day to day administrative operations related to Learning Groups programming and offerings, including support and training for LG leadership teams, coordinators and teachers, along with oversight of special projects such as the CC curriculum project and family communication throughout the year.

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Andria Lengkeek is the LG Administrator overseeing Community Connections Plus opportunities.

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Christine Moline is the LG Regional Administrator of the Interior.

Lisa Franco is the LG Regional Administrator of Vancouver Island and the North with a Community Connections focus.

Tessa Arends is the LG Regional Administrator overseeing Lower Mainland East Community Connections.

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Heather Davis is the LG Administrator for Learning Camps in the Interior and Overnight.

Kristin Schlamp is the LG Administrator for Learning Camps in the North, Island and Virtual.

Laura Lemon is the LG Administrator for Learning Camps in the Lower Mainland.

Together with our teachers and office team, we offer a number of group learning opportunities and courses for our students and home schooling community in a variety of locations throughout the province.

You can contact any member of the team at lg@onlineschool.ca.

To view our Office staff, please visit here.

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Learning Camps Information

This page provides information beyond the HCOS Code of Conduct and Terms & Conditions page.

Face to Face Learning Camps

Expectations

Behavior 

Post-workshop follow-up

We appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback when requested (optional, not a requirement)

Virtual Learning Camps

Expectations

Post-workshop follow-up

We appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback when requested (optional, not a requirement):

Learning Groups Frequently Asked Questions

This is a landing page that has been designed to direct you to specific FAQs regarding HCOS Learning Groups.

General Questions

Applications

Community Connections

HCOS Scripture Memorization Challenge

Learning Groups Resources

HCOS Website - LG Section

HCOS Website, LG section

Learning Groups Website

Learning Groups Website

Parent Homeschool Co-op Information

This page provides information on how you as a parent can organize activities with others in your community. HCOS encourages families to connect with each other in support of your children’s academic, physical, emotional and spiritual growth and development.

A homeschool Co-op is a parent initiative in which parents share their love of learning with a group of students and also share organizational and instructional responsibilities with other homeschooling parents.

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Why a Homeschool Co-op?

There are many benefits to planning a homeschool Co-op:

Families should share learning samples and completed work from the Co-op to their HCOS support teacher.

How to Start a Homeschool Co-op

Homeschool Co-ops come in many different forms. It can be as simple as a few families getting together at a park for social interactions or going for bike rides, walks, hikes and group field trips. Co-ops can also be a few families meeting at home and rotating teaching responsibilities for a subject or two. Or it can involve hiring a series of professional teachers that are able to instruct a variety of subjects in a church or community centre. Homeschool Co-ops are a great way to share the work of home educating your children with a group of other like minded families.

Set the Purpose of Your Homeschool Co-op

Are you just looking for a way to socialize with other homeschool families? Do you want to create a way for students to explore electives? Do you want to meet outdoors and explore nature?  Is there a specific age or grade level that you want to include? Maybe your purpose is that you need to switch off teaching days with other families so that you can work outside of the home. 

The very first step in starting a homeschool Co-op is to set the purpose. Whatever your goals are for your Co-op, it is important to be clear about your purpose which will guide the rest of your start-up decisions. Being clear about your purpose will help you find and attract families to join you who share with similar goals. This can save frustration further on.

Decide on a Format

Homeschool Co-ops come in many different formats. A few questions to consider are:

In general, you want to meet often enough to fulfill your purpose and to enable  friendships and connections to form. 

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Find Members for Your Homeschool Co-op

You need at least one other family to form a homeschool Co-op so you need to decide how you want to find members. Be clear on the purpose of the group and intended ages/grades you are looking for.

If you already have a few homeschool friends and want to form a small Co-op, it may be as simple as asking your friends if they are interested. You can also advertise on the HCOS facebook group, check out homeschooling facebook groups in your area, ask around at church with home educating families or meet other families at face to face Learning Camps and form a connection. 

Find a Location for Your Homeschool Co-op

The size and purpose of your Co-op will help determine the perfect location for your group. For example, if the purpose of your homeschool Co-op is purely social you might want to choose a local park to meet at each week. Eg. park days on Mondays and/or field trips on Fridays If there is an educational component to the homeschool Co-op you may want to consider meeting indoors, such as someone’s home or a church

Larger groups can usually rent space from churches, but this normally carries a cost. Sometimes churches are happy to rent out their Sunday School classrooms during the week. If you choose to go this route be sure to ask the church a few questions before signing a contract:

Homeschool Co-op purpose, size, and budget are important factors in selecting the right location.

Insurance Considerations

If you are running a co-op in your home, contact your insurance provider to make sure you have adequate coverage.

If choosing a location that requires liability insurance, speak with the facility manager of the location for information on how to obtain the needed insurance.

Choosing Homeschool Co-op Teachers

There are two main options in terms of Co-op teachers:

Choosing parents within the homeschool Co-op to teach is an easy choice. They are already committed to your group and are generally happy to teach a class for free, especially if their children are also attending the class. Another great option is to hire a teacher or service provider who are generally very passionate and skilled in the subjects they choose to teach. Since hiring a teacher or service provider will carry an expense, it’s important to discuss this decision with the group.

Set a Price

The price of your homeschool Co-op is directly related to the expenses.

Possible Co-op expenses include:

You want to make sure that you are fairly sharing the costs through the homeschool Co-op. Setting a price is easy and straight-forward for small homeschool Co-ops of just a few families. It gets more complicated for a large Co-op where students are selecting different classes, so it may be best to avoid too large of a group to keep costs low (or free!). 2-3 families is a good size to start with for most Homeschool Co-ops.

Choose the Homeschool Co-op Classes

You are not limited to traditional school subjects. Feel free to get creative! If your kids are interested in learning a specific topic, there is a good chance other kids are interested too.

Some homeschool Co-ops follow selected curriculum, and others make it up as they go. Either option can work well depending on your group’s needs and learning styles. If the Co-op is teaching an academic core class like language arts, math, science, or history, they usually ask students to do some work at home and the rest in the Co-op.

Communicating with your support teacher about curriculum resources is a great way to ensure that you have a solid plan for getting your kids engaged in learning.

Agree on Homeschool Co-op Rules

Every family has different ideas about how to best run a homeschool Co-op. It is best to agree on some rules right from the beginning.

Think about:

Thinking through some of these issues can help prevent problems in the long run.

For most Co-ops, having no fees except for field trips or basic supplies is a great option. Resources can be shared or purchased by each individual family. This keeps the Co-op experience uncomplicated. However, many successful Co-ops have run with up-front fees. It takes excellent communication and organization to set it up.

Set a Schedule

Once you have a location selected, teachers have been chosen, and classes planned, you need to set a schedule. Plan at least a semester at a time so people can make plans. 

Setting the schedule for a small Co-op involves sitting down with a calendar and marking off the dates you will have Co-op classes. Note any holidays so you don’t need to reschedule those classes later.Then choose the times your Co-op will run (eg 10am - 12pm or 1pm-2pm etc).  Send the dates and times to all of the homeschool families so they can plan accordingly. Finally, fill in your times with what you will be doing (eg. Group playing at jungle gym 10am - 10:30am, walk in the park 10:30-11am, Art 11am - 11:30am, Bible study 11:30am - 12pm)

Setting up the schedule for a larger Co-op is a little bit more work simply because there are more classes. To set up the schedule for a large Co-op, we recommend using google calendar. This lets teachers add their classes to the calendar. Parents can view the calendar from their computer or phone.

If one of your homeschool Co-op goals is socialization, be sure to schedule some field trips and park days too. Some field trips (eg. museums, science centres) require advance planning, so it is good to get them on the calendar early.

Types of Learning Groups Opportunities

To see a summary of our LG opportunities including Learning Camps, Year at a Glance has tabs across the bottom for virtual and all the areas, in which events are organized by city.

We invite you to review below the particulars for each type of opportunity we offer location information, as well as information on how using the waiting pool link and how to apply CC and CC+.

Learning Groups Opportunity

Description

Family Role

Learning Camps (LC)


(often 1 day short term events)
  • Short term group event
  • Typically single-day learning experiences i.e. Aquarium, Science World Field Trip
  • Short-term weekly class i.e. writing
  • Workshops - Camp Bob, or Rocketry
  • Virtual (usually via Zoom) or Face to Face
  • Share learning experiences i.e. pictures, poster, outline, handout, pre and post activities in weekly communication and/or teacher portfolio visit.
  • Parent accompaniment usually preferred

Community Connection (CC)


(Significant offering, but NOT full courses)


  • Times and duration may vary, but typically a half or full day once a week
  • 12 -24 weeks
  • Blend of homeschool and campus flavours
  • Teacher led classes
  • Primarily certified teachers with some community/ parent instructors
  • Homework is sometimes or often assigned depending on the location


  • Although primarily drop-off, some parental involvement
  • Share learning experiences i.e. pictures, poster, outline, handout, pre and post activities in weekly communication and/or portfolio visit to support teacher
  • Provide CC teacher’s class summaries to support teacher

Community Connection Plus (CC+)


Offers Complete courses


 
  • One full day a week
  • 30 weeks
  • Hybrid and face to face classes
  • HCOS instructors wholly responsible for subject areas taught
  • Teacher on record and listed in Encom as course teacher (like Online course) 
  • Often 3-4 courses (eg. perhaps S.S., Science, PE, Fine Arts)
  • Parent drop off 
  • Parent volunteers are welcome 
  • HCOS teachers cover entire courses, teaching, evaluating and reporting on students
  • Homework is often assigned and required to fully complete the course

Summary of differences between Learning Camps and Community Connections

Joining a Learning Group Opportunity - General information

  1. Find Learning Group Opportunities in email received from your support teacher, e-alert email from Learning Groups or at our Learning Groups website. 
  2. To sign up, click on the link for the application form and complete fully to the submit form.  Many events allow you to use PO funds; a credit card payment will be required as an application fee for CCs or for the full amount on lower-cost LCs.
  3. Prior to acceptance all applications are reviewed manually. Priority goes to HCOS students and where there are challenges in a group setting we wish to make sure a student is fully supported to ensure successful participation. 
  4. You’ll receive the automatic message indicating that we have received your application. For Learning Camps, this indicates acceptance to the event unless the coordinator is in touch to indicate otherwise.
  5. Mark the dates on your calendar.
  6. Please note that HCOS PO payment entries will occur in Encom around the event date. To pay from General Community PO, a parent will receive an invoice from HCOS to forward to their respective school. Credit card payments are processed upon submission (unless indicated otherwise).
  7. Your Coordinator may be in touch closer to the date with further details about the event. 
  8. If you are unable to attend the Learning Group opportunity, please note there are cancellation policies in effect. 
  9. Enjoy!

Learning Camps

Learning Camps are short term group learning experiences, often with parental presence. These range from field trips, to workshops, to a short-term set of weekly classes, to overnight events. Examples include writing workshops, science experiments, field trips to the aquarium or zoo, theatre performances, robotics competitions, overnight trips to Barkerville, and SALTS.  

Parents and students are encouraged to share the learning that took place during learning camps including any pictures, handouts or other relevant work with their support teacher.  

To find out more and sign up, families can:

If you have any further questions, please contact the HCOS LG Regional Admin for Learning Camps,Tessa Arends

Community Connections  (CC)

Students in Community Connections (CC) learn in a class setting for a half- to full-day each week over 16-24 weeks through the school year. These multi-term classes provide a campus learning environment while maintaining a home education flavour. 

Certified teachers or experienced instructors guide students through varied learning experiences including hands-on, group and collaborative learning. Students learn presentation skills, complete projects, videos, experiments, participate in physical education classes and more. Activities vary depending on the subject and location. Through a combination of class work and take home assignments, students develop competencies in specific subject areas. CCs do not fully cover the content and competencies of each subject, but are an excellent blended supplement to your home learning.

Parents and students are encouraged to share the learning that occurs at Community Connections including any homework, handouts, assignments, projects, lab reports etc. that were completed with their support teacher .  

CC instructors will provide information about class activities in emails, term summaries or blogs.

Parental involvement is often encouraged. 

CC locations currently include: Chilliwack (K-3), Abbotsford Theatre Sparks, Vernon, Parksville, Campbell River, Powell River, Port Alberni, Sechelt (Sunshine Coast), Cowichan. Find out more here.

Community Connections Plus (CC+)

Students in Community Connections Plus (CC+) learn in a class setting for a full day on a weekly basis over a period of 30 weeks. 

HCOS certified teachers provide all the instruction and assessment needed to fully cover the subject taught and complete the report card in Encom each term. 

Students receive instruction to fully cover the content and competencies in 3 or 4 courses, such as Social Studies, Science, Physical and Health Education, ADST or Arts Education. Students learn presentation skills, complete projects, videos, experiments, get active and more!

As students go through the grades, homework progressively increases and is required to fully complete the subject competencies. Weekly communication from the instructors provides information about class activities. 

The fee for HCOS Registered and General Community students is higher to include teacher compensation. 

CC+ locations currently include: Langley, Abbotsford, Abbotsford Theatre, Abbotsford Science & Math (10), Chilliwack (Gr. 4-10), Kelowna, Prince George, Penticton, Victoria, and Nanaimo. Find out more here.

CC and CC+ Waiting Pool and Application Process

Application to an HCOS CC+ is a separate process in addition to enrolling at HCOS. Application links for a CC are available in April/May. First priority enrollment is offered to current students, followed by those in the waiting pool. If additional space is available a posting will be made at https://learninggroups.ca/ and the coordinator will email those in the waiting pool, normally in late-May or later. 

Reporting 

Reporting to Support Teacher for Learning Camps and CC

Save and share activities and work completed in relation to the LG event and also share photos of your child participating.

Many LG experiences, assignments, projects, and/or activities span more than one subject area. Notice and report on content/competencies outside of CC subject area i.e. social skills in group, oral presentation skills, artistic or dramatic skills, work habits in using time purposefully, etc.

Students may have been provided a term summary at CC; a few CCs have a Facebook page, a blog or send out a weekly summary email.

Reporting at CC+

The CC+ teachers are HCOS teachers who cover entire courses, teaching, evaluating and reporting on students.
Students often complete homework and submit to the CC+ teacher for evaluation. 
PE courses at CC+ involve students also doing

Community Opportunities

This page is a central database of community opportunities that families might like to investigate. We are not endorsing these opportunities but rather sharing information as to possible resources available. Thank you.


The Chemical Institute of Canada has a National Crystal Growing Competition

https://www.cheminst.ca/discover/national-crystal-growing-competition/

The handbook with more detail is in the "When does it take place?" section under "How to participate".  This could be fun for those with patience.  

Educational and fun for all ages, information on the event (May) https://www.bclapidary.com/bc-gem-show.php


Co-op Opportunity

I am a Christian homeschooling Mama in the Cowichan Valley and run a field trip group that meets monthly for local field trips. We also organize informal classes and meet ups. I want to invite all homelearning families on the Island to join us if they desire. Families can email me at crystalnickeljones@gmail.com to be added to the monthly email list.

Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants

There are many virtual offerings that home learners can sign-up for in both English and French.

Museum of Surrey

Vibrant, interactive and ever changing, Museum of Surrey, located at 17710 56A Avenue, is a free local venue for wonder, dialogue and fun for the whole family. Drop-In for a Visit Tuesday to Saturday (9:30am to 5:30pm) Sunday (noon to 5pm). There are rotating exhibitions available.

https://centreoftheuniverse.org/exoexplorations

Astronomy Resources offered by:
Friends of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada

Located at the National Research Council’s Dominion Astrophysical Observatory near Victoria, BC

ExoExplorations Lessons, Guides and Teacher Resources
● Unique and extensive set of lessons in astronomy, in both English and French. Developed for
Canadian classrooms from grade 6 to 10 but aspects of many activities can be adapted for other
grades. Can be used as background material, individual learning or classroom settings.
● Find out about planets both within our Solar System and Exoplanets beyond our Solar System
● Other topics include stars, the Milky Way, galaxies, and the universe
● Plenty of hand-on activities, links to videos, websites and other resources
● Questions and quiz materials
● Free on the website

ICanDance! Online Dance Classes 

Please consider our programs for Arts and/or P.E. credits: Ballet, Pop Fusion, Dance Chance! Sampler, All On Broadway! Sing & Dance and something NEW….CANpop Music Video Project. 

You can find our company information on our website: www.icandance.ca or on FB/IG: Facebook / Instagram 
Class course descriptions can be found here:  https://www.icandance.ca/icd-online-classdescriptions
Book classes here:  https://www.icandance.ca/book-on-line-classes-via-zoom
We hope to see you soon!

Bateman Foundation: Nature Sketch

Victoria, Duncan, Vancouver and Online

Nature Sketch is designed to inspire appreciation of the natural world using a pencil and sketchbook. Every participant will have the opportunity to connect with nature in a variety of unique ecosystems through art, and learn about local flora and fauna and their habitats, including species at risk and the rewilding of urban habitats. With the guidance of a local artist and a naturalist, Nature Sketch encourages participants to explore natural environments through art and eco-literacy.

Details and fees can be seen at https://batemanfoundation.org/nature-sketch/

Canadian Parents for French

Some incredible (and free) opportunities for parents who are interested in resources, the annual public speaking contest and opportunities in French. 

Cybersafe BC

www.cybersafeBC.ca

Cybersafe is geared towards youth aged 10 – 16. It is an online course with a certificate at the end (which can be used as a Health & Career Sample). Students will watch videos, and do activities as well as learn about the dangers of the internet. They will learn about their digital footprint and online crime, including cyberbullying.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Parents should have a look at the course first because there is a component of the course that discusses sexual predators and "sexting".

Free bowling program for kids

http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

Parents are offered a $25 deal to allow up to 4 older family member to bowl for free with the kids. The parent offer is introduced after you sign up your children.


Royal BC Museum

http://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/learn/museum-events/kids-and-families-events


Youth Leadership Millennium (YLM) Program

www.successylm.org

The Youth Leadership Millennium (YLM) Program consists of three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. These correspond with the Bronze, Silver and Gold levels of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – which is a big part of YLM – but we offer so much more.

Our aim is to empower young people to take on leadership roles both in life and in the community. Through the three levels of the program, we strive to guide them in exploring new opportunities and developing their leadership and life skills through experience.

The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Youth Leadership Millennium program is a holistic leadership training program with 5 unique focuses:

New to YLM? The Bronze level is where you want to start!
Upon successful completion of the YLM Bronze program, youth participants will receive the following:

Completing HCOS Learning Groups Applications

This page provides information on who to complete an HCOS Learning Group Application. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact lg@onlineschool.ca.

Signing up for an application where each participant signs up separately (seats):
There are some opportunities when each participating individual needs to provide full information in an application so we can best support student success and safety. This includes opportunities such as Community Connections, all drop-off Learning Camps, overnight Learning Camps and other opportunities as applicable.

Signing up for an application where the parent signs up and chooses the number of tickets desired:

For Learning Camps where parents are fully responsible for the care and supervision of their children, we use a streamlined application form where the parent signs up and chooses the applicable number and types of tickets for their family, providing minimal information in the application. This includes Learning Camps such as track and field, concert performances or virtual meet an author workshop.

Further reminders on completing a Learning Groups application

Thank you for your interest in signing up for an HCOS Learning Group opportunity. Please see the videos on how to complete an application, further notes for your reference are here:

For further information, please see our Families SOPHIE Book for general Learning Groups information.

LG Terms and Conditions & Cancellation Fees Information

This page provides information on Learning Groups Terms and Conditions and Cancellation Fee information.

Information may slightly vary between Learning Camps and Community Connections. Please review information contained in each application.

LG Application Terms and Conditions

The event fee is non-refundable or on a graduated scale for extended events, because we have made commitments to paying our facility and teachers, bought supplies, etc. as we've planned for the event. *individual offerings may include any pertinent additions

Learning Group (LG) Code of Conduct and Cancellation Policy:


Cancellation Fee Schedule- CCs and long term events

Learning Camp fees are non-refundable unless specified in the application.

Please note, this is an example only. The applicable version to your family is part of your CC or Extended Learning Camp application and part of the auto-email you receive after clicking ‘submit’. 

*Once I submit the application, I understand that the Community Connections cancellation/ refund policy is as follows:

• Non-refundable application fee: $50/ $100 of your total per student fees charged is considered an application fee and is non-refundable and payable by credit card.

• Cancellation Refund Schedule: Please note the graduated fee schedule should the coordinator receive notice of cancellation or withdrawal.

  o July 1 or Aug 1 to Application Deadline: $75/ $125 total per student will be charged for notice  prior to the application deadline.

  o Application Deadline to start date: $100/ $150 total per student will be charged for notice prior to the start date.

  o Start Date to Dec.15: 50% of the fees are refundable for notice provided prior to Dec.15, after which non-refundable.

  o Term 2 and Term 3 student additions: Application and pro-rated event fees are payable in full and are non-refundable.

Personal Digital Device Usage Policy

Rationale

As a school, HCOS strives to help students be responsible and discerning digital citizens, embracing God’s unique purpose for their lives. The purpose of this policy is to create an environment where students are able to focus on learning and developing digital literacy skills without the distractions created by personal digital devices.

Definitions

Personal Digital Devices (PDD) - any personal electronic device that can be used to communicate or to access the internet, including, but not limited to, a cell phone, smart watch or tablet.

Digital Citizenship: Digital citizenship is the ability to navigate our digital environments in a way that is safe and responsible and to actively and respectfully engage in these spaces. 

Digital Literacy: Digital literacy is the ability to access, manage, understand, integrate, communicate, evaluate and create information safely and appropriately through digital technologies.

Policy

To ensure an environment that encourages learning, HCOS will require students to observe the following restrictions while on-site during school hours:

Exceptions

Disciplinary Steps

Release of Liability

HCOS takes no responsibility for loss or damage to cell phones, iPods and any other electronic device. Parents send cell phones to school at their own risk.