Student Support
Resources to support students.
- Adjudications and Supports for Learning Services (LS) Students Writing Grad Assessments
- Anxiety and Mental Health Resources for Families
- Student Success Centre
- Student Supports at HCOS
Adjudications and Supports for Learning Services (LS) Students Writing Grad Assessments
In British Columbia, there are 3 assessments required (Grade 10 Literacy, Grade 10 Numeracy & Grade 12 Literacy). In order to graduate with a Dogwood, this is a provincial requirement, however, when your student decides to write is flexible.
There are generally 2 times that students write: January and June. This is the Ministry of Education Site for the Provincial Grad Assessment Schedule
Each year, Grad students are sent links from the school to sign up for assessments. If your students requires supports when writing, when you sign-up for the assessment, please make sure to identify that your son/daughter has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) in Encom and the requested adjudications (supports) are noted and approved on the IEP. If you have any questions about the IEP, please speak to your Grad Advisor or Learning Services Consultant.
Some of the support/adjudications require advanced arrangements.
Location
If your student needs a separate setting, (due to anxiety, using a scribe etc.) you, the parent, are responsible for finding this location (ie. church, library, school). When looking for a place, please arrange to have an adequate amount of time for the assessment to be written and ensure that the location has good wifi.
Invigilator
If you are in a separate setting, you will also need to find an invigilator - this needs to be a current or retired teacher (going rate is approximately $120 for 3 hrs). All information for the separate setting needs to be collected and ready prior to registering for the assessment.
Timing
Assessments must be started between 8 am and 4 pm Monday to Friday
Scribe
In-person Scribe:
If your student needs a scribe, you are responsible for finding them and compensating them. A scribe is simply there to write down what your student says and cannot provide any additional assistance. To read the full guidelines regarding scribes from the Ministry of Education, please look here.
Speech to Text and Text to Speech:
If your son/daughter plans on using Read and Write:
- They are NOT required to have a separate space as long as they use their headphones
- You must use your HCOS email address and the official version of R&W provided through HCOS - please make sure your son/daughter has practiced and is comfortable using this on their own. Please ensure that an account through HCOS has been set up ahead of the assessment.
A few other notes:
- Your student can re write their provincial assessments up to 3 times - the highest score will be taken
- Their results are a stand alone score, it does not affect their current English or Math courses
Anxiety and Mental Health Resources for Families
Anxiety and mental health impact the education of children and youth, causing distraction, irritability or sleep issues, obsessive or avoidant tenancies, and other challenges. If your child is experiencing challenges, please speak to your teacher or Grad Advisor (GA). They will connect you to appropriate supports within HCOS, whether resources in the Learning Commons, Learning Groups like Hello Anxiety or individualized support through Learning Services or Inclusive Education. You can complete the Learning Support Request form if you wish to share more details with your teacher.
This page offers a number of resources that may also be of use to you.
Videos
- An Effective Approach When Kids Feel Anxious, with Dr. Kendra Read (5 minute video)
- Understanding Anxiety Webinar for HCOS parents by Julie Bohni (Counsellor) (1 hour)
- Wired for Connection Webinar for HCOS parents by Julie Bohni (Counsellor) (1 hour)
- "Motivation" video by an HCOS Student
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Recordings of Katy Kwon, speaking for ACSIWC Student Mental Health day, October 26, 2021:
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Session 1 - My Locus of Control
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Session 2 - Building Resilience
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Session 3 - I am not a Teacup
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Talk to a Person
- BC Helpline for Children 24-hour support for all BC youth 310-1234 (no area code needed)
- FoundryBC on Anxiety
- FoundryBC Anxiety screening tool
- FoundryBC recommended Apps and Tools
- Foundry Virtual Visit App
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Virtual drop-in counselling sessions by voice, video and chat for young people ages 12- 24 and their caregivers. Call 1-833-FØUNDRY (that’s FØUNDRY with a zero or 1-833- 308-6379
)
- START - Short Term Assessment Response Treatment - Fraser Valley
- Interior Health Crisis Line (for anyone) 1-888-353-2273
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Northern BC Crisis Line: 1-888-562-1214 or text 250-563-1214
- BC Suicide Line: 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-784-2433
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Youth Crisis Line: Trained peer support: call 1-888-564-8336 or text 250-564-8336
- Island Health - Child and Youth - call 250-519-6720
Free Counselling
- UBCO counselling - virtual, free and ongoing support
- Wellness Together Canada - virtual, free, live counselling for adults and youth
- BC Covid Mental Health Network - free, phone-based, short-term support with a counsellor. Email bccovidtherapists@gmail.com to receive an appointment time.
BC and Canadian Resources
- WellbeingBC
- AnxietyBC Youth
- Canadian Mental Health - Youth Resources
- Dealing with Depression
- Anxiety Canada - My Anxiety Plan
- BounceBack: For Adults and Youth
- ThriveLife Counselling & Wellness offers CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) for the Family: Tools for Life, an online, 9-week, home-based course for families that seeks to reduce anxiety in children. The lesson outline and corresponding course details are available on the registration page.
- Early Psychosis Intervention
General Resources
- Dwell (app) reads the Bible with time for reflection, calm music, repetition
- May7iCare - Resources for middle and high school students
- LilyJo Project Mental Health resources (UK resource) - topics like anxiety, stress, self-harm, eating disorders, abuse
- Jack.org #dosomething Youth Mental Heath Advocates
- Anxious Toddlers to Anxious Teens
- Coping with Anxiety for Teens
- Right Now Media - Compass and Light series
HCOS Learning Commons Resources:
Curated list of Anxiety and Worry resources on SORA - digital books, audio books
Tips to Relax, Manage Anxiety, Get Grounded
- Create a lower stress home
- Build a bedtime routine
- Build resilience
- Belly Breath with Elmo; Bubbles with Fish, Mindful breathing, Cocoa Breathing
- The Parenting Report: Are you Getting all A's?
Student Success Centre
Student Success Centre (SSC) is a Online-based universal support provided by an EA in Literacy or Numeracy and is offered to students needing assistance in grades 5-12. It is important to note that you do not need a referral for this, you may access the SSC at any point throughout the year.
- academic courses - comprehension, higher level thinking, step by step instruction
- executive functioning (organization, planning, time management)
- course pacing and accountability
- navigating Brightspace, Study Forge and Encom
- building confidence due to anxiety or insecurity
- motivation
SSC Workshops:
Check out the SSC link and the school blog regularly for updates for our free drop-in weekly workshops. Topics change each month, offering students even more learning opportunities to build skills such as proper citation, essay writing foundations, provincial assessment preparation, note taking and more!
SSC Education Assistants:
The current education assistants will be supporting in Literacy/Executive Functioning: Taryn McPherson and Carlee Bouillon and Numeracy/Science: Gohar Zakaryan. They are under the supervision of Allison Miles, IE GA and SSC Coordinator: Taryn McPherson.
SSC Bookings:
Literacy/Executive Functioning EAs
Support in English, science comprehension/questions, Christian studies, social studies/humanities, written assignments in CLE or CLC, physical education courses, and elective courses such as WEX, music or foods.
Carlee Bouillon
Carlee's strengths: essay writing (planning, structuring, drafting), poetry writing and analysis, story writing and analysis, reading comprehension, citing sources, editing, proofing and polishing, pre-calculus 10 &11.
- Booking Calendar for Zoom: https://calendly.com/carlee-bouillon
- Please check calendar for availability at this time
&
Taryn McPherson
Taryn's strengths include: goal setting, planning and organizing, scheduling (time management), test preparation, research skills, writing skills and proofing, middle school math and science, upper-level science (life science and some chemistry)
- Booking Calendar for Zoom: https://calendly.com/taryn-mcpherson/literacy-support-centre
- Please check calendar for availability at this time
Numeracy and Science EAs
Support grade 7-12 math, AP math, physics 11/12, chemistry 11/12, accounting 11
TBA for Sept 2024
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- TBA
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Carlee Bouillon (Math 5-11)
- Booking Calendar for Zoom: https://calendly.com/carlee-bouillon
- Please check calendar for availability at this time
For more information, please look at: https://grad.onlineschool.ca/resources/student-support-centre
Student Supports at HCOS
Families at HCOS have many opportunities and freedoms when shaping their learning environment to best fit their child's needs.
They can build learning around the movement a child needs, the best time of day to learn, the topics that interest and motivate them, and projects that showcase their strengths and abilities. Parents can arrange a learning space where their child is comfortable and has the quiet or stimulation they require.
Additionally, where needed, families can work with their teacher to set their child up for success by planning for additional time for an assignment or assessment, or agreeing on an alternative way to access information (e.g. through an audio book or video rather than text) or to show their learning (e.g. a presentation rather than an essay). Your teacher may also suggest curriculum options that would better fit your child or family. If a family wishes to communicate more of their learning needs to their teacher or Grad Advisor (GA), they can complete the Learning Support Request Form.
Students at HCOS also have access to a wide array of in-house supports, with little to no cost or barriers, through the Learning Commons or Learning Groups as well as through teachers and GAs.
In-house support options include:
- Audiobooks, hi-lo books, read-along or read aloud books available through the Learning Commons.
- Read&Write (speech to text, text to speech) is available for free, and is a good support for those with reading, written output or organizational challenges.
- C-pens are available to borrow through the Learning Commons and at Community Connections.
- The Student Support Center offers online EAs (education assistants) support for literacy and numeracy.
- AXIS , a faith-based subscription resource with videos that invite conversations on tough topics (anxiety, pornography, divorce etc.) for teens and their families.
- "Hello Anxiety" and Group Counselling: 6-10 week, counsellor-led options provided through Learning Groups where Grade 8-12 students learn to manage their anxiety. Check out "Virtual Voices" as well!
- Susan Barton (10 levels) is an Orton Gillingham-based reading program available free through the Learning Commons.
- Touch-Type Read and Spell, is a good typing program for students with reading & spelling challenges is available for free through the Learning Commons (request form here).
- Dyslexia Games are a series of consumable therapy workbooks available through the Learning Commons.
- HCOS also has sensory, behaviour, reading and written output supports available at Community Connections.
- Online Assessments to evaluate literacy, numeracy and cognitive abilities (DORA, ADAM or Gibson test) are available by speaking to your child's teacher or GA.
Learning Support
Additionally, your student's teacher or GA has access to a team of supportive Learning Support Coaches (LSCs) who provide specialized advice and insight on student needs.
It typically takes up to a year for students to work through the applicable in-house supports HCOS offers. If your child continues to struggle after their teacher has had time to assess needs and the impact of our in-house supports, your child can be considered for additional professional supports or assessments in their subsequent years with HCOS.
We always keep in mind that your primary student supports are an individually-shaped home-learning environment and a strong partnership between invested, well-equipped parents and teachers.