Student Support

Resources to support students.

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:

    1. They are NOT required to have a separate space as long as they use their headphones
    2. 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:

Student Success Centre

Please help us out by completing this Summer Interest Form (before May 15) and End-of-Year Survey (before May 31). Both will help us serve YOU better! Thank you! 

"Wow, wow, wow!! I wanted to reach out to you and thank you so much for the gift of offering support for students through the school." (Parent)

"We are so, so grateful for all your help this year. (Student) would NOT have made it through maths 9 without your much needed and much appreciated support!" (Parent)

 "I just want to thank you so much for all the support you gave me. Working with you was one of my brightest times of grade 10. Thank you so much.😊" (Student)

"I just wanted to say thank you so much for the work that you and the rest of the SSC EA team do! What a gift to the whole of HCOS!" (HCOS Staff) 

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SSC Overview

The Student Success Centre (SSC) is a free online-based universal support available to all students in grades 5-12+. It is comprised of a team of EAs who come ready to support students with Numeracy (Maths & Sciences), Literacy (Humanities, etc.), and Executive Functioning (life skills building) needs. 

How to Initiate Support

We encourage you/your child to learn more about each SSC EA before booking a session. This will help you/your child decide which EA(s) will be the best fit based on their needs and personality.

Sample: 


 


Booking Sessions

At any point throughout the school year, students can book up to 2 sessions per week with one EA, or up to 4 sessions with a combination of EAs. * Max 4 sessions per family per week.  Sometimes it can be helpful to have more team members on a child's academic team, given their different needs (some might need help with Math and Scheduling & Goal-setting) and the availability of SSC EAs. 

SSC EA schedules show only two weeks at a time, adding sessions hour by hour. During busy times, sessions book up quickly, so please be patient and check back regularly. 

To book a session with an SSC EA, you have three options:

In both cases, select the SSC EA you/your child would like to meet with, click on their booking link, scroll through the calendar and pick a day and time that works for you, and then follow the intake prompts to help the SSC EA prepare for the session. Once the booking has been completed, you/your child will receive an email with the booking information (including a Zoom link).

As the child’s parent or guardian, you can sit in on the session - especially if it’s a Meet & Greet. Alternatively, you can share information about your child and their needs with the SSC EA prior to the session to help them prepare well. 

Sample Booking: 

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Friendly Reminder:

We ask that you kindly follow the 2 sessions per week limit if you are working with one SSC EA (or up to 4 sessions with a combination of EAs - PER FAMILY) and ensure that booked sessions are attended. Please notify the SSC EA or use the links at the bottom of the email booking notification/reminder to cancel or reschedule a session that can no longer be attended.

Should your child need further support, we encourage you to contact a member of your child’s academic team (eg, course specialist, K-9 teacher, academic advisor, or case manager) to discuss additional support.

Additional Resources Available through the SSC

The Student Success Centre (SSC) webpage has additional resources for students and parents. 

Throughout the year, the SSC highlights new team members, upcoming events and resources, and often shares helpful tips for students within our SPOTLIGHT blog. 

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The SSC’s SOPHIE Resources Page pulls together a variety of resources meant to support students in their learning journey and EAs in their support role. Important topics such as Resources & Research, Academic Integrity, Provincial Assessments, and Skill Building for Students can be found here, along with all previously recorded SSC Workshops.   

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If you have additional questions about the SSC, please reach out to Taryn McPherson (SSC Manager) or Sherie Seddon (Innovations Assistant Director). 

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: 
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.







SSC Resources

SSC Essentials
Academic Integrity & AI
CREW Resources
Meet & Greet

Student Success Centre: Meet & Greet
Meet & Greet (Students)

Student Success Centre: Meet & Greet
Kickstarting Term 2

Kickstarting Term 2
Becoming a Project Pro

Becoming a Project Pro

  • Learning how to break down projects into manageable tasks.
Keeping the Boat Afloat

Keeping the Boat Afloat

  • Setting up healthy routines. Managing courses and workload.
Turning Tough Math into Manageable Steps

Turning Tough Math into Manageable Steps
Cite, Write, and Research Well

Cite, Write, and Research Well
Academic Integrity in the Age of AI

Academic Integrity in the Age of AI: Researching, Citing, and Writing

  • Tech & AI support while maintaining your own voice
Feedback/Testimonials

Student Testimonials:

Parent Testimonials:

Feedback from HCOS Staff:

Free Citation Generators
HCOS Links
K-6 Resources
K-6 resource K-6 resource K-6 resource K-6 resource K-6 resource
Learning Challenges & Supports
Programs, Courses & Staff
Provincial Assessments (Grades 7, 10 & 12)
Resources & Research Tools
Skill Building for Students
Subject-Specific Resources for Students
Tech & Platform Support
Tips & Resources for Homeschool Parents
Workshop Resources

Coming Soon