New Families Nine Steps for Getting Started

WELCOME!  

You're signed up with HCOS. You've talked with a Regional Administrator, and have been accepted. Now what do you do?

The purpose of this page is to help new families get started in their school year with HCOS. Hopefully following this step by step guide will make the start of the new year as smooth as possible for you.

Step 1. Connect with your Support Teacher

Your support teacher is your primary connection to the School. S/he is responsible for collaborating with you in planning your year (SLPs). S/he is there to support, encourage and empower you in your home education journey. Your support teacher will help you choose and order curriculum for the year. S/he will help you with weekly input and guidance as well as answering your questions. Your support teacher will collect work samples throughout the year and will provide formative assessment (feedback). Your support teacher will write report cards for your children. Your support teacher is key to your child's educational journey. (And your sanity.)  :) 

Regular communication with your teacher

It is very important that you work out a system for communicating regularly with your support teacher. Some options include: email, phone calls, texting, reporting programs such as See Saw. 

Step 2. Getting into Encom

Encom is our school data base. It is where we house student applications, documents, Student Lear

Step 3. Student Learning Plans (SLPs)

The Student Learning Plans (SLPs) are very important documents.  It is the first document that the Ministry looks at when they are checking to see if we are following the government guidelines (SLP page).

 

1. Collaborating with your teacher

2. Signing off

Step 4. Ordering resources

How do you purchase new curriculum?New guidelines have changed how HCOS can process the purchasing of resources from companies that do not accept HCOS PO#s. For more information see here. For a list of vendors which do accept HCOS PO#s please go here.  For more information visit Purchasing Process for Parents.

How do you lease a computer/tablet/iPad?Our computer lease program is available. For more information and forms please visit here. Please note: You must obtain your Teacher's approval in order for the lease request to be processed.

Step 5. 

Options

Needs to work for both teacher and parents.

Step 6. Learning Commons  

use the Learning Commons search portal?

The mission for the HCOS Learning Commons is to provide Christian community, Discipleship, Innovation and Literacyto all our patrons and staff.  As we purchase our collection of digital and non- digital resources we try to discern what meets the needs of all our schools from a Christian perspective.  Here is more information for returning patrons.

Signing out kits, books, materials

Subscriptions - how to access

What subscriptions does the Learning Commons offer?

Online subscriptions are available to teachers and families through Learning Commons. To find out more information on specific subject related subscriptions, click here.

Step 7. Learning Groups (Subscribing to e-alerts)

Step 8. Signing up for online courses

Step 9. Setting a daily schedule

Step 10. FSAs

The Foundation Skills Assessment is an annual, province-wide assessment of British Columbia students’ academic skills, and provides a snapshot of how well BC students are learning foundation skills in Reading Comprehension, Writing, and Numeracy. These are standardized tests held for students in Grades 4 and 7. These tests are not optional unless students meet a very narrow set of requirements for exemption. (Foundation Skills Assessment).