Grad Program
- Additional Resources & Learning Supports
- Advanced Placement Courses
- Advanced Placement FAQs
- Career Life Education & Career Life Connections Courses
- Comparative Civilizations Program (with Overseas Travel)
- Course Options
- Course Withdrawals or Changes
- Dual Credits
- Exams
- Flex Academy Graduation Certificate
- Grad Orientation Week Recordings 2023
- Grad Planner - FAQ
- Grad Program Course Planning Worksheet
- Math Course Options and Streams
- Monitoring Progress & Official Reporting
- Provincial Assessments - Literacy and Numeracy
- The Role of the Grad Advisor
- Transferring to Flex Academy from within HCOS
- Transitioning from Grade 9
- Viewing Graduation Assessment Results and Your Transcript
Additional Resources & Learning Supports
Subscriptions
We have plenty of online subscriptions you can access to in order to find your subscription login information, go to your parent homepage in Encom and click on “Curriculum Resources”:
Then scroll down to find the links and passwords to the subscription(s) you are interested in.
Learning Camps/Community Connections
You may sign up for our learning camp e-alerts here. By visiting the former website you may also find more info on our Learning Camps and Community Connections programs for the Grad Program.
Learning Commons
Be sure to visit our Learning Commons (library) and check out all the fabulous resources there. An excellent source of help is Pippa Davies who is our Learning Commons Librarian. She can help you with both physical and virtual resources to cover most, if not all, of your curricular needs.
Advanced Placement Courses
What are they?
The Advanced Placement (AP) program makes college and university level courses available for students to take while they’re still in secondary school. For students who are interested in extending their learning beyond the grade 12 level, while still in high school, these courses can be a great option. Students can earn additional credits at the high school level by completing these courses and may also be granted first year college or university credits, depending on the post-secondary institution, when the AP exam is taken.
AP courses are overseen by the College Board which is recognized for advanced credit or placement in many Canadian and American universities and colleges. Schools are permitted to offer AP courses from a set list, and are responsible for ensuring that any courses they offer meet College Board standards. Students complete the course work and are then required to write a formal ‘AP’ exam administered by the College board to earn the additional AP credits.
HCOS offers a select number of AP courses, based on the in-house expertise of our instructors and course developers. The list of AP courses offered each year can be found on the HCOS course description webpage and AP exams are written in May of each school year.
How do they work?
In general, if a student enrolls in an AP course and completes all the required components, they will earn 4 external credits for the high school level course. Generally, the additional AP material extends or expands on the concepts and content addressed in the grade 12 level course. In addition, if a student successfully completes the AP exam, university credit may also be granted (see section below)
What about the AP Exam?
AP Exams are administered at authorized schools and test centers each school year in the month of May. AP course work is arranged so students have ample time to complete the necessary AP work prior to writing the exam in May. This may mean students have some coursework remaining to complete after the AP exam is written, depending on how the course is laid out.
HCOS staff will help students arrange for a proctored exam location with an email going out to students in the beginning of the year to gather interest and information to help set sessions up.
The exams are marked and scored on a scale of 1 to 5 by college and university professors and experienced AP teachers (not the HCOS AP course teacher). Many post secondary institutions offer credit for AP Exam scores of 3 or higher.
Advanced Placement FAQs
1. Do I have to take 2 final exams (the school’s final exam and the Collegeboard’s AP exam in May)?
Most AP courses require an online proctored final exam for you to receive your high school course credit. This exam must be written to receive this credit.
If you want to attempt to receive university credit through the College Board that exam takes place in May. Please note that the AP and school exams are separate from each other. Some course teachers will accept the AP Exam in lieu of the final exam for the course. This is a teacher by teacher decision and once enrolled, you should discuss your options with your course teacher.
2. Do I have to create an AP student account?
If you plan to write the AP exam in May, you will need to create an AP student account. This will allow for our school to order and book your AP exam. By creating this account, it will also give you access to additional material that your teacher may require as a part of your course.
3. What if I don’t live close to an AP exam location?
We have two exam locations, one in Kelowna and the other in the Greater Vancouver area. If a student lives outside of one of these locations we will arrange for you to write at a facility near you. Please note that there will be additional fees associated with writing an exam outside of our school locations.
4. Can I take the AP Exam at my own school (school of record)?
Yes, you may write your AP Exam at your school of record if they offer AP exams. You will need to connect with the AP Coordinator at your school as they will need to provide you with an exam only join code. You will also need to inform our offices so that we can adjust your registration with our school.
5. How much does it cost to take the AP Exam?
The cost to write each AP exam is $200. If you live outside of our exam writing locations there will be additional fees to accommodate a special setting.
6. How do I register for the AP Exam?
After creating an account on the College Board website you will want to login at myap.collegeboard.org.
Click the Join a Course or Exam button. Before you do this, make sure you have the six-Character join code from your teacher. You’ll need it to join a class section.
Enter the join code your teacher gave you and click Submit.
Make sure the information that comes up is for the course you’re taking. If it is, click Yes
If you need to make any adjustments to your exam registration, such as in you no longer want to write the exam or yes you would like to write, please email Johanna Martz at: johanna.martz@bconlineschool.ca
7. What is the AP Exam registration deadline?
There are two AP Exam registration deadlines in a year. The first one is in the middle of November for students who enrolled in the course before this time. The second deadline is in the middle of March. Information will be sent by course teachers and our office informing of upcoming deadlines.
Career Life Education & Career Life Connections Courses
This page is designed to outline the differences in the Career Life Education (CLE) and Career Life Connections (CLC) offerings at HCOS.
Career Life Education should be taken before Career Life Connections.
The Ministry of Education has outline the rationale and goals for the new K-12 Career Education offerings:
Rationale
Today’s graduates must be able to adapt to ongoing change in many aspects of their lives. For most people, career life planning will not be a matter of making one major decision and living with it for a lifetime. Instead, purposeful career-life development, where students learn how to set personally meaningful goals, recognize and cultivate relevant opportunities and supportive relationships, and continually re-evaluate and revise their plans, is a requirement for educated citizens in an ever-changing world.
Educated citizens are lifelong learners who continually build on their self-awareness about evolving interests and strengths, and who are able to use this personal knowledge to inform their career-life choices with flexibility as opportunities and challenges arise. Career Education fosters development of the confidence, knowledge, and competencies necessary to succeed in personal, educational, and workplace contexts throughout life.
From Kindergarten to graduation, the Career Education curriculum offers students many opportunities to explore and develop personal interests, strengths, and competencies while making connections with experiential learning, career life possibilities, and preferred post-graduation opportunities. Under the guidance of their teachers, students discover that career life development with intent is not simply figuring out what they want to be when they grow up, but a lifelong journey of being and becoming who they want to be in the world and how they can make meaningful contributions in their communities.
Career Education includes reflection on learning experiences both in school and out of school, and facilitates connections with communities and networks to support personal career-life interests and goals. The Career Education curriculum aligns with the First Peoples Principles of Learning, highlighting a holistic view of students placed at the centre of their learning, and recognizing the importance of experiential learning, guidance from mentors, and community involvement.
Goals
The Career Education curriculum contributes to students’ development as educated citizens through the achievement of the following goals. Students are expected to:
- recognize the need to be adaptable, resilient, and flexible in order to meet the ever-changing opportunities and challenges of today’s world
- understand how ongoing purposeful career life development contributes to the success and well-being of individuals, communities, and society
- build personal career life development capacity to effectively learn and grow new interests, knowledge, skills, and competencies throughout their lives
- develop awareness of their personal strengths, competencies, values, and passions, and use this self-knowledge to inform career life choices
- communicate and interact collaboratively with others, valuing diversity of people, perspectives, worldviews, ideas, and opportunities
- explore a range of experiences, roles, and opportunities in personal, educational, and workplace contexts to advance their personal career-life journeys
Flex Academy Grad Program Offerings
In Encom you will see Career Life Education and Career Life Connections offered at all three grade levels (10, 11 and 12). This is because we want to work flexibly with our students to have them complete the courses when it is best for them in their educational journey.
Requirements:
- Students must complete Career Life Education and Career Life Connections before graduating. You only have to complete the course once!
- Career Life Education should be completed prior to taking Career Life Connections.
Flex offers both Career Life courses as Hybrid courses. Please connect with your Grad Advisor to plan the best time for you to take these as well as which course option is best for you!
Comparative Civilizations Program (with Overseas Travel)
Flex Academy Grad students can cross-enroll with HCOS if they would like to participate in the Comparative Civilizations Program (in years it is running). See this page for more information on this opportunity.
Course Options
Flex Academy offers the flexibility to design a unique High School experience with a variety of different learning options. All courses provide credit towards the BC Dogwood Diploma.
Hybrid Courses
Flex Academy offers Blended courses at the grad level in Math, Science, Social Studies, English Language Arts, Career Education, Career Life Connections, and Spanish where course content and unit lessons are hosted in Bright Space for students to complete on a flexible schedule throughout their week. Students then participate in weekly learning labs where they engage in high-engagement hands-on activities to support the subject area's learning. Flex Hybrid courses run the length of the school year with the support of a Flex Academy subject specialist teacher.
(Moodle is still operating this year for students who are finishing old courses; otherwise, we have transitioned to Brightspace).
Online Courses
Flex Academy offers Grad Students the ability to cross-enroll with HCOS to access an impressive online course catalogue that provides engaging online learning.
HCOS offers two flexible pacing options:
- Asynchronous: work at your own pace to complete the course within twelve months from activation date.
- Synchronous cohorts: work at the same pace as your peers, meeting regularly on Zoom with your online teacher.
If available, Flex Students should take the Flex Academy Blended course instead of the same HCOS synchronous online course. Please talk to your Grad advisor or the Director of Flex Academy if you have any questions.
Course Withdrawals or Changes
Students and parents can request course withdrawals or changes during the year, however, there are some implications that need to be acknowledged when changes are made to courses that are in progress.
- If you withdraw from a course you were activated in (in progress), you may need to wait until the following school year to take it again.
- If you are dropping a hybrid course, you may choose an alternative course.
- Core Courses that are required for graduation, such as Science 10-11, Math 10-11, Language Arts 10-12, Career Education 10, and Career Life Connections 12 should not be dropped. Please speak to your grad advisor or school administrator for more information.
To proceed with a course withdrawal or change, please reach out to your grad advisor or school administrator.
Dual Credits
The Ministry of Education and Child Care has provided an option for students to be involved in dual credit programs where they enrol in and complete post-secondary courses or training and also earn secondary (high school) credits at the same time. These dual-credit programs are stand-alone agreements set up between a specific secondary school and a specific post-secondary institution, usually within the same school district.
Flex Academy does not currently offer dual credit course offerings for our Grade 10-12 students. Students interested in dual-credit courses are encouraged to explore options for cross-enrolment with a local secondary school, and your grad advisor is happy to help you create a schedule and plan for graduation that includes any information on local dual-credit options you bring to them.
For more information on Dual Credits please visit the Ministry of Education website.
Exams
Flex Academy grad teachers will walk students through the process for scheduling exams for any Flex Blended courses that have an exam component.
Flex Academy Graduation Certificate
This page outlines the requirements needed to receive a Flex Graduation Certificate on top of a student's BC Dogwood Diploma.
Students who complete the BC Graduation requirements receive a BC Dogwood Diploma. HCOS students who complete a minimum of 8 credits in Christian Studies programming also receive an HCOS Graduation Certificate. These 8 credits can be earned through:
- Christian Studies (offered in-person at Flex).
- Specific course programming can include cross-enrolled options like Adventure Discipleship, Humanities and Comparative Civilizations Travel Program.
These 8 credits also satisfy elective requirements for a student's BC Dogwood.
Why a Flex Academy Graduation Certificate?
Often we are asked what is the purpose to working towards this certificate? There are a few beneficial reasons we suggest to all students to take Christian Studies courses with us.
- Faith Development - We are a Christian school and as such believe that our students should continue to be learning and growing in their personal faith journey.
- Our Christian Studies courses help equip students for their future by ensuring they have a strong foundation and can clearly articulate their beliefs.
- Courses are designed to encourage personal development for students as articulated in the HCOS Learner Profile.
- The certificate has been helpful to students applying to Post Secondary studies at Bible Colleges, YWAM programs and universities such as Trinity Western. Showing completion of some under graduate studies in the field they are pursuing can help with entrance requirements.
Grad Orientation Week Recordings 2023
Welcome to the Grad Program
Math 101: What Math is Right for Me?
What Course Type to Choose?
Learning Commons
Science 10 and Beyond!
Creating a Plan for a Successful Year
HCOS Graduation
Are you Ready for Grade 10?
Student Panel
Combined Course Offerings
English 10 - So Many Choices!
Brightspace/Encom: What Students and Parents Need to Know
Provincial Assessments
Planning for the Future
Thinking Ahead: BCeID, Scholarships and Student Awards
Student Support Centre
Breakfast Club
Grad Planner - FAQ
What is the purpose of the Grad Planner?
As students complete Grades 10-12 in British Columbia, they begin building their transcript and accumulating credits towards a diploma. The Grad Planner module in Encom is used for planning and tracking student progress through the various graduation requirements in BC.
The Grad Planner seen in Encom reflects the graduation program a student is currently enrolled in, either Dogwood, Adult Graduation or School Completion Certificate. It is meant to be a simple tool used to understand graduation requirements and a student’s current standing at any point in time.
Who sets up the Grad Planner?
When a student first connects with their Grad Advisor (GA) and prepares to enter the grad program at Flex, the GA will initiate the set-up of the Grad Planner. If you think your Grad Planner still needs to be set up, please contact your GA.
When a GA initially sets up a Grad Planner, they will:
- Pull any existing final marks for grade 10-12 courses already completed with HCOS.
- Manually enter marks for grade 10-12 courses completed at other schools as reported on the the student’s transcript.
- Manually enter external credits for extracurricular programs the student has completed.
As the GA continues to support a student through grades 10-12, further updates to the Grad Planner may include:
- Automatic updates to course marks and credits earned as a student receives final grades on HCOS report cards.
- Adding courses the student plans to take in the future. These are easily removed or changed if plans or required courses change.
- Adding ‘suggested’ courses that the GA feels would help meet graduation requirements or pathway to the student’s post secondary aspirations.
- Adding course marks and credits for courses or external credits completed at another institution while the student is in the Grad program.
Who can view the Grad Planner?
The grad planner in a student’s Encom profile is viewable and printable by the student, the parents, course teachers, Grad Advisors, IE case managers, and administrators.
Grad Advisors and Grad Program administrators are the only ones who have the ability to update, edit or alter the Grad Planner.
How is the Planner updated?
Once created, the Grad Planner will automatically update when HCOS course information changes. This includes updates when:
- a student enrols in a course
- a student becomes active in a course
- a final course grade is entered on the HCOS report card
- a student withdraws from a course
Grad Advisors will manually update Grad Planners when:
- a student moves to a different graduation program
- a student informs them they have completed a cross-enrolled course
- a student informs them of completed External Credit programs.
What if I change Graduation programs at some point?
The Grad Planner module is designed to automatically update whenever a Grad Advisor or Grad Program administrator changes the graduation program that a student is enrolled in.
For example, if a student decides at 18 to pursue an Adult Graduation Program, the GA would make that change in Encom and the Grad Planner module will automatically update to reflect the requirements for that program. It will also automatically pull any relevant course information from the previous version of the planner.
What do the different icons within the planner mean?
There is a legend at the top of the Grad Planner that explains what each colour and symbol mean.
Additionally, see the Grad Planner for Families page here for more detailed explanation of the most commonly seen icons and colours.
Can I print a copy of my Grad Planner?
Yes! To generate a print or pdf copy of your Grad Planner, navigate to the top of your Grad Planner, where you will see a Download PDF button. Click on that button and it will save a PDF of the Grad Planner which you can print.
Please note, your electronic grad planner will automatically update when courses are completed, so be sure you are working with the most recent version of your grad planner when planning future courses.
Who do I contact if I have questions about the Grad Planner?
Please contact your Grad Advisor if you have any questions.
Grad Program Course Planning Worksheet
British Columbia Dogwood Graduation Program Planner
- You are funded in BC until you are 19 years old, giving you the option to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses or arrange your schedule more flexibly (ex. take two months and go on a missions trip).
- In the Scheduled column, indicate the month and year (e.g. 09/2019) you plan to start that course during this school year. In that column, also indicate Semester 1 (S1), Semester 2 (S2), or Linear (L) depending on your planned pacing for each course. You will have one calendar year from the date of registration to complete a course so sometimes it is advisable to add a course later in the year than September to give yourself the maximum amount of time to complete.
- In the Date Completed column, indicate the month and year (e.g. 06/2020) that you completed the course.
- Feel free to Print this template. If you use the options in the top right corner, you can print to PDF and then physically print a hard copy to complete.
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To see a list of all courses offered, detailed information about a course, and the teacher for the upcoming school year, please click here.
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If at any time you would like a guest pass to view a grade level of our Online Curriculum and Courses, please contact the office (office@onlineschool.ca) for a Guest Username and Password. Please make sure that you specify the which grade you'd like the pass for.
| Required BC Ministry Courses | Credits | Scheduled | Date Completed |
| English Language Arts Module 1 | 2 | ||
| English Language Arts Module 2 | 2 | ||
| Social Studies 10 | 4 | ||
| Science 10 | 4 | ||
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Mathematics 10 - one of...
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4 | ||
| Physical and Health Education 10 | 4 | ||
| English Language Arts 11 | 4 | ||
| Social Studies 11 or 12 | 4 | ||
| Science 11 or 12 | 4 | ||
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Mathematics 11 or 12 |
4 | ||
| English Studies 12 | 4 | ||
| Career Life Education | 4 | ||
| Career Life Connections with Capstone Project | 4 | ||
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1 Fine Arts OR 1 Applied Skills course (at the grade 10, 11 or 12 level) |
4 | ||
| Literacy Assessment Grade 10 | |||
| Numeracy Assessment Grade 10 | |||
| Literacy Assessment Grade 12 | |||
| Total Credits: | 52 | ||
| Locally Developed Courses (minimum of 8 credits required for HCOS Certificate) | Credits | Scheduled | Date Completed |
| Christian Studies Modules | |||
| 1. | 2 | ||
| 2. | 2 | ||
| 3. | 2 | ||
| 4. | 2 | ||
| Or 4 credit offerings such as Adventure Discipleship, Humanities etc. | |||
| 1. | 4 | ||
| 2. | 4 | ||
| Total Credits: | 8 | ||
| Additional Grade 10 through 12 Credits | Credits | Scheduled | Date Completed |
| Foreign Language (if planning to attend university, up to Grade 11) |
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| Total Credits Required: | 20 minimum | ||
| Total Credits Required to Graduate: | 80 credits | ||
- Of the 80 credits needed for graduation, at least 16 must come from Grade 12 level courses.
If your student is considering a post-secondary university education, BE SURE to check to see if they require a Language 11 course as part of their Admissions criteria. Also check to see if they have any other specific course requirements.
Math Course Options and Streams
This page provides information regarding the various courses and streams a student can take at HCOS for Math
Students in Grade 10 will have to make a decision regarding what Math courses to take
Things to consider when choosing a Math Stream:
- Students need a math 11 or 12 course credit in order to graduate with a Dogwood diploma.
- Students can still go to university or college without taking the Foundations & Pre-Calculus Math Route. However students may not be able to enter into the Sciences or Engineering streams.
- Pre-Calculus 12 should be taken if interested in going to a top level university.
- Nursing Programs or Business Programs usually require Pre-Calculus 11 or Foundations 12.
- Students interested in going into trades should take Apprenticeship Math 12
- Workplace Math 10 is the prerequisite for either Workplace Math 11 or Apprenticeship 12
- Work Place Math 11 and Apprenticeship 12 are equivalent in workload and difficulty.
If you’d like to find out the content that is covered in a particular course please view the Course Description Website
Monitoring Progress & Official Reporting
Your Student's Schedule
Each of our dedicated Course Specialist teachers are there to support your student in their learning journey. Teachers can help set up course schedules, but it is best that you as the parent collaborate with your student to decide on the best schedule.
At the Grad Program level, each courses roughly takes 100-120 hours of work. Be sure that the schedule takes this into account. Generally, students should be dedicating 25-30 hours per week for specific course work, with additional time required for reading and research. This time allotment is standard for completing four courses per semester (an 18 week period).
Course Progress
Be sure you know your student’s Bright Space User Name and Password (this can be set up in Encom). Until you are sure your student is on pace, please log in every week to monitor your student’s progress.
You or your student should always contact the teacher if they need assistance, or would like to reset their schedule. They are there to help!
Proctored Exams
For some core courses, students will need to write a supervised Proctored Exam. This is at the teacher’s discretion and the student and parent will be notified by the teacher. At that time, the teacher will also inform the parent and student about the process of proctoring and how that exam mark is weighed.
Official Report Cards
If your student has an Active Date (having completed 5-10% or more of a course) they will receive a term report card until they are done. Term report cards are posted in Encom in January and the end of June. Interim reports may also be sent home at any time to update parents and students on their course progress or areas of concern.
In Encom, there is the option to print out the report if you would like a paper copy.
If you do not see a report for a course your student is active in, please get in touch with Bri Dyck, Director of Flex Academy
Ministry of Education Official Transcripts
We regularly submit final grades to the Ministry of Education and they post them onto the student transcript usually about four weeks after the school has submitted. Students can check on their transcript here. If you have any questions about your transcript, please contact your Grad Advisor or the Director of Flex Academy.
Grade 12 students can also request a copy of their final transcript at the same web-page above.
Note: you will need your PEN (Personal Education Number) in order to order your transcript. This can be found in Encom. If you need assistance, please contact your Grad Advisor.
Provincial Assessments - Literacy and Numeracy
What is a Provincial Assessment?
There are three provincial assessments that Grad program students need to take.
Grade 10 Graduation Numeracy Assessment
The Graduation Numeracy Assessment (GNA) is a provincial assessment written in Grade 10. It is a graduation requirement. The GNA is based on mathematical concepts learned across multiple subjects from kindergarten to Grade 10, with an emphasis on K–9. It requires students to solve problems by using the five numeracy processes (different ways of thinking and working): interpret, apply, solve, analyze and communicate.
HCOS has written a free resource for grad program students to access to help prepare for the Numeracy 10 assessment. To access the resource, click on this link: https://lms.onlineschool.ca/course/view.php?id=2741. Students can self-enrol in this online module, and simply need to contact their GA for the enrolment key to complete the enrolment steps.
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- When a student is finished with this free tool they can unenrol themselves from the Moodle course by clicking 'Unenrol me from NAM' as seen in the image below.
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Ministry Resources for Numeracy 10 Assessment
Grade 10 Graduation Literacy Assessment
The Grade 10 Graduation Literacy Assessment (GLA 10) assesses students' ability to use critical thinking and analysis to make meaning from a diverse array of texts. It also assesses the ability of students to communicate their ideas. GLA 10 is not based on a particular course but on learning across multiple subjects, from kindergarten to Grade 10.
Ministry Resources for Literacy 10 Assessment
Grade 12 Graduation Literacy Assessment
The Grade 12 Graduation Literacy Assessment (GLA 12) is currently under development by the ministry and more information will be provided as released.
Ministry Resources for Literacy 12 Assessment
Who needs to take a Provincial Assessment?
| Students Graduating with a Dogwood Diploma | Adult Students Graduating with the Adult Dogwood Diploma |
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Students must complete:
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Students graduating with an Adult Dogwood are not required to complete any of the provincial assessments. They can however, choose to complete an assessment.
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Students on a School Completion path are not required to write any provincial assessments in the Grad program.
Why do students need to take a Provincial Assessment?
The three provincial assessments are a required part of the graduation program in BC. Students who wish to graduate with a BC Dogwood Diploma must write the provincial assessments. Students who are not yet declared Adult Graduation Program students (AGP) are also required to take the assessments. Once declared, the assessments are no longer required to earn an AGP however, they may be required by post-secondary institutions. Students should verify the admission requirements for any post-secondary institution they plan on applying to.
For more information, or if you have any further questions, please contact your Grad Advisor.
General Information
- Provincial assessments are scheduled for two hours but all students are allowed an additional third hour if they need it. If a student is entitled to additional time, it is added beyond the third hour.
- The Ministry of Education (MoE) typically gives a window of a few days in which schools can schedule provincial assessments.
- The MoE does not specify a specific start time. HCOS typically tries to start at either 9:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m.
- Students who are declared (over 18) Adult Dogwood Program (AGP) are not required to take provincial assessments.
- Please carefully consider whether a student actually needs a private setting (i.e., a room in which they are the only student writing) or whether a quiet setting with a few students writing may be sufficient.
- HCOS is required to register each student who is writing at an HCOS location (group setting or private) with the MoE. If a student is not registered, they are able to walk into a location that is offering the exam, but a seat is not guaranteed.
- Case managers of IE students are required to make arrangements for their students. If you are an IE student, please contact your Case Manager or GA for more information and help with these arrangements.
The Role of the Grad Advisor
In the grad program at Flex Academy, students are connected with a Grad Advisor. The Grad Advisor works alongside students and families throughout their time in the grad program to help plan, support and guide students to successfully complete grade 12.
Grad Advisors are typically available during regular school hours to connect with students and families. They are willing and able to communicate in a variety of ways, including email, phone calls, in-person meetings or Zoom chats. Below is a brief outline of what your Grad Advisor can help you with, and what things are outside of their responsibilities.
Grad Advisors are Responsible for:
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Knowing Students |
GA’s want to get to know students in order to understand a student's strengths and challenges. This helps them tailor a specific path to graduation for each student.
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Academic Advising and Course Selection |
This is the the main job of our Grad Advisors and it includes:
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Grad Planner |
GA’s update and maintain the grad planner tool in Encom. This represents a student’s current plan and path to graduation. |
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Share Relevant Community Information |
GA’s will communicate general information as it is made available. Throughout the year this may include:
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Student Record Transfers |
Ga’s will facilitate the transfer of student records and information to new schools when students leave Flex Academy.
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Grad Advisors may also:
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Give advice, share ideas, brainstorm options |
GA’s may give advice on or suggest potential careers or areas of study that line up with student interests and abilities. This will vary among GA’s as each of them have different life experiences and areas of expertise. |
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Discuss Provincial Assessment preparation |
GA’s can provide guidance to help plan, register, and prepare for Provincial Assessments
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Write Reference Letters |
With enough time and information provided, GA’s are willing to write reference letters for scholarships and post secondary applications.
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Grad Advisors do not:
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Act on behalf of a course instructor or teacher |
GA’s will not respond to or interpret course specific questions or instructions (interpret teacher emails etc).
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Complete application forms for students |
Post Secondary Applications
Scholarship Applications
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Provide regular, daily support for students |
GA’s do not monitor student work, activity, or engagement of students in their courses (or with teachers) on a daily basis to report to parents. It is the responsibility of the parent to maintain the ongoing, regular oversight of their student as they work through their grade 10-12 courses.
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Set up LS/IE Assessments or Services |
This is the responsibility of the Flex Academy IE Coordinator. They will contact you directly once the referral process is completed. |
Transferring to Flex Academy from within HCOS
The Ministry of Education expects that when a student is enrolled in courses in more than one school, the school that holds the majority of courses is designated as the school of record (SOR). Flex Academy is both a division of HCOS, and a separate school entity from HCOS. So, this presents a few quirks that needs to be navigated.
Families of students cross-enrolling wth Flex Academy will need to be aware of a few aspects of cross-enrollment. This page gives helpful information on the subject.
Transitioning from Grade 9
Welcome to the Grad Program!
This page is to help you understand some of the ins and outs and changes as you move from Grade 9 to Grade 10. At any time, if the information is confusing please feel free to reach out to your Grad Advisor (GA). They are your sidekick through your grad years!
Student Support
There are lots of resources and people to support your student's learning journey:
- The Office - office@flex.academy
- Your Grad Advisor - check Encom under your Home information:
Your Grad Advisor is the one to answer any questions you have about the grad program, requirements, course selection - the list goes on! - Your Student's Teachers - each course, online or individualized, has a course specialist teacher at the grad program level. Please feel welcome to reach out at anytime to have discussions, or check in to see where you student is at.
- Director of Flex Academy - Bri Dyck, bri.dyck@flex.academy
- Inclusive Education (IE) Department - Learning Services (LS) and Inclusive Education. If this is something you feel your student could benefit from, please bring it up in discussion with your Grad Advisor who can connect you to the right person on the team!
Prerequisite Courses
Although the ministry does not mandate prerequisite courses - having taken a specific course before being able to take another - it is highly recommended that in core subject areas you have completed the prior grade level.
Core Courses: Mathematics, Sciences, English Language Arts and Social Studies
For example, to take Foundations and PreCalculus Math 10, it is expected that a student has successfully demonstrated completion of a Math 9 course.
Course Types
The Flex Academy grad program currently has three different types of course offerings, all with subject specialist teachers:
(Moodle will be for students who are finishing courses in 2023; otherwise, we have transitioned to Brightspace).
- Flex Academy Hybrid Courses
Flex Hybrid courses are a creative blend of online and in-person learning. These courses use Bright Space as a platform to structure the learning journey and are teacher-directed. Teachers post material for students to follow along with in a synchronized fashion. Teachers host learning labs for students where they engage in hands-on learning related to the course material. - Flex Academy Traditional in-person courses. Flex Academy offers a variety of in-person elective courses in Physical Education, the Sciences and the Arts.
- HCOS Online Courses
These courses are hosted in Bright Space, and all the of the learning activities and resources are provided for the students to complete. Curriculum is designed by the HCOS team and directed by an HCOS teacher. Parent involvement is encouraged, though not required.
All courses follow the modernized curriculum and the content outcomes, curricular competencies, core competencies, big ideas as well as biblical worldview integrations.
Please feel free to check out the ministry curriculum here.
Starting in 2023, during your Grade 9 year at Flex, you will have been able to try several online courses. Middle school students at Flex Academy will also complete several hybrid courses during their middle school years. This will greatly support students in their most flexible years at the Academy during the grad program, where they will have opportunities to schedule their course loads in a way that fits their needs.
While in middle school, students should participate in their learning by understanding what is expected from their teachers and communicating regularly to ask questions, seek clarification and let teachers know what works and doesn't work for them as learners. When students do this at younger ages with the support of their families, the transition to those discussions with the grad program teachers will be smoother.
For more tips and tricks about getting ready for the Grad Program, please click here.
Viewing Graduation Assessment Results and Your Transcript
This page provides information for students that would like to view their unofficial transcript or see the results of a Graduation Assessment Results.
Step 1: Create BCeID
To access your StudentTranscripts Services, you will need to sign up for a BCeID. If you already have a BCeID please go down to step 2.
- Complete the registration form for a Basic BCeID on the Ministry of Education's website
- Register for a Basic BCeID by entering your personal information. Use a personal email account that you will have for a number of years. When done, click continue.
- The next page will ask you to Register for StudentTranscripts. You will need information used by your School of Record (ex. Personal Education Number).
- You will receive a confirmation email indicating that you have registered for the BC Ministry of Education StudentTranscripts services. To complete the registration process you will need to activate your StudentTranscript Registration.
Be sure to keep your userID and password on file as you will need both for future use.
Step 2: Register for StudentTranscript Services
- Log in to StudentTranscript Services using your BCeID information (userID and password).
- Once logged in you will have access to:
- Transcripts & Certificates
- Account Information
- Marks & Scholarships
- System Notice(s)