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Hybrid Education FAQ

This page contains frequently asked questions & answers regarding Hybrid Education. We will continually update this FAQ page with new questions and answers as we receive them. 

What is HCOS?

Heritage Christian Online School is the sister school of Heritage Christian School. Previous to 2023, HCS and HCOS were two separate arms of Kelowna Christian Center Society. HCOS is the largest K-12 school in Western Canada and has been providing online learning for students in BC for the past 18 years. They have some offices here at our Badke location in Kelowna and also have staff that work at locations throughout the province. In addition to providing online courses for students, they also run over 20 face-to-face campuses which provide one day per week classroom instruction for online students. With over 7000 students and 200 teachers in Kindergarten to Grade 12, HCOS is a vibrant school that has proven its ability to uphold its mission: To develop innovative Christ-centered educational opportunities for learners to explore and embrace God’s unique purpose. 

What is Hybrid Education? 

A Hybrid school combines online instruction with onsite, face-to-face interaction in a way that supports personalized, inquiry-based learning for students. In a Hybrid School, students are still learning from certified teachers in a school setting with online education acting as a resource to support and expand student learning opportunities. 

A hybrid school:

  • Frees students and teachers from constraints of time and space,
  • Allows teachers to focus on relationships with students, and
  • Encourages students to envision and pursue their interests, linking academics to careers, jobs, internships, sports, arts - or whatever captivates each student:

Is Hybrid like the at-home learning that my child did in 2020 at the onset of  the pandemic? 

No - this Hybrid school model will be completely different from the emergency program that schools implemented at the onset of the pandemic. The pandemic response was rapid and unplanned; it caught all of us by surprise. It was our best effort given the difficult circumstances.  In contrast, Flex Academy has been planned intentionally and thoughtfully.

The following outlines some of the ways that Flex Academy will be different from emergency remote learning and also the ways that it would be different from online learning. 

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How would this look for the early years of a child’s education? 

For K-Grade 5, students would attend school 5 days a week. They would experience a predominantly teacher-led, learner focused program under the umbrella of HCOS. Classroom learning would be facilitated by teachers who would have close relationships with their students.  Personalized learning further bolstered by EAs would allow students to focus on passion areas and be supported in foundational academics while growing their independence as learners. This level of classroom and teacher support would be provided through robust ProD and education for staff and adequate student to teacher ratios to ensure student success. 

How would this look in the middle years of a student’s education? 

Beginning in Grade 5 and through to Grade 9, students would experience an increasingly personalized blended program.  Students would still be on site 3.5-4 days per week depending on their age and support needs. Students would  work together with other students and their teachers and support staff in a campus setting. They would have the opportunity to take part in exploratory days, independent programming, and have opportunities to pursue  and explore their own learning goals. Depending on the student’s goals and learning path, this education could happen on site or off site. All of this would be facilitated by face-to-face instruction and relational connection with their teachers. Where appropriate and conducive to the student’s educational program, students would take online courses or courses that are a mix of online and in-person.  

How would this look in high school? 

In high school, students would attend a campus program 2-3 days a week depending on their programming  and individualized learning plan. The focus in this age group is on developing students' independent learning skills, personal interests, and building bridges into their post-secondary plans. A flexible schedule would allow students to pursue aspirations in apprenticeship programs, gaining career experience, and preparing for post secondary studies. Again, all of this learning and planning would be guided and facilitated by face-to-face time with teachers who would support students and provide guidance, accountability, and care. 

How often would my child be on-site having a campus learning experience? 

Depending on a student’s age, first and foremost, and their academic program, as they get older, students would be on site from 3-5 days per week depending on their course program and their families' needs. However, as students grow and their learning and educational pursuits take them beyond the classroom, this could also mean that their schedule is more flexible, allowing for shorter school days, more out-of-school learning opportunities, and other experiences.

I’m concerned that online school means lots of screen time? 

During the emergency remote learning that schools underwent during the pandemic, “hybrid” meant a lot of “Room and Zoom” - teachers engaging with some students while others watched from home. This, by and large, has not been successful for students or for teachers. In this model, Google Classroom course packages and use of software  like Zoom were tools that enabled us to do what we could given the challenging circumstances. In a hybrid model built with intention and students at the center, the best tools are used to accomplish the purpose;  technology is not the “only” tool. Relationship remains the primary concern of teachers in a hybrid school and the intentional and measured use of technology actually frees up teacher time to focus on student care. Student needs and progress are carefully monitored, digital skills and effective use of technology are taught, and well-being is a priority.  

What if my child is in Middle School and they can’t be at home alone on the days where they  don’t have any on site programming? 

We will always have a 5-day/week school program for all students. Students can do their virtual learning on site with support staff and supervision.

What would I need to do from home to support my child in a Hybrid model? 

Family support depends on the child - their age, their learning goals, and their educational program. In the foundational years, the majority of educational experiences and learning progression would be overseen by and facilitated by the teacher. However, as students enter the middle and high school years, parents can play an important role in supporting students' out-of-school learning endeavors. This could include supporting your child as they engage in an out-of-school learning program by driving them to and from an event, or by supporting your child’s passion areas - their participation in sports, engagement in work experience, or exploration of different hobbies. 

Ultimately, every family is different and every student is different. Hybrid aims to support both students and their families in the shared journey of education. For parents who  are at home, this can afford different opportunities to engage alongside their child and for those that work during the week, Hybrid can alleviate after-school activity pressure by allowing students to participate in passion areas during the school-day hours, creating more time for families to connect during evenings and weekends. 

 Do other Hybrid Schools exist? 

Yes - even though Hybrid education is a relatively new concept to us, this is a proven model that is already successful at a number of schools. We have listed a few of these below. Feel free to check them out! 

 

 

 

 

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