All students enrolled in NCDES programs receive the following:
A wealth of up-to-date, materials and supplies that directly support the BC Ministry of Education curriculum.
We loan all the necessary textbooks for all courses, and a wealth of ancillary resources such as audio and videotapes, CDs and DVDs. For science courses we provide all the necessary lab supplies as well as lab-quality microscopes when they are required..
The opportunity to be involved in significant decisions about your child’s educational program
Our B.C. certified teachers are responsive and flexible in bringing together the provincial curriculum and your educational needs. They will work with you to ensure that both your values and the requirements of the Ministry are met.
Regular feedback on your (or your child’s) progress.
Teachers will report to you at least five times per year, though their support can be much greater than this if you wish to have an ongoing dialogue about thinking and learning strategies.
You will have the opportunity to participate in BC standards testing including the FSA and Gates-McGinnitie language tests.
These important standardized instruments can provide you with very solid information about your child’s progress relative to others province- or nation-wide.
We use information technology to provide students with a new, higher level of interaction with both their peers and with their teachers.
We provide online units, web quests, and direct contact with your teacher through email. Using the First Class software we provide, you can virtually meet with other students and take part in the online communities of learning that reach across the nine B.C. distance education schools
Parents, too, can benefit from opportunities to meet with a virtual community of other parents
With strong technical expertise throughout our staff, we are always there to help you with technical problems.
A variety of learning environments
Students can choose to participate as much as they wish in the online world. For some courses, they may wish to choose more traditional self-paced instructional materials using our paper-based courses. Additionally, we have made arrangements with “brick & mortar” schools for our students to take as many as two courses per year in regular attendance.
Even more support from your teachers
Teachers in grades K – 10 are now using the B.C. Performance Standards to inform their discussions with parents. This means you will enjoy specific information about your child’s progress, and you will have at your fingertips the tools you need to understand their current skill level and know which steps come next.
Accountability
NCDES has a Parents Advisory Committee as well as a School Planning Council. These groups are responsive to your input and are key to shaping the school and its way of meeting your needs.
And more . . . .
- A Learning Resource Teacher on staff.
- Online computer training and support
- Adapted and modified programs to meet individual needs
- Regular newsletters
- Comprehensive report cards
- A yearly Student Planner with room to plan and lots of neat information.
