We have been receiving many calls and questions about this new program. Here is a sampling that we thought would be helpful to potential parents and students interested in this program. The application form goes online on the Kelly Road website at 10am on Thursday January 19th.
Q: Can any student come to the program?
A: Yes any student in regular programs can enter the program.
Q: What is the criteria for becoming a NLC student and who makes the decision to accept a student into NLC??
A: 3 basic criteria – a completed application, have a laptop computer or other tablet like device, (assistance is available to those students that are unable to afford their own) and best fit based on grade level, interests, maturity, ability to show interests. The school will have a committee that will go through applications.
Q: Do you have to have a “core” group of students wanting to do the same type of activity in order for a teacher to teach it?
A: No. When possible we will be looking to see if we can group students, but we are also wanting students to explore their interests and allow them to go off and become experts in the area in which they are interested in.
Q: Can student graduate with a regular Dogwood?
In other words – when and how are core courses completed as per Ministry requirements?
A: Yes students will be graduating as all the other students in the school. The program is still offering the same learning outcomes for the core courses as prescribed by the Ministry of Education. The difference is the way the learning outcomes are learned and reported.
Q: Is there a cost for the program?
A: There is a cost for this program. Students will need a portable computer. (assistance is available to those students that are unable to afford their own)
Q: Once in the NLC can a student change back to the regular program at a later grade?
A: Yes, student can go back into the regular stream. In the future if the program is successful we hope to add other grades.
How do we measure the success of this program?
Q: As a student?
A: Student survey – we will be developing a survey to ask if we are being successful in meeting their needs academically, socially and emotionally.
Q: As a parent?
A: Survey to see if their children are more excited to go to school, working harder due to more engagement and ultimately being more successful
Q: As teachers?
A: Once teachers are hired for the NLC they will be working on curriculum and criteria for success.
Q: Is this program open city wide or just catchment area?
A: Yes it is open to all students in School District #57
Q: Out of Catchment is there bus support?
A: No, just like other choice programs it is up to the parents to provide transportation if the student is outside the Kelly Road catchment.
Q: Regular school hours?
A: Yes – we are asking if a group of students may want to start earlier in the day, if we can get a cohort of students that want to start earlier in the day and finish earlier – we will try and accommodate, similar to an X block offered in other schools.
In PBL students now can integrate their learning across the different subject areas and being engaged in what they are learning about. This model of learning allows students to make real life connections to what they are learning, what matters to them.
