FAQs & Inquiries
Do we need to live in BC for my student to attend RCOA?
Answer: As long as you retain a BC residence, you can attend RCOA. You may temporarily live elsewhere or travel during the school year for work or pleasure.
If RCOA is my school of record, can my child cross-enroll for classes elsewhere?
Answer: In grades 8-12, students may cross-enroll for less than 50% of their learning at another school offering a program which perhaps is not available with RCOA. The enrolment of this program is managed by the family as they plan for this option with the other school. All school records and final grades are submitted to the School of Record which is where more than 50% of their courses are being completed. RCOA also offers cross-enrolment options for high school students attending school elsewhere once a Cross-Enrolment Application has been completed.
What learning options are available? Can I choose a combination of methods? (Online/Virtual/F2F)
Answer: Online, Virtual and Face-to-Face programming are options available with RCOA. Online programming is self-paced and overseen by a teacher who will grade, comment and respond to inquiries. Virtual programming features connecting with a teacher and peers in a virtual Zoom environment. Face-to-Face programming is our in-person option which hosts PIE, Community Clubs, Explorations Clubs, and other Events (K-7). High school students can participate in Homeroom HUB (gr. 8-9), HUM (gr. 10-12) which combine more than one subject area or single class options with a teacher and peers in multiple locations throughout the lower mainland and Vancouver Island. Additionally, a variety of options are available in Virtual and Online Courses for high school students.
Can a registered home learner take face-to-face classes?
Answer: Yes, students registered with RCOA are welcome to attend a number of our virtual and in-person programs. They can attend all clubs but not classes (ie PIE) unless at the grade 10-12 level they enroll in the course(s) associated with the class.
Will Learners receive feedback and report cards throughout the year?
Answer: Online Learners (Enrolled and Cross-Enrolled) will receive comments, grades and report cards for their assignments and report cards throughout the year. Comments are posted on the Learning Management System (LMS) platforms that we use for submission of evidences of learning. Report Cards are posted on OTIS in each of the three terms.
Does RCOA send us a curriculum package for a full year of learning?
Answer: RCOA does not send families a pre-chosen curriculum package. We will help you narrow down and choose the best resources for you and your children. We also have an extensive library that you’ll have access to for the entire year.
Must I purchase the curriculum/teacher’s manuals for each subject?
Answer: This is not always necessary. For the younger grades, most parents do not need the teacher’s manual. The manual, however, does give you many teaching tips and alternatives, which new teaching parents may find useful. We carry many teacher’s manuals in our RCOA library for popular homeschool curriculum programs that can be borrowed for the full year.
How do I access curriculum and resources for my learner (at no additional cost)?
Answer: We have a library that is fully available to our Enrolled learners and a limited library available to our Registered learners (for a $100 deposit). We also offer many online resources through subscriptions and our online library called Sora.
Are online subscriptions available for my learner?
Answer: Yes, we have several online Subscriptions that we offer to our Enrolled learners. They are Mystery Science, Brain POP (also available in French), Enchanted Learning, Generation Genius, Currents 4 Kids (grades 3-7), Math Seeds (grades K-3) and Mathletics (grades 4-7).
Are there events or activities for my learner available outside of a classroom setting?
Answer: In additon to year-long clubs and classes, RCOA hosts many events and activities throughout the year for learners to meet and connect with peers in various regions in BC. These are posted on our sign-up system in OTIS.
My learner is taking music/art/sports (etc.) lessons, how can this apply to their learning plan?
Answer: These extra-curricular activities are a wonderful addition to your learning plan and they can all be used towards fulfilling your child’s grade requirements. You can submit photos and videos of these activities to your support teacher on Seesaw and Canvas to keep them up-to-date on the student’s new skills.
How can we connect with other home learning families for support and community?
Answer: RCOA hosts Zoom meetings (monthly) to engage our families in relevant topic info nights, key speakers and home learning tips. RCOA and community families post a variety of events from ice skating to playgroups in the park on the RCOA Facebook community. Meeting other families connected to your local in-person programming is a great way to build your home learning community and support.
