Lower Mainland
This web page is where you, as a Lower Mainland student can come and see what is going on in our area and the greater Lower Mainland. Please don't forget to checkout the pages for school wide information.
~ Mr. Brad Lemon
Community Connections Classes - Update
CC Grade 10: We will meet for 24 face-to-face sessions on Fridays at Northview Community Church; you can choose Math from 9-11:30am and/or Science from 12-2:30 to work through these challenging courses in a collaborative and supportive setting! Science 10 will focus on hands-on activities and experiments as we delve into genetics, energy transformations, astronomy, and chemistry. Darlene Unger will address and enhance the course content with robust in-class discussions, informative stations labs and engaging group activities. Foundations of Math and Pre-Calculus 10 will be taught by Ryan Johnston, who has taught various math courses at HCOS for over 10 years. He will explain and demonstrate through direct teaching in class and will cover exponent laws, polynomials, functions, linear relations, systems of equations, trigonometry, and financial literacy.
At Abbotsford CC we plan to offer courses for grades 10-12 in Social Studies/History, English and Career Life Education. For grade 11 and 12, there will be a choice between Career Life Education 10 and Career Life Connections 12, Social Studies 11 and History 12 as well as English 11 (for 10/11 students) and English First Peoples 11 or 12. In discussion with parents and grad administrators, we are trying to provide as many courses that our students need for graduation as possible in a face-to-face face setting. We also plan to align the course blocks for our grade 10/11 and grade 11/12 classes so that students can take whichever Careers course they still require. Classes are at Gateway Community Church on Tuesdays from 9 to 3.
At Langley CC we plan to offer Social Studies, English and Christian Studies to grade 10 and 11 students, using topics from the grade 10 year which current Langley CC students can all take next year as it's alternate content than they received in 2022/23. Experienced teachers will provide meaningful learning with robust in-class discussions and engaging group activities. Classes are at Christian Life Assembly on Thursdays from 8:45 to 2:45.
At Chilliwack CC we plan to offer Social Studies, English and Christian Studies to grade 10 and 11 students, using topics from the grade 11 year which are appropriate to both grade levels. Kevin Krikke is returning and will engage students in meaningful learning with discussion to develop character, critical thinking and other competencies. Join us for classes at Salvation Army Church on Brooks Ave on Thursdays from 9:30 - 3:15.
The application links for these will open in late April/early May. If you would like to be put on the waiting pool list for a CC that you're not currently at, please sign up here
The application links will be first emailed to those currently at a CC and then to those in the waiting pool list for each CC. If you have questions, you can email Andria Lengkeek at alengkeek@onlineschool.ca.
Hello HCOS Families,
Funds for our Enrolled and Registered families are available through the Student and Family Affordability Grant to help subsidize certain Learning Camps and enable students to participate. The BC Student Affordability Grant is for any Heritage families who will benefit from it. On upcoming LG applications, there will be a question for you to select the option of whether or not you wish to use Student Affordability Grant funds to subsidize the cost of the camp.
Coming Soon!
May 23rd : Banff National Park Blazing Trails (Virtual)
May 31st : Camp Charis Adventure Day (Chilliwack)
June 1st : Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary (Virtual)
June 6, 7 & 8th : Mountain Biking (Fernie)
June 9th : Ben Lee Water Park (Kelowna)
June 14th : Deep Cove Kayaking (Vancouver)
June 26th : Cultus Lake Waterpark (Chilliwack)
Visit the LG website regularly to see when applications are open in your area!
Sign up for e-alerts to receive an email as events are posted and applications open up.
Abbotsford Ignite Theatre: Beauty and the Beast - Buy your tickets today!
Get ready to be amazed and inspired as our HCOS students take the stage to bring you a very high-caliber production of the extraordinary tale of Beauty and the Beast! This iconic Disney masterpiece beautifully captures the essence of trust, redemption, love, true beauty, and the power of family. We wholeheartedly invite you to “be our guest!”, as we unveil this breathtaking story during performances on Thursday, May 25th [Cast 1], Friday, May 26th [Cast 2] at 7 pm, and Saturday, May 27th at 1 pm and 7 pm in the HUB International Theatre at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre.
We are absolutely thrilled and deeply grateful to our PAC for their immense support in making this possible, allowing us to offer you discounted ticket prices. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity! Act fast and secure your spot to witness this awe-inspiring play at an unbeatable price, which ENDS THURSDAY, May 11 at midnight!
Buy your Thursday and Friday tickets here: https://cvent.me/32VQv3?RefId=Ignite+Beauty+and+the+Beast+Tickets+2022-2023
*Ticket sales are final and non-refundable, so please choose your date and quantities carefully. More information for all shows is available at ignitetheatre.ca. We look forward to seeing you in the seats!
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Here are the Lower Mainland opportunities currently available for application:
Powell River Outdoor Education
Date: Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Time: 9:30 am - 2:00 pm
Suitable for: Kindergarten - Grade 10
Here are the Interior/Kootenay opportunities currently available for application:
Baynes Lake Elk Rim Trail
Date: Monday, May 15, 2023
Time: 10 am - 2 pm
Suitable for: Families
The Latest from Learning Groups:
Dear Learning Commons patrons,
Summer is almost here and outdoor adventures are calling. Don’t let the summer slide happen! We would love to encourage your students to stay reading and writing during the summer with our SORA Sweet Reads Contest.
June 21st is National Indigenous Day. We celebrate the Indigenous Peoples of BC with the following collections on SORA. Scroll through the curated collections by grade groups. Find some activities in Twinkl under National Indigenous Day here.
Student Corner
A new sticker art project has been posted in the Student Corner. We invite you all to join the fun!
Sora
Sweet Reads Contest– Summer 2023
Book Highlight! - Bob and Larry's Creation Vacation
Book Highlight! - Helen Keller: The Story of My Life
Physical Commons
Booking for the Summer and next school year.
50% Off Sale on Deep Discounts now.
Books Galore and More Sale - in person in Kelowna and online starting June 19th! Read the details here!
As the end of the school year draws to a close please do not forget to send your Library resources back to the physical commons. If you need help please reach out to Kelly Wiebe, shipping@onlineschool.ca
Subscriptions
BC Historical Newspapers - read about them here.
Teaching Books - 3-2-1: Ways to Engage Readers Over the Summer and Gear Up for Fall!
Remember that all of your passwords can be found in the Search Portal.
If you are new to the Learning Commons and have yet to receive a welcome letter, please read this overview. Feel free to reach out to us on Live Chat here from 9-3 pm on school days. Or reach out after hours, and a ticket will be sent to our team. We will be happy to respond later with an email.
Dear Learning Commons patrons,
Welcome to May and summer! 😀
We are gearing up for a hot summer! Find some cool shade and read some awesome new books in our Learning Commons.
Sora
Book Highlight! – A Kind of Spark What happened to people who were “different” in the past? In some cases, someone we now know to be autistic might be considered cursed or worse! Join one Autistic girl as she finds out more about Autistic people in her town’s past.
Jewish Heritage Month and Asian Heritage Month are two curated highlights on SORA this May. New books here include budgeting, financial literacy, and lots of new fiction and non-fiction.
Curriculum
For those of you interested in last week’s webinar, Curriculum Selection Tools and Tips with Cynthia Duncalfe, here is the link to the recording and the slides.
Physical Commons
Booking for the Summer and next school year.
May is Mental Health Month. View resources here.
We have added new books and resources to the physical commons. Read more here.
Events
Poetry Contest - Our annual Learning Commons spring Poetry Contest is now open to all HCOS students! Calling all writers to join the fun!
Storytime - Margaret and Dewey the Dragon will read stories that are about other cultures, on May 17, 2023, at 10 am Pacific Time. Register Here.
Subscriptions
Learn360 has many titles to support well-being this month and throughout the year. Log in to Learn360 first, then select Well-Being Series, George Scraps His Sculpture, Multitasking Mania, Depression and Social Media or limit your search by grade and search mental health.
EVERFI has two financial courses for grades 9 - 12 that can help lessen stress over money: Minding Your Money, and Financial Literacy. Email Margaret Basaraba if you need access to this great resource available to all HCOS families.
KnowBC is a great summer vacation Subscription. Plan ahead. Read up on it here. KnowBC is free for the use of all HCOS families.
If you are new to the Learning Commons and have not received a welcome letter, please read this overview. Feel free to reach out to us on Live Chat here from 9-3 pm on school days. Or reach out after hours, and a ticket will be sent to our team. We will
be happy to reply later by email.
Grace and Peace from the Learning Commons team.
Hello HCOS Families,
The data is in; we have now hosted more Learning Camps this year than ever before, and the year isn’t over yet! We are so pleased to be able to offer opportunities for students to build relationships and learn new skills and knowledge. Thank you to all the office staff, administrators, teachers, EAs, and TAs who have made this possible 🥳
HCOS Connect is just around the corner! We look forward to sharing our CC and CC+ locations for the 2023-2024 school year and our anticipated Learning Camps at that time.
Funds for our Enrolled and Registered families are available through the Student and Family Affordability Grant to help subsidize certain Learning Camps and enable students to participate. The BC Student Affordability Grant is for any Heritage families who will benefit from it. On upcoming LG applications, there will be a question for you to select the option of whether or not you wish to use Student Affordability Grant funds to subsidize the cost of the camp.
Christian author Sigmund Brouwer is touring across BC teaching writing workshops!
Watch for these links coming soon!
May 1 : Richmond
May 2 : Langley
Visit the LG website regularly to see when applications are open in your area!
Coming Soon!
Some other anticipated events include:
May 12, 19 & June 1st : Gaelic Football (Vancouver)
May 12th : Wild Play (Maple Ridge)
May 25th : Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary (Virtual)
June 1st : Banff National Park Blazing Trails (Virtual)
June 26th : Cultus Lake Waterpark (Chilliwack)
Sign up for e-alerts to receive an email as events are posted and applications open up.
Abbotsford Ignite Theatre: Beauty and the Beast - tickets coming soon!
We are grateful for the support of PAC to reduce costs for HCOS Enrolled students to attend at 7pm on May 25 or May 26. Please note that HCOS enrolled students must purchase tickets through the Learning Groups website to receive a discounted ticket price; ticket purchases through the HUB/Chilliwack Cultural Ctr (phone or email) will be charged full price. More info coming very soon!
To celebrate Ignite Theatre's 10th Anniversary, we are pleased to be remounting and showcasing Beauty and the Beast, which is one of Disney’s best accomplishments at heralding the themes of trust, redemption, love, true beauty and family. Prince Adam, who is deeply entrenched in his narcissistic path, finds himself sentenced to life as a Beast, which outwardly reveals the ugliness of his selfish ways, until one day he is redeemed through the love of another. This transforming love heals his heart first followed by his beastly appearance, thus restoring him back to a Prince once more.
Public Shows will be held at the Chilliwack HUB Theatre. There are 7pm shows on May 25, 26 and 27th, with a matinee 1pm show on May 27th. Streaming shows will be available June 16-18th. Stay tuned for more information.
Here are the Virtual/Schoolwide opportunities currently available for application:
VIR Sigmund Brouwer Writing Workshop
Date: Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Time: 1:00 - 2:30 pm (PST)
Suitable for: Grades 4-9
Have your son or daughter join author Sigmund Brouwer online for a fun and motivating 1.5 hour writing workshop. This includes access to the HCOS virtual classroom with ebooks and other great writing resources that students can use after the workshop to help with all of their writing.
Details & Apply
Application Deadline: April 10th or when full
VIR Japanese Canadian History & Kayak Magazine
Date: Friday, April 21, 2023
Time: 10:00 - 11:00am (PST)
Suitable for: Grade 5+
Learn about the racism that led to these tragic events of de-homing, dispossession and forced relocation. Discover the journeys taken by the families of Dr. David Suzuki and NHL star, Nick Suzuki and their B.C. boat-building roots. Join HCOS teacher, Debbie Jiang, member of the Japanese Legacy Society's Teacher Education Team for a workshop about Japanese Canadian history from 1877 to present-day. Every participant will receive a copy of Issue #82 of Kayak Magazine, featuring Debbie's comic script about how Ken Hayashi saves the day.
Details & Apply
Application Deadline: April 5th (EXTENDED)
Here are the Lower Mainland opportunities currently available for application:
Chilliwack Sigmund Brouwer Writing Workshop
Date: Friday, April 21, 2023
Time: 9:00 - 11:30am
Suitable for: Grades 4-9
Have your son or daughter join author Sigmund Brouwer in-person for a fun and motivating 2.5 hour writing workshop. This includes a signed book and access to the HCOS virtual classroom with ebooks and other great writing resources that students can use after the workshop to help with all of their writing.
Details & Apply
Application Deadline: April 13th or when full
Abbotsford Sigmund Brouwer Writing Workshop
Date: Friday, April 21, 2023
Time: 1:00 - 3:30pm
Suitable for: Grades 4-9
Have your son or daughter join author Sigmund Brouwer in-person for a fun and motivating 2.5 hour writing workshop. This includes a signed book and access to the HCOS virtual classroom with ebooks and other great writing resources that students can use after the workshop to help with all of their writing.
Details & Apply
Application Deadline: April 13th or when full
Hello HCOS Families,
For our Enrolled and Registered families, there are funds available through the Student and Family Affordability Grant to help subsidize certain Learning Camps and enable students to participate. The BC Student Affordability Grant is for any Heritage families who will benefit from it. On upcoming LG applications, there will be a question for you to select the option of whether or not you wish to use Student Affordability Grant funds to subsidize the cost of the camp.
Christian author Sigmund Brouwer is touring across BC teaching writing workshops!
The deadline is Sunday, March 12, 2023
March 14 : Victoria - Sign up Here!
March 15 : Nanaimo Sign up Here!
March 16 : Campbell River Sign up Here!
March 17 : Port Alberni Sign up Here!
March 18 : Powell River Sign up Here!
Watch for these links coming soon!
April 12: Virtual Workshop
April 21 : Chilliwack & Abbotsford
April 17 : Fort Nelson
April 18 : Fort Saint John
April 19 : Prince George
April 26: Williams Lake
May 1 : Richmond
May 2 : Langley
May 4 : Cranbrook
Visit the LG website regularly to see when applications are open in your area!
Coming Soon!
Some other anticipated events include:
April 14th : Ocean Health : Pollutions & Solutions (Virtual)
April 21st : Japanese Canadian History (Virtual)
April 20 & 21st : Kamloops TRU Science Labs
May 5, 12 & 19 : Gaelic Football (Vancouver)
May 10, 17 & 31st : Kayaking (Chilliwack)
May 11, 18, 25 & June 1st : Onside Athletics Multi-sport Camp (Cowichan)
May 12th : Wild Play (Maple Ridge)
May 15th : Interior Track and Field Day (Vernon)
May 26th : Island Tack and Field Day (Comox)
Sign up for e-alerts to receive an email as events are posted and applications open up.
Abbotsford Ignite Theatre: Beauty and the Beast - tickets coming soon!
To celebrate Ignite Theatre's 10th Anniversary, we are pleased to be remounting and showcasing Beauty and the Beast, which is one of Disney’s best accomplishments at heralding the themes of trust, redemption, love, true beauty and family. Prince Adam, who is deeply entrenched in his narcissistic path, finds himself sentenced to life as a Beast, which outwardly reveals the ugliness of his selfish ways, until one day he is redeemed through the love of another. This transforming love heals his heart first followed by his beastly appearance, thus restoring him back to a Prince once more.
Public Shows will be held at the Chilliwack HUB Theatre. There are 7pm shows on May 25, 26 and 27th, with a matinee 1pm show on May 27th. Streaming shows will be available June 16-18th. Stay tuned for more information.
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS PRESENT
March 14th – 17th 7.00pm
March 18th 1.00 pm Matinee
Click on this link to purchase tickets for the live production
HCS Drama Event tickets | Yapsody
@ Kelowna Christian Center 905 Badke Road
Or watch it at home E-STREAM LINK Click this link
https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/71370
**The evening shows close at 3:00pm for each night. The Saturday show closes at 9:00am. Tickets will be available at the door for all shows.
Here are the Virtual/Schoolwide opportunities currently available for application:
VIR Song Writing Camp
Dates: Tuesdays - April 4, 11, 18 & 25, 2023
Time: 2:00 - 3:00pm (PST)
Suitable for: Gr. 8-12
Grades 8-12 students - come join us and learn to write songs! Join singer/songwriter and vocal coach Valerie Ransom for this weekly class where students will learn the basic steps in writing original songs. Valerie is currently a worship leader and choir director at First Baptist Church in Nanaimo, BC.
Application Deadline: When full or March 27th
Here are the Lower Mainland opportunities currently available for application:
Abbotsford Lower Mainland Track & Field Meet
Date: Monday, April 24, 2023
Time: Registration is at 8:45am / Event 9:15 am - 2:00 pm
Suitable for: Kindergarten - Grade 12
We are so excited to be hosting an HCOS Lower Mainland Track and Field day!
There will be running, jumping, and throwing events for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12! This Track & Field Meet will take place at the Rotary Stadium in Abbotsford and is gearing up to be a fantastic event! We hope to see you there.
Application Deadline: Extended
Here are the Interior opportunities currently available for application:
Vernon Interior Track & Field Meet
Date: Monday, May 15, 2023
Time: Registration is at 8:45am - Event 9:15 am - 2:00 pm
Suitable for: Kindergarten - Grade 12
We are so excited to be hosting an HCOS Interior Track and Field day!
There will be running, jumping, and throwing events for students in kindergarten to grade 12! The events will take place at the Greater Vernon Athletics Park. Please arrive at 8:45 am for registration, and events will run from 9:15 am to 2 pm. In order for this event to run, we need volunteers. No prior track and field experience is needed for children to participate!
Application Deadline: March 16th
The Latest from the Learning Commons:
Dear Learning Commons patrons,
We are looking forward to connecting with you at HCOS Connect! Please read this article to find out more about booking your library items for the upcoming year.
Blog
Novel Study Reading Lists By Grade Don’t know where to start on a novel study or just want a good read suggestion for a specific grade? Check out our recommended reading lists!
Sora
SORA new Books including Magic Treehouse, graphic novels and comics, and books on budgeting.
Book Highlight! – A Kind of Spark What happened to people who were “different” in the past? In some cases, someone we now know to be autistic might be considered cursed or worse! Join one Autistic girl as she finds out more about Autistic people in her town’s past.
Curriculum
You are invited to attend the Curriculum Selection Tools & Tips Webinar coming up on May 3 @ 1:00 pm.
Physical Commons
Only 5 days left to save! Used Curriculum Sale with up to 30% off until April 30!
Events
Poetry Contest - Our annual Learning Commons spring Poetry Contest is now open to all HCOS students! Calling all writers to join the fun!
Storytime - Margaret and Dewey the Dragon will read stories that are all about birds, on May 3, 2023, at 10 am Pacific Time. Register here.
Subscriptions
EVERFI has several short courses available for Mental Health Week, next week. The Compassion Project (Gr. 2-6); Character Playbook (Gr. 7-9); and Understanding Mental Wellness (Gr. 9-12). Contact margaret.basaraba@onlineschool.ca if you need to set up an account.
SOPHIE Family Book has resources on Mental Health.
If you are new to the Learning Commons and have not received a welcome letter, please read this overview. Feel free to reach out to us on Live Chat here from 9-3 pm on school days. Or reach out after hours, and a ticket will be sent to our team. We will
be happy to reply later by email.
Grace and Peace from the Learning Commons team,
Dear Learning Commons patrons,
We are looking forward to connecting with you at HCOS Connect! Please come and say hello to our team, check out resources at our Learning Commons booth, and enjoy the sessions presented by Cynthia Duncalfe our HCOS Curriculum Consultant.
Sora
Book Highlight! – One Plastic Bag What difference can we make, one plastic bag at a time?
Book Highlight! – Ada's Violin Can you make something so beautiful out of trash?
SORA Autism resources. Poetry eBooks Spring/Easter and Earth Day.
Curriculum
Want a strong finish to the year? Many of our Unit Study Kits are in stock and available to borrow until the end of the school year. Check them out today!
Planning for next year? Our Curriculum Options and Curriculum Picks are great places to start your research, and this Curriculum Selection Tools and Tips webinar will help get you on the right track.
Physical Commons
Save during the online Used Curriculum Sale with up to 30% off until April 30!
April is National Autism Month! The Learning Commons has many great resources for students with diverse abilities. Read more here.
Blog
Earth Day Resources - Fascinating Earthday Fun available through the LC.
Events
Poetry Contest - Our annual Learning Commons spring Poetry Contest is now open to all HCOS students! Calling all writers to join the fun!
Storytime - Hear stories that are all about birds, with Margaret and Dewey the Dragon, on May 5, 2023, at 10 am Pacific Time. Register here.
Subscriptions
EVERFI has resources for Earth Day. High School students can learn about “Sustainable Investing Essentials” in a 20-minute digital lesson. Contact Margaret Basaraba for your class code, if your student needs to set up a new account.
Canadian Reader Magazine issue 7 has an exciting article about Canada’s Whale Rescuers. Find your login information in the Search Portal.
If you are new to the Learning Commons and have not received a welcome letter, please read this overview. Feel free to reach out to us on Live Chat here from 9-3 pm on school days. Or reach out after hours, and a ticket will be sent to our team. We will
be happy to reply later by email.
Grace and Peace from the Learning Commons team.
Dear Learning Commons patrons,
We hope you all had a wonderful Easter celebrating Jesus' resurrection from the dead! April is Poetry Month and National Autism Month, and Earth Day is coming up on April 22!
Sora
Book Highlight! – Ada's Violin Can you make something so beautiful out of trash?
SORA Autism resources. Poetry eBooks Spring/Easter and Earth Day.
Curriculum
If you like to plan ahead and want to begin researching print curriculum options for the fall, our Curriculum Options and Curriculum Picks are great places to start. Watch this Curriculum Selection Tools and Tips webinar if you're feeling overwhelmed and need practical advice.
Our newly revised Human Rights Blended Unit Study Kit Guide is now available online! Find the password with the subscription passwords in the Search Portal.
Physical Commons
Save during the online Used Curriculum Sale with up to 30% off until April 30!
April is National Autism Month! The Learning Commons has many great resources for students with diverse abilities. Read more here.
Events
Storytime - Hear stories about things under the ocean with Margaret and Dewey the Dragon on April 19, 2023, at 10 am Pacific Time. Register here.
Blog
Student Corner Book Review Showcase Winners! - Congratulations to our winners, and thank you to everyone who participated. Look at all the reviews in the Student Corner for ideas on your next read.
Subscriptions
BrainPOP has a fun unit on poetry and a new unit on Earth Day. Find BrainPOP here.
Explora Canada celebrates Earth Day.
The Canadian Reader is great for grades 3-5. Check out their comic on Earth Day.
If you are new to the Learning Commons and have not received a welcome letter, please read this overview. Feel free to reach out to us on Live Chat here from 9-3 pm on school days. Or reach out after hours, and a ticket will be sent to our team. We will be happy to reply later by email.
Grace and Peace from the Learning Commons team.
Dear Learning Commons patrons,
April brings flowers, Poetry Month, Earth Day April 22nd, National Autism Month and of course Easter! We hope you all enjoyed a lovely spring break and feel rested and restored on your return to school! Happy Easter to all of our patrons!
Sora
Book Highlight! – The Amazing Journey What is it like to live a life following Jesus?
SORA Autism resources. Poetry eBooks Spring/ Easter. And Earth Day
Curriculum
Our newly revised Human Rights Blended Unit Study Kit Guide is now available online! The access password can be found with the subscription passwords in the Search Portal.
Physical Commons
April is National Autism Month! The Learning Commons has many great resources for students with diverse abilities. View a curated list of resources on the Search portal home page.
Save during the online Used Curriculum Sale with up to 30% off!
Events
All through April, Christian author Sigmund Brouwer is running a virtual four-week course on creative writing. You can find more information about it at www.storyninjawritingclasses.com/hcos.
Blog
Happy Easter! - LC resources for Easter!
Student Corner Book Review Showcase Winners! - Congratulations to our winners and thank you to everyone who participated. Take a look at all the reviews in the Student Corner for ideas on your next read.
Student Corner
Easter Games and Videos have been updated on the Student Corner. Come join in the fun!
Subscriptions
Axis has changed to a “free by donation” subscription. HCOS is making this subscription available to all our families. Read more about Axis here. There is no user name or password necessary as we no longer set up personal accounts. Check out the Parents Guide to Bullying in the latest issue.
Read&Write offers a variety of literacy support tools for use with Google Chrome. You can sign up here and learn more about using Read and Write at home here.
If you are new to the Learning Commons and have not received a welcome letter please read this overview. Feel free to reach out to us on Live Chat here from 9-3pm on school days. Or reach out after hours and a ticket will be sent to our team. We will be happy to reply later by email.
Grace and Peace from the Learning Commons team.
Dear Learning Commons patrons,
We are almost at spring break, a time to stretch and smell the spring rains, snow or flowers. Here are some updates from the LC before you head out. 🙂
Sora
Discover a great book called “Signals: How Brain Science and the Bible help Parents raise Resilient Children” by Cherilyn Orr one of our HCOS homeschooling families! Available in audio format and eBook format. Also, you can check out her podcast here.
Book Highlight! – The Notebook Keeper A beautifully powerful look at kindness in the uncertainty of a refugee camp suitable for all ages.
Physical Commons
The Learning Commons has many great resources for students with diverse abilities. Read more here.
Events
Storytime - Hear stories about Spring with Margaret and Dewey the Dragon, on March 22, 2023, at 10 am Pacific Time. Register here.
Book Review Contest! - This event has been extended through the month of March! Share what you are reading to have your review posted on the Student Corner and be entered to win a prize! Review Sora books to help our school win a Sora highlight contest!
Subscriptions
Mystery Science - Are you wondering about using it with your enrolled student?
Check out Mystery Doug on YouTube for the mini versions of some lessons. Try searching the mini lesson “How is a Rainbow Made?” for Saint Patrick’s Day.
Then contact your teacher and ask for the list of full units with all of the helpful lesson ideas and hands-on activities.
National Geographic Kids is free for all HCOS students to use. Read more here.
PebbleGo has had some issues with logging in to the site. We now have a direct link in the Search Portal.
BC ExamBank has practice tests for Grades K - 12 that are free for all HCOS students to use. Read more here.
If you are new to the Learning Commons and have not received a welcome letter please read this overview. Feel free to reach out to us on Live Chat here from 9-3pm on school days. Or reach out after hours and a ticket will be sent to our team. We will be happy to reply later by email.
Blessings on your spring break!
Grace and Peace from the Learning Commons team.
Dear Learning Commons patrons,
Welcome to March madness! A moment to celebrate the wonderful women in our lives with International Women’s Day, Read Across America, and Nutritional Health Month
Sora
New eBooks New Audiobooks New Ted Dekker books and American Library Association book winners!
Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss! Celebrate with our Read Across America! Dr. Seuss
What was life like for women throughout history? Who were and are influential women making the world a better place? Find some great stories and get inspired with our International Women’s Day/Month collection!
Nutritional Health & Food resources on Sora!
Book Highlight! – Mama’s New Job
Book Highlight! – Pure Grit
Physical Commons
What are Picture Perfect Science and STEM Kits? Learn about these great mini-units that cover science, technology, engineering and math with lesson plans, worksheets and more.
Events
Storytime - Hear stories about having a loose tooth with Margaret and Dewey the Dragon, on March 8, 2023, at 10 am Pacific Time. Register here.
Book Review Contest! - This event has been extended through the month of March! Share what you are reading to have your review posted on the Student Corner and be entered to win a prize!
Research Skills and Tips Webinar (Middle grades) recording from last week.
Subscriptions
Where do I find Subscriptions? Login to the Search Portal. Select “Subs/Passwords” from the blue bar. Email margaretbasaraba@onlineschool.ca if you can’t log in or if you have any questions about the Subscriptions.
BrainPOP helps improve your enrolled child’s literacy skills. Select a topic, and watch the movie. Then choose a quiz, challenge, or creative project. Find the BrainPOP shared account username and password in the Search Portal.
Matific is a great resource to complement your math course or a fun supplement to discover inquiry-based math. Read more here.
If you are new to the Learning Commons and have not received a welcome letter please read this overview. Feel free to reach out to us on Live Chat here from 9-3 pm on school days. Or reach out after hours and a ticket will be sent to our team. We will be happy to reply later by email.
Grace and Peace from the Learning Commons team,
Dear Learning Commons patrons,
Today is the last day for Read For Change! Congratulations to all of our students who participated in this reading fundraiser! In the last 30 days on SORA, students read an average of 153 minutes per day, and raised a huge amount of money! That is very impressive! Thank you students for your hard work reading, and dedication to the causes. Winners will be notified next week!
Learning Commons Survey
A big thank you to all our participants for adding your thoughts to our recent LC survey. We are analyzing the results and have already started implementing some of your ideas within the search portal.
Sora
New eBooks New Audiobooks New Ted Dekker books and American Library Association book winners!
Black History Month Take a dive into discovering some history and cultural importance of the Black community in Canada!
Student Contests
Student Corner Book Review Contest! - What are you reading? We would love to hear all about it. Did you like it? Or not? Do you think anyone else might be interested in it and why? By letting us know what you think, your name gets entered in the draw for a prize at the end of March!
Events
Storytime - Hear stories about “Being a Friend” with Margaret and Dewey the Dragon, on February 21, 2023, at 10 am Pacific Time. Register here.
Research Tips and Tricks Webinar February 22 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Join Pippa, Margaret and Cynthia as we explore middle-grade research options using fabulous research databases. Suitable for students in grades 6-9; parents and teachers welcome.
Subscriptions
Learn360 has fun educational games and activities organized by grade level. Find your username and password in the Search Portal. Enjoy!
Reading Eggs has tips and tricks for using it at home!
Tynker is a great way for registered students to fulfill their ADST requirements, and have fun coding while doing it. Contact your support teacher for help with this.
World Book Online is available for free for all HCOS students in PreK - 12. Use World Book Early Learning, Kids, Discover, Student, Advanced, or Timeline for all of your research needs. Universal supports are available. Find your username and password in the Search Portal.
If you are new to the Learning Commons and have not received a welcome letter please read this overview. Feel free to reach out to us on Live Chat here from 9-3 pm on school days. Or reach out after hours and a ticket will be sent to our team. We will be happy to reply later by email.
Grace and Peace from the Learning Commons team.
Hello from your Grad Advisor!
I wanted to take this chance to introduce myself. I'm Brad Lemon, the Grad Advisor for the Lower Mainland. I serve Grad Program students living in the Lower Mainland from the Sunshine Coast and Whistler, all the way to Hope!
I thought you might like to know a bit about me. I have 4 kids, James, Braeden, Jack, and Anna. I've taught at campus schools in the Lower Mainland for 13 years and before that, oversees in Korea, Portugal, and Japan. For the past 7 years, my wife has been a teacher with HCOS and my kids have been students with HCOS and seeing the impact of the school's mission on my family convinced me to make the leap to HCOS for myself in 2020.
I'm passionate about serving Christian families and giving them the tools they need to reach their goals during and after their time in the Grad Program. Please reach out by email if you'd like to connect or have any questions.
I look forward to supporting you!
