Enrolling and registering are two different pathways under BC law, so it is important to choose deliberately.

Enrolled online learning (K–12) is teacher-led. Your child is a student of ASCEND Online, a Provincial Online Learning School. A BC certified teacher plans, delivers and assesses the educational program, which follows the BC curriculum. Enrolled students receive written Learning Updates through the year, take part in provincial assessments, and Grade 10–12 students work toward a Dogwood Graduation Certificate. Tuition applies (see “Is there tuition for ASCEND Online?”).

Registered homeschooling (School Act sections 12–14) is parent-led. Parents take full responsibility for their child’s educational program. It is not supervised or directed by a BC certified teacher, is not required to follow the BC curriculum, and does not lead to a BC graduation certificate. ASCEND acts only as the registering school. There is no tuition for registering.

In Kindergarten to Grade 9 a child cannot be both enrolled and a registered homeschooler. Registered homeschoolers in Grades 10–12 may take individual ASCEND Online courses, taught and assessed by our BC certified teachers, while keeping their homeschooler status.

Yes, K-9 students pay $100 per student, to a maximum of $200 per family.  Grade 10-12 students pay $50 per course to a maximum of $100 per student or $200 per family.

If you have a question about how to pay tuition, email rdemonte@ascendonline.ca All other tuition questions should be forwarded to the principal at principal@ascendonline.ca

For enrolled students, the BC certified teacher at ASCEND Online directs the educational program. The teacher plans the learning, provides instruction, assesses student work and reports on progress, in consultation with the student and the family.

For registered homeschoolers, the parent is entirely responsible for the educational program.

For enrolled students, parents are the teacher’s partners at home. Your child’s BC certified teacher directs the educational program, including planning, instruction, assessment and reporting. Parents:

• provide a supportive learning environment, with the routines, resources, supplies and space their children need to learn;

• help facilitate the learning activities the teacher has planned, which may include home-based work, community activities such as art, music lessons or sports, and visits to educationally relevant places;

• supervise learning when the teacher is not present and keep in regular contact with the teacher;

• share work samples with the teacher regularly through Brightspace.

Ledger Funds are a teacher-approved learning resource budget for enrolled students. The school pays approved vendors directly for resources and programs that support the goals in the Student Learning Plan.

The BC certified teacher directs each enrolled student’s educational program. Your child’s teacher:

• plans the learning and develops a Student Learning Plan with the student and family, aligned with the BC curriculum and built around the child’s strengths, interests and learning style;

• provides instruction, and selects and approves learning resources;

• contacts the family every week to teach, review progress and adjust the plan;

• collects and assesses work samples every month and provides feedback;

• reports on student progress through written Learning Updates during the year and a year-end Summary of Learning.

A caseload manager writes and oversees the Individual Education Plan (IEP) for children with disabilities or diverse abilities.

The role includes:

*contacting family and developing a detailed understanding of the student’s special learning needs 

*scheduling an IEP meeting in September (for new students) or September/October for returning students, to set IEP targets and goals for the year

*setting up agreements with specialists and service providers, based on goals identified in IEP

*assist family with acquisition of resources and tools to work on IEP goals

*contacting family and service providers regularly  to monitor progress towards IEP goals

*scheduling a mid-year and end-of-year IEP review, to assess IEP goals and make necessary updates and changes

*arrange diagnostic testing and assessments, as needed

FSAs are mandatory assessments administered across BC to all students enrolled in Grades 4 and 7, including students enrolled in online learning, assessing reading comprehension, writing skills and numeracy. Participation is optional for registered homeschoolers. More information about FSAs can be found on the BC Ministry of Education and Child Care website.

Registered homeschoolers choose their own curriculum; the parent is responsible for the whole program.

Enrolled students follow the BC curriculum. In K–9, the teacher selects and approves learning resources, in consultation with the family, that suit the student’s interests and learning style. In Grades 10–12, enrolled students take courses taught by BC certified subject-specialist teachers to earn a Dogwood Graduation Certificate.

Yes. We have a library of resources available to be borrowed from books to sewing machines! High school courses have resources assigned by the teacher and are either provided by the school or sourced by the student (for example novels). Shipping fees may apply to certain items shipped from the ASCEND Online library.

A Dogwood certificate is what graduates received after meeting the ministry requirements. It requires the completion of particular courses and a minimum of 80 credits in Grades 10-12. 

An Adult Dogwood can be obtained after reaching the age of 18, and by completing 5 Grade 12 courses including English 12, Math 11 or 12, and 3 other Grade 12 courses.  

An Evergreen Certificate, also called a School Completion Certificate, is for students with Inclusive Education (IEd) designations and an IEP. It is used to recognize the accomplishments of students who have met the goals of their education program and their IEPs.

Access to a computer is ideal, but you can also use a smart phone, an ipad or a tablet.

You can communicate with your child’s teacher by email, phone and in-person visits. The main way to share work is through Brightspace, our Learning Management System, where you can upload photos of work, documents and assignments. The teacher reviews and assesses the work and provides timely feedback and comments.

Brightspace Is the Learning Management System that we use to deliver most Grade 10-12 courses as well as the system for communication and reporting for K-9 students.

Email vp@ascendonline.ca to reset your password.  You may ask your teacher to look up your username in Brightspace.