COVID-19

Frequently Asked Questions – Parents

This page was last updated on Wednesday, March 18.

Learning and Student Experience

1.     What is the online academic plan to continue learning in the school should the closure continue indefinitely?

A: Our teaching teams are prepared to deliver classes online for as long as is necessary. Learning will continue until the end of the school year, no matter the length of the closure.

2.     How will student learning outcomes be achieved and measured while learning from home in a digital environment?

A: Calgary Academy will be continuing to assess student progress and provide feedback to families through a variety of measures. We anticipate that we will be adjusting the mechanisms for how we will assess student achievement and will ensure student progress is our main priority. We will address exams and major assessments in our communication home as we learn of the extent of the closure.

3.     Will be child be penalized in this “learning from home” strategy?

A: No. Alberta Education has confirmed all students will progress to their next grade, and grade 12 students will graduate. Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs) in grades 6 and 9 have been cancelled. A decision regarding Diploma exams for grade 12 students is forthcoming. We are committed to continuing to lead your child through the learning process, however, so that when we do return, or next school year if that is the case, your child has covered their grade level curricular outcomes. As for our grade 12 class, we want to try to ensure as much success for them as possible as they transition to post-secondary or the workforce.

4.     What do I do if the school-provided technology breaks down or programs are malfunctioning?

A:  We ask that all students be reminded of the acceptable use policy at the end of the Family Handbook on our website for the proper use and care of a school-provided device. If your child requires technical support of any kind, please contact itsupport@calgaryacademy.com and our IT department will get back to you as soon as possible with solutions and support.

5.     My child has exams in March. Will they be rescheduled?

A: All scheduled in-person exams are currently postponed until April. As we learn the extent of the closure, this approach may change. Your child’s teacher or Assistant Principal will communicate any change in expectations clearly and early.

6.     What is the school doing to provide for my student’s wellness – physical health.

A: We are excited to offer a daily physical education/wellness break on our Instagram channel. As it is the channel most frequented by students, our Physical Education teachers will be sharing how they are staying active during the school closure. Visit Instagram.com/calgaryacademy to find the archives.

As a core element of our learning model, classroom teachers will also be doing their best to integrate student wellness breaks into their online delivery. We will have more information about this following Spring Break.

7.     What if I or my family contracts COVID-19 or another illness, and my child can’t join online learning? What help is available to them, and will they be penalized academically?

A: We are committed to ensuring our students are not penalized by a health crisis. Should you or your child contract COVID-19 or any other illness that prevents participation in learning, please contact your child’s teacher to discuss accommodations.

8.     What if I don’t think my child will do well with online lectures/exams/group projects? Can I request some kind of accommodation or exception?

A: Our teachers are working hard to develop online learning that will work for everyone. Our approach will be engaging and drive connection with students.  This is meant to be a different experience than what you may have had in the past. If you have concerns about your child, please start by reaching out to your child’s teacher.

9.     What if I find it difficult to support my child in an online environment? What help will be available?

A: As we build our capacity to manage an altered learning environment we will be continuing to communicate consistently and frequently with families about what is needed. Our desire is to mitigate parents needing to work directly on teaching, however there may be support needed, depending on the age of the student and on the subject material being addressed.

Our teaching staff will be readily available online during regular school hours to assist in any way needed. We have tools that can enable virtual face-to-face communication if that is needed. We will also be posting online resources to our COVID-19 webpage that will support students and parents.

Technical and Financial Information

10.  Will tuition, fees and other costs be reimbursed if the school closure continues to the end of the school year?

A: No. We are doing our very best to mitigate and minimize the impact of this closure on student outcomes through our “work and learn from home” strategy. We are likely to see some adjusted timelines however our focus is on ensuring learning continues.

11.  Will bussing fees be reimbursed if the school shuts down?

A: As we do not yet know the duration of the closure, we aren’t able to answer this question at this time. Once we receive additional information from Alberta Education and our transportation provider, we will communicate with parents of children who use our transportation services.

12.  Will fees for offsite activities or field trips that don’t take place be reimbursed if the school shuts down?

A: Families who have paid separately for specific offsite activities and field trips not covered under the annual supply fee will be reimbursed if the school decides to cancel the trips.

13.  Can the school still provide the same level of education my child is accustomed to with a large amount of Instructional Staff absenteeism if that were to occur due to illness even remotely?

A: Yes. In these extraordinary times we are taking every measure necessary to ensure our operations continue at the same high levels our students expect.

14.  Will the school provide or reimburse me for increased internet usage, paper, and other school supplies needed during the closure?

A: As we do not yet know the duration of the closure, we aren’t able to answer this question at this time. Once we receive additional information from Alberta Education, we will communicate with parents about potential financial support for school supplies if necessary.

15.  What if I forgot something? Can I access the school facility?

A: The school facility is now closed to students and parents. If the closure continues following Spring Break, we will communicate with parents about times when students may pick up any items they left behind.

16.  I pre-ordered for meals the week of the closure and/or for the month of April. Will I be issued a credit?

A: We’ll be in contact in early April regarding credits for the week of March 16, 2020, and for any April pre-order. Further April pre-orders are not currently available.

17.  I need to send something to the school and had planned to mail it. What should I do now?

A: Mail pickup will be a challenge as the school is now closed with some staff having limited access. Please consider sending your documents digitally, and emailing to either the direct recipient, or to info@calgaryacademy.com, and we will make sure your documents get to the right person.

Please do not mail cash. If you are trying to make a payment, please use one of the online options detailed at calgaryacademy.com/payments.

18.  Should I still be applying for bursary support for the 2020-2021 school year?

A: For those families looking to apply for a bursary, the CAPA Bursary Applications are due on Monday, March 23, 2020. Application forms can be found on the CAPA website. It is preferable that applications are submitted electronically (scanned & emailed) to Natalie Kowalenko at capa.calgary@gmail.com. Mailed applications will also be accepted and can be sent to: P.O. Box 15095, Aspen Woods PO, Calgary, AB, T3H 0N8.

Any questions can be sent to the CAPA email address or you can reach Natalie directly at 403-669-1267.

School Events

19.  Are we postponing or canceling scheduled school field trips, guest speakers, etc.?

A: Yes. To prevent unnecessarily exposure to our students and the public all student and staff events for March and April have been canceled, and any later events are currently postponed until further notice. If you have questions about a specific event, please reach out to the organizer.

20.  What will happen with current research projects and studies that are underway?

A: While some research will be put on hold, we hope to have plans in place to allow core research operations to continue. If your child’s class was a part of any active research study, the Executive Director of Learning and Innovation with be in touch with more details soon.

21.  Are upcoming student social events or off-site events cancelled like recognition nights and grad?

A: Currently these events are not cancelled as they are planned to be held in May or June and given the fluidity of the situation it is too early to determine. Once we have further information on the duration of the closure, we will follow up with our students and parents.

COVID-19

22.  What do I do if I have questions about the length of the closure or other questions regarding COVID-19?

A: If you have questions related to COVID-19 in particular, please go to our website for the most current information: www.calgaryacademy.com/covid-19/. If you have questions regarding how our school is dealing with this unprecedented event, please email covid19info@calgaryacademy.com.

23.  Will we be notified if a member of our school community is asked to self-isolate?

A: AHS will take the lead in notifying a community when they believe there is reason to be concerned about exposure to a case of COVID-19. If you or your child is at risk due to close contact with COVID-19, AHS will notify you.

24.  What assistance is available to help my family cope with the emotional impact of the situation?

A: We understand that this situation is alarming. We are committed to supporting all members in our community. If your child is feeling anxious or concerned, please encourage them to speak with their teacher.

Students can also access Kids Help Phone confidentially 24/7 by calling 1-800-668-6868.

25.  How will I know it is safe to return to school?

A: We will take the recommendation from the province on when it is safe to return to school. We will share that information with parents as soon as we have it. All staff and students will be asked to complete a self-assessment prior to returning to school, to ensure they are healthy and it is safe for them to do so.

26.  I will still be traveling during Spring Break. What is the protocol for me and my family’s return?

A: The current advice from Alberta Health is that all travelers returning from outside Canada after March 12 should self-isolate on their return for 14 days, independent of the country they were visiting. If we are still in the remote “work and learn from home” strategy following Spring Break, then your recommended 14-day self-isolation period won’t affect your child’s learning as they can continue to learn at home.

If we reopen in April, we will have a procedure for everyone’s return. If we are back in physical class, your child will need to self-isolate for 14 days before they can return to class.

27.  Who do I contact if I have more questions?

A: Parents with questions or concerns about learning can connect with their teacher directly, or can send general questions to covid19info@calgaryacademy.com.

Questions about tuition, refunds, or payments should be directed to Annette Moline at ar@calgaryacademy.com, or can leave a message at 403-686-6444 ext 321 and Annette will call you back.