Island Connect Ed (ICE) is an alternative learning system for students from K-12 in school district 68 (Nanaimo and Ladysmith). It functions as a public school with certified teachers who teach the BC curriculum. All of the coursework is available online, but in-person lessons are available as well.
How Does Island Connect Ed Work?
Students can sign up to take part in Island Connect Ed’s distance learning platform by visiting the Island Connect Ed website and filling out the enrollment form. Once accepted, students will receive instruction from their teachers both online and in person. Students can easily access their coursework online or in physical form if desired.
Island Connect Ed offers slightly different programs based on the grade level of its students.
K-7 students will complete much of their work at home, but in-person lessons are offered every Tuesday. Teachers provide frequent progress reports and update the learning plan as the year goes on. The PAC organizes fun events such as skating and trips to the museum to keep things interesting and give students a sense of community. So, yes, even you can be involved as a parent!
Grade 8-9 students begin to develop more independent learning habits and will complete 50% of their schoolwork at home. In order to support this goal of independence, more onsite teaching services are made available for students to engage in learning opportunities and assistance. We are also available to help transition learners to become more independent as online tutoring with us works a lot like this!
Grade 10-12 students will complete all of their coursework in a virtual classroom called Blackboard. Students can work independently at their own pace and achieve their learning goals on their own terms. In-person lessons and support are available onsite 2-3 days per week. Since Island Connect Ed operates as a public school with certified teachers, students are eligible to graduate just like they would at a regular brick-and-mortar school.
Island Connect Ed also offers grade 10-12 courses for adult students looking to graduate and receive a Dogwood diploma. It’s never too late to go back and graduate!
Or, do a hybrid of brick-and-mortar school and ICE like Genevieve, the daughter of our founder, Amber Scotchburn. Genevieve completed grade 11 and realized that she needed to take a Physics 11 course for the university program she wants to apply for. Instead of trying to squeeze it into her grade 12 year at her brick-and-mortar school, she decided to enrol at ICE and get a head start on it over the summer. She’s doing this with the confidence of knowing that she can access one of our twisted tutors to help walk her through anything she doesn’t understand.
Genevieve’s journey is one that more and more kids are deciding to take, and we highly encourage students and parents to try this hybrid style of learning. You can read more about hybrid schooling by checking out our blog posts on the non-traditional path and the combination path.
Island Connect Ed Offers Extra Support
The staff at Island Connect Ed understand that each student is a unique individual with unique goals and needs. To facilitate this idea, they offer the Family Learning Outreach and Wellness program (FLOW).
FLOW provides help for students struggling with mental and emotional health. Island Connect Ed has a teacher-counsellor, a youth family support worker, and an educational assistant to aid students in achieving mental wellness. Students and their families are welcome to take part in the services they offer.
The goal of FLOW is to help students in the areas of stress and anxiety management, active living, healthy eating, and building social connections. The efforts of FLOW make distance learning more comfortable for students while adding a unique dynamic that other distance learning programs don’t necessarily offer. The staff at FLOW are well versed in what we offer at Tutoring… With a Twist*, and it’s been a great working relationship to help students find success every step of the way!
Go Further with Island Connect Ed
While Island Connect Ed offers a ton of options for students and their families, it’s still a distance learning program. Distance learning has many benefits, but some students enjoy the extra support provided by more frequent one-on-one lessons. This is where tutoring can help.
Our twisted tutors are experienced with helping students work through their distance learning courses. With the help of a tutor, students can develop the confidence they need to tackle their schoolwork with ease. They will obtain and retain a lifelong love of learning that will make all future endeavours a lot less daunting to undertake.
Trying to keep everything organized with distance learning can prove to be a challenge at times. Our tutors have a knack for setting things up in a way that makes sense for students and relieves the stress of trying to figure out what to do next. Students will also learn how to set goals and priorities so they can use these skills when it comes to working on other projects throughout their lives. This is part of our life-skills-based learning, and it’s really helping students thrive.
Tutoring ensures that students get the help they need exactly when they need it. Students have the opportunity to ask questions to deepen their understanding of concepts while further exploring topics that interest them. If you want to get the most out of Island Connect Ed, tutoring at home is a fantastic way to do it. We know this is a big commitment, so we’ve come up with 6 important questions to ask yourself before deciding on a tutor.
Stay in Touch
If you think that Island Connect Ed is exactly what your student needs, we encourage you to give it a try. Once you’re enrolled, our twisted tutors would be thrilled to help you and your student find success as you embark on your distance learning journey. Or, if that feels like too large a leap, don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you might have. We’re always happy to help!
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*Services provided by With a Twist Education Ltd.