Home-Based Education

Happy New Year HBE Families, I hope this finds you all well. 

Registrations:

We have had some new registrations to HBE this year and we have also had some students either go back to in-person school or a few moved out of our divison but our number of HBE enrollments still hover around  950 students.

If you have a new kindergarten to register for the the 2025-26 school year you are welcome to do that any time between now and Sept 15th, 2025. New Kindergarten students need to use the PSSD online registration, here is the link. STUDENT REGISTRATION – Prairie Spirit School Division

Saskatchewan DLC courses: Students in grades 10-12 may sign up for Semester 2 credit courses with the Provincial online school. Courses for Semester 2 start Jan 31st. I have attached the course request form to this email. Check out the variety of courses offered at : Home Sask DLC

Funding : Funding will be sent out at the beginning of March. Please inform me if you have changes to your direct deposit information of a new mailing address.

Grade 10-12 Events: 

There is some good information for the grade 10-12 students regarding post -secondary events and contacts in the PSSD Student and parent newsletter. (see attached) 

Culinary Boot Camp: SIEC is offering a Cooking bootcamp at SaskpolyTech in February with a qualified instructor, see the attached poster for information and how to apply. 

Gym time and skating times; The gym times remain the same at the MAP in Martensville (Fridays 1-3pm)  and Warman(Tuesdays 1-3)  and there is skating and shinny as well at the Warman Home Hardware Communiplex. Skating is on Tuesday and Thursday from 9-11am, shinny times are listed on the WHCC website. The staff at the facilites asks that you continue to follow the facilites guidelines and use the areas designated for your use as a HBE students. 

As always please do not reply directly to this email as it will get lost in the string of emails and I may not see it and respond. Please email directly if you have questions:  lorraine.fitzgerald@spiritsd.ca 

Thank you and enjoy the warm weather. 

Hello Home Based Education Families:

We are already 6 weeks into the school year and I hope your school year has been off to a great start.

Reminders:

The “Confirmation of Enrollment” letters were all sent out by mail this week. If you do not receive a letter by October 18th  let me know as I may need to update your mailing address and resend it. 

The MAP and the Warman Comminplex would like you to show your letter of confirmation upon entrance to the gym times we have booked there.

Gym times : 

Starting  Sept 20th–May 30th,2025 : Students that are registered with PSSD homebased education have gym times available on:

 Fridays : 1-3pm at the Martensville Athletic Pavillion, except: Oct 11,Nov 8, Jan31, May 9th

Tuesdays:  1-3 pm : Warman Home Centre Communiplex (Legends) except: April 15th 

Rules and regulations:

The gym times are for registered PSSD HBE students, children under 5 may not participate. There is a under 5 area set up at the MAP for a fee. 

Please check in at the front desk upon arrival and identify yourself as a PSSD home based student, show your letter of confirmation. (hint: put a picture of it on your phone, that may help to remember it) 

 Gym times are not available on non-school days. 

Parents are required to supervise their registered HBE students while at the MAP

indoor shoes are required

no food or glass bottles, 

no smoking, vaping or use of profanity or abusive language

there is zero tolerance for threats, inappropriate and violent behaviour at the MAP

Please leave the gym as you found it , clean and equipment put away. 

Others reminders: 

If you go to the Saskatoon Zoo please remember that PSSD students are required to pay the entrance fee. 

Janet Jeffries was an amazing help for the month of September but is now back in her retirement phase so do not send her any emails. 

Grade 10-12 events: There are numerous free courses or bootcamps being offered through the Saskatoon Industry Education Council such as an Autobody Bootcamp, culinary classes, welding and many more. They have registration deadlines so check it out soon if you are interested. 

https://saskatooniec.ca

Enjoy the Thanksgiving Weekend and let me know if you have any HBE questions or concerns. 

Kimberly Cooper : HBE learning support teacher

Lorraine Fitzgerald : HBE Facilitator   email: lorraine.fitzgerald@spiritsd.ca

Hello Home Based Education Grade 9 students:

Grade 10-12 Pathways : As you know when you enter grade 10 there is the option to start collecting credits towards a grade 12 diploma. There are a few ways to go about this so I have attached a “pathways to graduation” chart, that briefly outlines some of the  options. If you look this over and then want to have a further discussion with me regarding the options for grade 10-12 please email me seperately at lorraine.fitzgerald@spiritsd.ca  and we can set up a phone call or an in-person meeting.

Possibly pathways for grade 10-12

Sask DLC: 

Next year ,when you are in grade 10 , and if you are interested in taking credit courses with the  Sask DLC (Sask online school) that is available to all home based students. 

If you are a student in Grade 10-12 and are interested in a credit course with the SK DLC please connect with the HBE facilitator for an application form. You may access 2 courses/year at no cost as an HBE enrolled student with PSSD . If you take more than 2 courses with the DLC there will be a cost associated with the 3&4th courses that will be deducated from your annual funding. You may take more than 4 courses at no addition charge. 

https://www.saskdlc.ca

GED update:  There has been changes made to the current GED program that is offered through Sask Polytechnic.It is now called the Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC). This is a high school equivalency program that you may take at the age of 18th. 

Please check with Sask Polytechnic or the Ministry of Education for updates. 

https://saskpolytech.ca

Driver Education: The other big event for many grade 9’s is driver’s education. When you are 15 you can take your driver’s education course. The school divison provides this for all students. 

Here are the basic rules/procedures around driver education.

• Home-based students are included in the numbers for their closest geographical school for driver education training. So when they want to register for driver education, they should contact their closest K-12 or high school to inquire when the next class is offered.  Let the school know you want to be on their list. (do this in the fall) 
• Go to SGI and get a customer # and complete the driver application form to give to the local school. 
• Email the HBE facilitator to let them know you enrolled and they will send you your PSSD login information and password to access the PSSD website.
• Practice login into to the PSSD website so you are ready for the in class work. 
• Most of the courses happen in the fall and then are not repeated again until next year. So if they are not of age when the course happens in the fall at their closest school, they wait a year. (This is the same process for the kids who attend those schools.)

If you have any questions about any of the above please email me at:   lorraine.fitzgerald@spiritsd.ca

Hello Home based familes:

I hope you are enjoying the much needed rain, it has been wonderful. 

Summative reports and periodic logs: 

I am enjoying reading the summative reports that are coming in. I appreciate that educators are using either the summatve forms provided or by PSSD or SHEB or creating their own word document. It makes it easier for me to print so thank you for taking the time to do that. I enjoy the seeing the pictures you send but I won’t print all them, its just too much paper to go into the cumualtive files. I attached the summative form to this email and last week I had sent out next year’s registartion forms. For families that are new to Home based education, you are required to re-register each school year. The direct deposit form only needs to be sent if you are not currently getting your funding by direct deposit or if your banking information has changed. You may send you registrations forms for next school year at any time as long as its prior to September 15, 2024

Grade 10-12 online courses with Sask DLC : If you are a HBE student in grades 10-12 and would like to take a course(s) with Sask DLC next school year youwill register through me not directly with the Sask DLC. I will send you the PSSD course approval form and then do the the registartion for you.  You may also transfer over to the Sask DLC and out of the PSSD, at that point you will register directly with them and cut out the middle person , ie me. There are lots of interesting course offerings on the Sask DLC website if this of interest  to you. 

Home school Kids Market: June 15th 11-4pm at the Rittenger’s Acreage. 

Some PSSD HBE familes are organizing a Kids’ market, it looks like fun if you are interested. There will be crafts, baking, face painting, curriculum swap and more!  

To register contact: lorraine.fitzgerald@spiritsd.ca

Hello HBE familes :

I am sending you the information for 2 free workshops.

1) a U of S agricultural event, Spotlight on AgBio for the grades 10-12 students to participate in:

2) a music workshop day for the grades 7-12 called Resonate(see below) In the past years we have had HBE students attend this event and they have always enjoyed it. Check these events out and sign up if you are interested. Please sign up for both or either workshop if you are interested. 

Have a wonderful Easter, Lorraine 

Resonate for Grades 7 – 12:

Wednesday, May 1: Beaver Creek Salvation Army Camp 

Friday, May 3: Heritage Common, Hepburn

We are thrilled to announce Resonate Conference returning in 2024 at two different venues to make Resonate more accessible to schools across the Division. Resonate Conference is open to all classrooms and students in Grades 7-12. Students will work with professional guest artists in sessions that are framed around the themes of the Grade 7, 8 and 9 Arts Education music strand (Place, Social Issues, Taking Action) and guided by the strategic plan.

Session activities tentatively include Musical Theatre/Acapella, Drumming, Music and Mental Health, Song writing/Jamming, Music Production and more. Each session will provide students and teachers with accessible activities, materials and concepts that can be continued in classrooms and communities. No previous music experience necessary. 

Please note: Space is limited to 120 students per venue so sign up early to avoid missing out.

• Register for the May 1 event at Beaver Creek: Enroll in Beaver Creek Camp – Resonate Music Conference ILO 2023/24 (instructure.com)
• Register for May 3 event at Hepburn: Enroll in Hepburn Heritage Common – Resonate Music Conference ILO 2023/24 (instructure.com)

Hello Homebased families:

Welcome to March: 

I hope your educational  pursuits are going along as planned as we are more then half way through the year. Remember that by June 15th your summative report and Periodic log for the school year are due. I have attached the templates that you are welcome to use. If you wish to add some pictures of samples of work that is great but I will not print all of them to add to the cumulative folder. 

I have attached a few items that are mainly relevant to the grade 10-12 students,

1) The SIEC (Saskatoon Industry Education Council) March activites has numerous free opportunites for career planning and exploration coming up in March and April. The opportunities range from touring the STARS ambulance prpgram with a focus on Emergency Services or there is a Construction focused event and Law Enforcement event. To register for any of these free events please contact the number listed on the poster. https://www.facebook.com/saskatooniec

2) The 2nd attachment is regarding a scholarship offered by Rosthern & District Chamber of Commerce for $500 for Grade 12 pursuing post-secondary. The deadline is soon. 

3) The 3rd attachment is the PSSD parent and student newsletter with advice on how to apply for various post-secondary programs in Saskatchewan and Alberta from nursing to agricultural studies and much more.https://pssd-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/personal/lf402_spiritsd_ca/Documents/Desktop/grade%2010-12%20pathwyas%20info/PSSD%20CAREER%20PARENT%20AND%20STUDENT%20NEWSLETTER%20March%202024%20(1).docx?d=w95dc0f079d424f3c836b0ba1ce7c53ff&csf=1&web=1&e=vcunzU 

Sorry there is so much Grade 12 information this time but it is a busy time of year as we make plans for next year.