Commonly Asked Questions About Britannia’s High Performers Program

What does the timetable look like?

Morning Session

8:25-8:40 Outdoor Supervision

8:35 Entry

8:40-10:20 Learning Block A

10:20-10:40 Recess

10:40-11:00 Snack

11:00-11:50 Learning Block B

11:50 Dismissal

Afternoon Session

11:50-1:00 Learning Block A

1:00-1:20 Recess

1:20-1:40 Lunch

1:40-3:00 Learning Block B

3:00 Dismissal

3:00-3:15 Outdoor Supervision

How do you deal with student absences and extended student absences?

Parents of HPP students are required to call the SafeArrival Line or go to go.schoolmessenger.ca when they have been made aware of any upcoming activity related events. Entering your child's absence as soon as you are aware of future dates allows HPP teachers to know ahead of time when students will be absent. Consequently, students who are scheduled to be away for extended periods will have a work packet prepared for them. This packet will contain relevant assignments and activities, and, in many cases, the same assignments that the students back at school would be responsible for. Students who have access to the internet, will be able to stay involved with class activities via Google Classroom.

If students are only away for a day, they usually make the work up when they return (unless the work was assigned ahead of time in anticipation of the absence).

How early or late can my child arrive for the afternoon session?

Students arriving for the afternoon session can arrive anytime from 11:30 onwards. Ideally, to make the most of our limited in-class time, students should be at school by the beginning of the afternoon session at 11:50.

Will my child have the opportunity to eat lunch?

At Britannia, we have a 40 minute nutrition break in the morning and the afternoon. Students will be outside for 20 minutes and will have an opportunity to eat for the other 20 minutes. Students have this time to eat and are encouraged to make the most of their time to work on assignments. Given their active schedules, students are allowed to have a snack during class if they are hungry

When students go on to Dolphin Sr. P.S. for grades 6-8, HPP students do not go outside for lunch recess as other students do.

What role does technology play in the High Performers Program?

As HPP utilizes a blended learning and flipped classroom model (lessons done at home, and learning activities done at school), technology is a vitally important learning tool. While Britannia has Chromebooks, iPads, and a fully stocked Library Learning Commons with Makerspace, it is highly recommended that HPP students invest in a laptop or Chromebook. Having a personal laptop or Chromebook means greater versatility for students. They can use it in class when completing assignments, and can take it with them when they are travelling for tournaments, recitals, etc. Many of the HPP learning tasks will be posted, and completed, using Google Classroom.

What kind of learning is focused upon in your program?

Due to the limited time students are in a classroom, providing an efficient learning environment that provides the necessary supports in class and outside of school is integral to the program. In the HPP program, learning occurs from a variety of teaching methods, such as:

• direct teaching of lessons through online videos
• student inquiry
• independent performance tasks
• hands-on collaborative projects
• practice

How are students made accountable for work missed due to training?

The Google Classroom is updated in the morning with the tasks and activities for the day. In the afternoon, it will be updated with what is expected to be completed as homework. If a student misses a day or two unexpectedly, they will be able to know exactly what they have to do to catch up. At the end of each day, parents are encouraged to check Google Classroom for classroom announcements, and upcoming assignments, and any missing work.

Are my children able to participate in extracurricular activities at school?

Absolutely! Not only are HPP students allowed to participate in extracurricular activities, they are actively encouraged to do so. All Britannia students are encouraged to get the most out of their time here, both academically and socially. However, because HPP students attend school for only half a day, it will be difficult at times for some kids to participate in activities when those activities take place while students aren’t at school (e.g. an afternoon student would find it difficult to make a 1st Nutrition Break cross country practice at 10:20 a.m.).

Do students get all of the same subjects as a regular student?

Students in the HPP will receive all of the academic subjects (math, science, language, and social studies) as well as French, art, drama, and music. HPP students will not attend Physical Education classes. To reflect an HPP student’s ratio of time in and out of school, instruction in some subjects are provided less frequently compared to a full-time student. The subjects in this category would be French, art, drama, and music.

Is busing or transportation provided?

No. Parents of HPP students are required to arrange their own transportation. Many parents choose to arrange carpools, and some service providers offer transportation.

Is there a before or after school program?

There is a before and after school program provided by PLASP. Spaces are limited so you will want to register ASAP.

How does it work for a split grade?

Both grades in a split classroom receive the direct instruction necessary to address the curriculum expectations for their grade level. Although an HPP student’s school day is reduced, the collaboration between grades which occurs in a combined-grade classroom provides for effective practice and extension opportunities not normally found in a straight-grade classroom.

What if my child doesn’t have training every day?

Should the situation arise where the student needs to attend for the full day, it should be noted that, they will receive their daily lessons in the morning, and will be expected to work independently on assignments in the afternoon. The students who arrive in the afternoon (who were not at school in the morning) need their daily lessons, and will get priority.

Injured Students: If students suffer an injury during their activity that keeps them temporarily out of training (e.g. a broken arm, or concussion), they may attend school all day until they are recovered enough to resume training.

Note: The High Performers Program is designed for students with intense training schedules. If students find that they can attend school all day, for more than one day a week, it is probable that HPP is not the best fit for them. It would be best to work out arrangement at their regular school.

How can I know what my child is doing each day in HPP?

Homework and assignments with specific learning goals are posted on Google Classroom. Students are expected to use this tool to keep track of important dates and deadlines. Parents will receive automatic daily e-mail updates from Google Classroom indicating new or missing assignments, and important classroom announcements.

What kind of support is available for students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP)?

The short answer is that it depends greatly on the specific needs outlined in the student’s IEP. Some students need only minor support or accommodations, while others may require extensive one-on-one help or longer time frames to complete daily assignments. Because students are only at school for half the school day, the opportunity for extensive extra support or extended time is considerably less than what a student in a mainstream class would receive. Another important factor which must be considered by a family is their child’s demonstrated learning skills and how they would translate into a program like this. Independent of an IEP for any student, on-task behaviours and organizational skills are key to a HPP student’s success, whether they have identified academic needs or not.

How big are class sizes?

Typically, HPP classes are smaller than traditional mainstream classes given the fact that some kids come in the morning and others in the afternoon. We have a cap at 24 students in total but the divide between the morning and afternoon varies.

How much homework is there?

As students are essentially attending school half time, there will be a significant amount of homework assigned on a regular basis. Many of these assignments will take the form of independent learning projects and activities that will be posted online. It is not uncommon for students to have several independent projects on the go at the same time. It is therefore important that HPP students have good organizational and time management skills. Students who cannot keep up with the homework may find themselves overwhelmed. At Britannia, we are heavily invested in the emotional well-being, as well as the academic success of your child.

Can my child participate in all of the field trips?

Field trips, workshops, and guest speakers will be made available to HPP students. However, as most field trips end up being a full day, a student’s ability to participate may be limited by their own training schedule. Field trips will be communicated well enough in advance for parents and students to make special arrangements (e.g. arrangements to attend school all day on trip day) if they wish. Check the announcement section on the Google Classroom newsletter for updates on field trips.

What are the social opportunities for my child at Britannia?

At Britannia, we believe in giving all students the opportunity to develop both academically and socially. We have many inclusive activities that foster good social development. Such events include extracurricular activities, Move-A-Thon, play days, school wide fundraiser events, integrated workshops and field trips with other mainstream classes.

What if my child is away for extended periods?

Parents of HPP students are required to report all days on SafeArrival when they have been made aware of any upcoming activity related events. This allows HPP teachers to know ahead of time when students will be absent. Students who are scheduled to be away for extended periods will be expected to check the Google Classroom to see what assignements they need to catch up on. When possible, students will be given assignements before they leave. Having access to the internet and a device while they are away will help the student stay involved with class activities via Google Classroom. Upon return students can review with their teacher the work they completed and whether there are assignments that still need to be completed.

Can I enroll my child in this program if I have another child or children enrolled in a Catholic elementary school?

Unfortunately, no. Both Britannia and Dolphin are Public Elementary Schools. Elementary-aged children in the same family must attend the same school system--either public or Catholic. This means that siblings cannot attend a public elementary school and a Catholic elementary school at the same time. However, because of open access at the secondary level, siblings can attend schools in different systems if one of them is high-school aged.

What happens if my child is coming from French Immersion?

The High Performers Program, Grades 4-12 offers a Core French program only. All subjects are taught in English, except for during their French learning periods, which are usually online. Students will be assessed on the expectations of the Ontario Core French Curriculum which is much different than the French Immersion Curriculum. We also have a fully stocked Library with an amazing selection of books geared towards French Immersion students, so your child may choose to take out books any time! Other ways for students to keep up with their French is to join day camps and French classes such as:

• Camp Tournesol: https://www.camptournesol.ca/
• Fun Avec French: www.funavecfrench.com/

How do I contact the teacher?

For specific questions regarding the program or application process, please email HPP_BritanniaPS@peelsb.com