Frequently Asked Questions

What will my learning look like?

A teacher specialized in the specific subject area is available during school hours (8:30 am to 1:00 pm) to help support the student with the subject area and completion of the course for all classes. All online teachers will be available during school hours (8:30 am to 1:00 pm).
All Core Courses will be delivered online. The Teacher will support and facilitate curriculum, set assignment deadlines and evaluate all course work through online methods.
Options course curriculum will be delivered online only, with the exception of Foods and Sports Performance (ATHLETE). The online courses will be delivered through online Moodle, Brightspace and/or Google Classroom.
Sports Performance (ATHLETE) is available in person ONLY (8:30 am to 1:00 pm) at Lindsay Thurber High School. Note: this course has a Non-Refundable fee of $25.00. The student will receive a t-shirt upon completion.
Foods will be in person ONLY (8:30 am to 1:00 pm) at Lindsay Thurber High School. Note: this course has a Non-Refundable fee of $25.00 for supplies.
Due to the abbreviated, intensive nature of the summer program, homework and assigned readings form a major component to our online courses. Students should be prepared to spend up to five or six hours per day on their course work.
*Core course Students MUST attend online classes and meet teacher/course expectations and all daily assignment deadlines - this is MANDATORY.* School hours are from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm Monday to Friday. All assignment deadlines assigned by teachers MUST be followed.
Options course Students must meet teacher/course expectations and all daily assignment deadlines - this is MANDATORY.* We do advise that students are online during school hours (8:30 am to 1:00 pm) so you can seek assistance from teachers. All assignment deadlines assigned by teachers MUST be followed. Some courses will require daily mandatory meets (google, zoom).
All course Final exams will be written in person at the Pines Alternative School.

I am going on Vacation, are the dates flexible?

NO, the dates indicated for Summer School are strictly adhered to. Your teachers will be setting daily assignment deadlines that must be followed. There is an expectation that a student will attend everyday for in person and for virtual classes the student must do daily check ins with their teacher and are active online during school hours. Option courses online, if you are going away you will still be expected to log in and complete your course work daily. If your destination does not have internet access you may not enroll in the course. There will be no refunds for incomplete coursework.

Can I take more than one course?

Yes, You can choose one Core course and one option course OR two option courses (to a maximum of 10 credits). However,due to the abbreviated, intensive nature of the summer program, homework assignments and assigned readings form a major component of all our courses. Students should be prepared to spend up to five to six hours per day on course work for each course.

When will I receive my course materials?

Students will be sent an email providing them with material pick up dates and course information. This will usually be the last week of June. Please ensure we have an updated/active gmail address to send out the information for pickup. Students will have access to their courses June 24, however, mandatory attendance and Teacher support will not begin until July 2.

Can I access accommodations?

If you are a student that has utilized special accommodations for course work or exam writing under Alberta Education guidelines in your home school, please be advised that we are unable to provide these same provisions in our Summer School program. Summer School compresses a semester's worth of course material in 21 days. Your instructors do not have additional hours in the day to supervise special accommodations. It is very important that you understand both the limitations and expectations of the Summer School program before registering.

Can I withdraw from Summer School?

A student may withdraw from summer school but will forfeit their entire Registration payment, there will be NO refund. It is very important that a student is 100% committed to attend before they complete the registration procedure. This includes any course(s) registered.
Withdrawal in writing must be provided to the classroom teacher as well as to : pines@rdpsd.ab.ca

Can I change from one class to another during Summer School?

NO once you commit to a course you must stay to complete as we have hired Teaching staff accordingly.

Can I finish early?

Coursework will have specific deadlines determined by the teacher. Final exams for all core courses will be written on July 29 and 30. Foods and Sports Performance will be daily attendance with specific criteria to be completed. Diploma exams are set dates and must be written on those calendar dates.

Will I have to write the Diploma Exam?

Core 30 Level classes will require that a Diploma Exam be written. See Diploma page for Specific Diploma information regarding Diploma Exams. It is your responsibility to show up on the date and on time for the Diploma exam. See Diploma page for Exam dates and times. Diploma Exam times, dates and place are set by Alberta Education and cannot be changed. Students should clarify with their course teacher the exact dates and times.

FEES

Students are required to pay a registration fee based on their age and the course(s) they are registering in. Please refer to the Fees and Refunds Section of Summer School for specific fee information. Please ensure you have registered correctly and paid all the required fees or you will NOT be registered.

Registration - is Online ONLY through the Pines Alternative School Centre website pines.rdpsd.ab.ca starting April 15, 2024. If a course is not there, it is full. A waiting list will be created once registrations are completed and after the closing date on June 3. Please email pinessummerschool@rdpsd.ab.ca to be put on the list.

Payment - MUST be paid in full and be done at the time you complete the Online registration form, otherwise you are NOT registered. We do NOT offer payment plans/options. Course must be paid in full at time of registration. Please be aware of our NO REFUNDS POLICY, once the registration application has been completed. NO REFUND is given until successful course(s) completion and all materials are returned.

Legal Identification must be provided - this is a requirement of the Online registration and must be completed in order for the Registration to be processed and finalized. Please ensure all information is current so that any contact required during summmer school is available and the refund will go to the correct address.

Can I receive funding for my course - NO, Summer School and the Pines Alternative School are not involved in any funding programs.

REFUNDS

If a student chooses not to attend or withdraw after the registration is completed, they forfeit the entire registration payment - NO REFUND.

NO Refund will be given if the course is not successfully completed.

NO Refund will be given if the pre-requisite course is not successfully completed prior to summer school start.

NO Refund will be given if registration is completed and the student/parent changes their plans.

Sports Performance (ATHLETE) A portion of this fee is NON-REFUNDABLE ($25.00). The student will receive a T shirt upon completion of program.

Foods (A portion of this fee is NON-REFUNDABLE)

All refunds will be processed after October 21, 2024. Please ensure that we have the current address information on file.

MORE QUESTIONS?? - Please feel free to reach out by calling the school at 403-343-1354 ext 102 (Helen) or by email helen.frantik@rdspd.ab.ca