Junior High School (Grades 7-9)

Foothills Digital School provides the core courses of the Alberta Education Program of Studies including: 

• English Language Arts 
• Math 
• Science 
• Social Studies  

Junior High Options courses are available to students, if they choose, including a variety of STEM, Humanities and Arts options. 

All courses open on Mondays of each week, with due dates set by the end of the week or to provide ample time for project completion. Students are encouraged to create a schedule that works best for their own learning style, and they complete all learning online.  

Teachers are available during school hours throughout the week to meet virtually , support learning, answer questions, and provide feedback.  

 Our "Orientation Presentation" contains many helpful tips and resources for students and families new to online learning. It is recommended all students in grades 7-9 take time to review the tips enclosed in the "Frequently Asked Questions" document.  

Our Classes:  

Students are grouped into Homerooms with peers of the same age/grade. Each Monday morning, Homerooms meet online with their teachers for an overview of the week’s learning, and to explore Health, Wellness, Relationships, and Life Learning Choices. Homeroom meetings are essential learning and community-building times for students to make connections with their online peers and teachers.  

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays of each week, students meet online with teachers for approximately 45 –60 minutes for subject-specific lessons in core courses. Students are encouraged to have cameras on and participate actively in these lessons. The set schedule - when students are expected to be in the online meeting, learning in real time with their teacher - is available in the Homeroom calendar. 

Online core courses are designed for students to work independently for approximately 1 - 1.5 hours per school day, per subject area. There may be times, however, when students will require more time to complete a learning activity or project. Teachers are available for questions and support during school hours (9:00 AM – 3:30 PM) on school days.  

 
Successful Online Learning:  

When a family makes the decision to learn at home, it is essential that all members of the household are supportive. The student must be motivated to learn, improve, and grow. Parents and/or caregivers must be present to encourage consistent, active participation and to ensure learning is completed and submitted on time. Please be sure to communicate with the teachers, who are available and eager to support and facilitate. 

An essential component of junior high school is developing independence. Expectations for independence from grades seven through nine are that students will take increasing responsibility for their learning, including creating, adapting, and adhering to a schedule, developing the discipline to complete tasks to the best of their ability, and reaching out for teacher support when needed. These habits are built most successfully when they are supported from home as well as school.  

We strongly encourage you to read our WELCOME PACKAGE so that you are prepared for online learning.

 
Characteristics of a Successful Foothills Digital School Learner: 

    Student Responsibilities 

• Developing and maintaining an effective learning schedule 
• Participating in all meetings (synchronous learning), with their camera on, by engaging in lessons verbally or through the chat feature 
• Completing all learning tasks to the best of their ability 
• Completing all learning by the assigned due date 
• Consistently reviewing the grades section in our Moodle classroom for teacher feedback 
• Maintaining an organized workspace, including their physical surroundings as well as digital files 
• Advocating for their own needs by regularly communicating with teachers to ask questions, review and respond to feedback, or seek support when needed.  

Parent / Guardian Responsibilities 

• Ensure your child has the necessary technology: a computer, reliable internet, a working camera, and a microphone 
• Support your child with the creating and adhering to a learning schedule  
• Provide a distraction-free space for your child to focus on their schoolwork each day 
• Regularly review your child’s progress through the Grades section of the Moodle website and through your child’s assignments/projects 
• Ensure your child is available for meetings each week – scheduling appointments outside of the three meeting times, when possible – in a quiet, distraction-free environment, with their camera on 
• Encourage your child to advocate for their own needs, by communicating directly with their teacher on their own, to help support increasing independence and resilience 

Teacher Responsibilities 

• Create engaging and meaningful learning content from the Alberta Education Program of Studies 
• Support student learning through written and verbal feedback 
• Communicate with students regularly through the Grades section, chat, meets, Learner Profiles etc. 
• Provide timely formative and summative assessment  
• Lead synchronous online learning sessions 
• Communicate regularly with parents through the Grades section, email etc. 

Family Responsibilities 

• Jr High Students should not be responsible for childcare for younger children in the home during school hours (Monday-Friday 9:00 - 3:00) 
• Jr High Students should not be responsible for supporting the learning of younger siblings. If support for younger siblings in the FDS program is needed, please contact your child’s teacher or school administration  
• As much as possible, appointments should be scheduled outside of meeting times. Students should try to be available for synchronous learning times with their peers and teachers. 

 
Our Goal at Foothills Digital School Junior High:  

To support, challenge, and celebrate each student through meaningful, engaging learning while providing a flexible school environment for learners and their families.