Our
School
At SCAS, our purpose is to provide learner-centred programs that assist children and youth in developing the knowledge, skills and competencies necessary to build a healthy community. We welcome individual differences within an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation.
The Sunshine Coast Alternative School consists of several self-contained programs located at different sites along the coast. These are district programs that provide placements for students through School Based Team referrals as well as considering both school and self or family requests.
Students are referred to district programs by a student’s home school when students’ educational needs, and emotional or behavioural difficulties prevent their home school from being able to provide an educational program. Students may self-request when his/her educational needs require alternative paths from the regular school environment.
In addition to those staff in each of the programs, the following personnel support the whole school, including; Inclusion Support Teachers, Counsellors; Career Preparation Teachers; Indigenous Education Support Teachers; Fine Arts Teachers; Teachers Librarians, Administration Assistant, Office Assistant and the District Inclusion Support Team.
The NDVR program offers a small, nurturing learning environment, with ample opportunity for one-on-one learning and interaction. Blending specific Ministry learning objectives with life skills, emotion management, physical exercise, and outdoor education, the NDVR program offers students a variety of ways to experience success both inside and out of the classroom. A variety of teaching methods, including hands-on, visual, auditory, independent and computer based, are used to ensure all types of learners are accommodated. Weekly cooking and nutrition classes, art classes led by an art specialist, and regularly scheduled outdoor education adventures on and off the coast, also help to create diversity in learning experiences.
The NDVR program accesses a variety of community resources to supplement the work done by school staff. These include Ministry for Children and Family Development counsellors, child care workers, and other health care professionals.
Horizons is an academic program that serves students with unique personal circumstances. This program offers students in grades ten to twelve the choice between cohorts, where students move through a course together with a focus on classroom discussion, or self-paced, independent learning using both online resources and paper-based programs.
The program also offers creative opportunities to advance personal growth and self-exploration through our art program, a fitness program and various career and health presentations through outside organizations.
This program allows students the opportunity for flexible scheduling to meet the students’ individual educational, emotional and/or behavioural needs. The student, in consultation with the staff, create their own academic program within the B.C. Ministry of Education curricular guidelines.
Our Flex program is for students in grades 8 to 10. At FLEX our students’ social and emotional stability takes precedence over academics. The staff, working with students, will help in the development and implementation of the skills necessary for a solid social/emotional foundation, as we move from a fixed to a growth mindset.
The program staff are skilled at dealing with students with severe behaviours, emotional difficulties and various learning difficulties. Support staff include people such as a school counselor and an outdoor recreation teacher. The school counselor provides personal and addiction counselling and consultation to families.
FLEX operates out of the Sunshine Building in Sechelt. FLEX students have the opportunity to work on their academic subjects independently, at their own pace and with the help of our support staff and teachers. Throughout the week, there are also opportunities to gain academic credit in a group setting, with interactive, multimedia resources and hands on projects to engage each learner. We offer a variety of elective course credits, which are designed to encourage and foster each students’ own unique abilities, interests and talents. Outdoor education and field trips into the community are important components of the program. We work on a model of continual progress.
Heritage Building, Gibsons - Staff
The OASIS program serves students with unique circumstances of vulnerability, but these students are in a stage in their schooling to focus more on academics.
The OASIS Program offers a self-paced, independent learning environment using both computer and paper-based programs for students in grades nine to twelve. The program also offers creative opportunities to advance personal growth and self-exploration through community fine arts programs, a community fitness program and career preparation seminars. These programs allow students the opportunity for flexible scheduling to meet the studentsí individual educational, emotional and/or behavioural needs. The students, in consultation with the staff, create their own academic program within the B.C. Ministry of Education curricular guidelines.
The Mangrove program serves students with unique circumstances of vulnerability who are working on academics with an emphasis on social emotional support. Our students are at various stages of attendance and some require a home-based program.
The Mangrove Program was developed in response to the needs of many youth, younger students who are out of school, and experiencing social emotional difficulties that have made it near impossible to attend a regular or alternative school setting. This program offers a safe, secure connection to the educational learning community. It integrates social skills acquisition, therapeutic intervention, conflict resolution and problem solving into each aspect of the student’s educational program. The program allows students the opportunity for flexible scheduling to meet their individual emotional and/or behavioural needs. The student, in consultation with the staff, create their own academic program and educational goals within the curricular guidelines.
The Program is staffed by personnel with specific expertise and qualification in dealing with students with severe behaviours and those with emotional difficulties. These personnel include a special education teacher, a child care worker, and an educational assistant. A counselor is also available to provide individual psychological counselling, addiction counselling, and consultation to families where appropriate.