Is it a different curriculum at the ELC?

No, all Grade 10 students are required to take the same 6 courses plus two electives.  The required courses are Composition and Creative Writing 10, Math 10, Science 10, Social Studies 10, Physical Education 10 and Career Life Education 10. The curriculum for these Grade 10 classes is mandated and exactly the same regardless of school.  At the ELC, students also take a Digital Media 11 class, which gives them an extra 4 credits and they meet the graduation requirement for needing to have a fine art/applied skill; thus enabling them to have more choices of courses in Grade 11.

The ELC also has a class called Project-Based Learning. The goals of PBL are to teach curricular content, develop a deeper understanding and build 21st-century success skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration and creativity. Students have PBL time scheduled each week in order to work on their PBL projects.  As PBL is cross-curricular, students will have a PBL mark in English, Math, Social Studies, Science, Career Life Education and Digital Media.

Courses at the ELC are linear (year-long courses) with the exception of electives, which are on the semester system. The benefits of a linea system are that there is more time for digesting and understanding of material and longer time frames to create meaningful projects. Students also have more time to study the material and access support if they are having difficulties.

My child is in French Immersion can they take that at the ELC?

No.  French Immersion is only offered at the Main Campus. We have had a number of French Immersion students who have chosen to attend the ELC but it means that they have to drop French Immersion or pick it up again in Grade 11. If they choose to pick it up again they will have to catch up in a few required courses.

I’ve heard the ELC is only for athletes…

Not true. However, we are incredibly fortunate to go to school in an amazing facility, the Pomeroy Sports Center, which has two ice rinks, a walking track, and has an ‘only one in North America speed skating oval’ plus a workout gym, a dance studio and basketball hoops.  As well, we have access to the Soccer Pitch/Fieldhouse for activities and we have an amazing hockey program, so it’s easy to understand why some people think that!

We also start off our day with DPA (Daily Physical Activity). This is how students receive their PE 10 mark, as all students are required to have PE 10 to graduate. Students pick their DPA activity each week.  These activities range from the walking track, skating, working out, basketball, badminton, “Just Dance”, volleyball, minor games (such as dodgeball, goldrush, capture-the-flag), soccer swimming, figure skating, yoga, and more!

DPA is wonderful and students say they love it! It’s a great way to start the day, but it also works because students choose their activity depending on what level of fitness they are comfortable with or what they want to try. This works well for both athletic AND non-athletic students, but those who consider themselves ‘not athletic’ find it is a great and valuable way to receive their PE 10 mark.

I’ve heard the ELC is only for high academic learners / I’ve heard the ELC is only for struggling learners

The ELC has been proven to work extremely well with ALL types of learners. Those who are academic learners push themselves even harder and reach for more excellence. They find a deeper love for life long learning and have gone on to excel in their academic path and career of their choice. We notice that when our students go on to the Main Campus for Grade 11-12 that they continue to be leaders and to achieve high standards. We also have students who are struggling learners and need a bit more support and they do quite well as the Linear system gives them a bit more time to meet learning outcomes. .

Does the ELC have any student support?

You bet!  At the ELC we a great Student Support Team that consists of Educational Assistants, a Learning Assistant Teacher, a Counsellor/Behaviour Support/Indigenous Transition Coach,  ELL support, and an Indigenous Youth Care worker. We notice that because our school is a little smaller, students usually readily accept help. We have quiet spaces for those who need it, and because we get to know our students so well we are able to know if a student is struggling and quickly provide assistance. Because of our community-based classrooms, the teacher is able to establish a strong relationship with the students and will understand their student’s individual needs. The student’s community teacher is also the liaison between home and school, so if the parent has any questions or concerns, the community teacher is a great person to ask.

My son/daughter likes to participate in school sports. Can they play on sports teams at the ELC?

Absolutely!  We are the second campus of NPSS, which means our students and Main Campus students are the same and have the same opportunities to play on sports teams.  After school, there is a bus that goes from the ELC to Main Campus, which students are able to utilize for team practice. Sports team include: Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, Rugby, Track and Field, Ultimate, Badminton

My child is interested in the trades, can they do that at the ELC?

Yes, absolutely. Louis Vacarro, Sharon Hoechel, Jeff Mayer and Brian Campbell look after Trades and Careers for both campuses. We have many students who start their work experience, trades and YETS applications at the ELC. Even though we do not have shop classes for our electives at the ELC, students will have ample opportunity to take these electives in Grade 11-12.