Frequently Asked Questions

What geographical areas do you service?
Phoenix is proud to service Calgary and surrounding areas (Strathmore, Olds, Okotoks, Turner Valley, Innisfail and Cochrane) for school-directed programming and the whole province for Home education programs.

Are there any fees involved for registration, etc.?
It costs $50.00 for each new student and $25.00 for each returning students.

How hard is it to switch from a traditional or home education (parent-directed) program to a teacher-directed (blended) program down the road?
If you start your *school year* as home education (traditional), you cannot move to blended or school-directed program in that same year. If you start your year as blended or
school-directed (100% aligned) you can move to home education at any time in the year.

Can we meet our certificated teacher (learning coach) before registering?
In most cases we will know who your learning coach will be and you are welcome to make an appointment in the summer to come and meet them!

How much notice do we get for visits (example: for progress reports) and when are they most likely to happen?
Plenty of notice! Your certified teacher (learning coach) will notify you by email or phone to arrange a convenient time for both parties. The face-to-face meetings generally happen in October, February and June for school-directed students and November and May for home education kids. You can, however, arrange a meeting for your child any time help is needed. Your learning coach is available by phone, fax, email and in person!

What support do we get to if we are having trouble getting a concept?
Your certified teacher (learning coach) is a wealth of information! If you need links, ideas for curriculum or supplementary items, they can often point you in a right direction. They can also give you new ideas and insight on how to approach a concept. A teacher is available to you within 24 business hours by phone, email, or fax, to help you and your child.

What testing must be done?
All school-directed and blended students are expected to write the PATS for grades 3,6 and 9. 

How much do we get reimbursed?
This varies on the program you choose:

Home Education = $750 per year.

Blended = $1100-1200 per year.

School-directed $1500 per year.

What can we use the reimbursement on?
Your student can be reimbursed for anything that directly relates to their education plan.  So if Music is on the education plan, you can be reimbursed for lessons and instruments. We require original receipts.

Do we get to keep all materials we buy?
While items technically belong to the school, we normally do not ask for items back. You keep what you purchase.  However, we are a non-profit organization and as such we happily accept donations of gently used curriculum and resources.

Do you have a library we can access?
It's coming! We have a small reading library available at the school. Phoenix staff and families are happy to share! If you need something special, we have many textbooks available for sale or rent, several low cost items,  curriculum crates and classes! If there is curriculum you would like to purchase, we can order it for you.

Is there access to used materials?
Phoenix plans several used curriculum sales throughout the year for everyone to clean out their old items and purchase new-to-them items. Check our calendar for the next event.

Is there access to labs or gyms?
We run gym classes every session, as well as karate and dance programs. While we do not have a science lab, per-say, we do offer many science related classes, which are filled with fun, hands-on experiments. Please see our current Program and Classes section for more information what classes are being offered.