The Centre for Alternative and Virtual Education (The CAVE) is an alternative school that provides high school courses in an informal, friendly and flexible learning environment. The CAVE is staffed by a principal, five teachers, and two support staff.

The CAVE offers all core courses in Grades 10, 11 and 12, as well as Work Experience, Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), Dual Credit and CTS.

The CAVE allows students to take up to 10 credits at a time, which means two core classes.  Exceptions can be made (by the principal of the cave) to take more than two core classes, but students must show that they are able to keep up with the schedule provided. If a student attempts three core classes and struggles, that privilege will be taken away and they will be allowed only two.

The CAVE primarily serves students in high school, as well as adult learners; students 19 years of age or younger are funded through Alberta Education/Government of Canada; students older than 19 years of age are able to take courses through the CAVE at a cost per credit. Students in Grade 7-9 can be considered for placement at the CAVE upon the recommendation of the Superintendent.

Reference documents

Alberta Education Online Learning and School Authority Leaders Guide 2019

Alberta Education Online Learning Student and Family Guide 2019.

PowerSchool

PowerSchool is recognized by Aspen View Public Schools as a communication tool for educational stakeholders. As such, we will utilize PowerSchool as our main communication with students and guardians. Marks in PowerSchool will be considered the official grade. 

Guardians can follow students’ progress, marks, due dates, and missing assignments, using the PowerSchool Parent Portal, which can be set up through their school of registration.  Directions on how to access Parent Portal can be found here.

MOODLE/Google Classroom/Other Platforms

Communication between teachers and students will primarily be through the platform used in the course, unless students are told otherwise.

Virtual Supervisors

Within Aspen View, each school has a Virtual Supervisor assigned to support students.

Students and guardians can contact their course teacher and/or home school to determine who their Virtual Supervisor is.

Important Dates

Core Subject Registration Deadlines:

• To receive a course mark Semester 1, registration must be submitted by 11 a.m. September 14th 
• Final core course registration is by 11 a.m. the last day before Teachers Convention in February.
• Registration deadline for PE 10 (3 credit) and CALM is 11 a.m. Friday prior to spring break.
• 3 credit courses registration no later than 11 a.m. Friday prior to spring break.
• 1 credit courses registration no later than 11 a.m. last school day in April.

The principal of the CAVE may register student past these dates if circumstances show that the student will be successful.

• Students must complete all coursework including final exams in order to receive credit.
• All coursework must be completed and evaluated before the student attempts an exam.
• Students must complete assignments and unit assessments in sequence, unless otherwise instructed by the teacher.
• Students need to request a quiz or exam from their teacher, and will not be given a quiz or exam unless permission has been granted from the teacher.
• A teacher is permitted to require a student who fails an exam to retake an assessment of equivalent value before they proceed in the course.
• If a student has been withdrawn from a course, the student can request that they be enrolled in the same course in the next semester.  Students can request permission from the CAVE principal to continue the course.

Teacher Responsibilities

1. At the start of the semester, teachers will ensure all assessment categories and due dates are entered into PowerSchool and posted on their course main page or course outline.
2. PowerSchool will be updated every two weeks.
3. Teachers’ first priority for marking assignments are to mark those that are handed in on the due dates.
4. Teachers will return marks in a timely manner.
5. CAVE teachers are not required to enter marks or comments into Moodle, Google, or any other platform.  The marks that the students see in these platforms are “raw” data, and do not necessarily reflect the weightings that the teachers are applying to the assessments.  The marks in PowerSchool reflect the weighting and are to be considered accurate and up to date; therefore, PowerSchool should be referred to for accurate marks.
6. Teachers shall encourage regular submission of assessments that allow senior high school students to move at a pace that is conducive to learning. It is important to encourage students to maintain a regular pace throughout their course.

Student Responsibilities

1. Students must contact their teacher(s) a minimum of once a week, but are encouraged to be in regular contact with them.


2. Important to note that exams may need to be proctored which means students will have to write their exams at the CAVE or in an authorized school.  If that cannot be arranged exams may be proctored visually using a webcam.  This will be set up by the teacher but access to a webcam is up to the student.


3. Assignments must be handed in by their due dates.

   If assignments are late:

a. Assignments will be recorded as “Missing” in PowerSchool with a mark of zero.   Zeroes can be removed once the student submits their assignment.  If the assignment is not submitted by the end of the semester, the mark of zero will remain.

b. If students falls 3 weeks behind the schedule that is laid out for a course, they will be withdrawn.  There will be warnings with the student, virtual coordinator, and home before the withdrawal. 

4. Late registrants will have their absent assignments recorded as “Missing” or a grade of zero until they catch up. Teachers will establish a reasonable, accelerated schedule to permit the student to complete the course by the end of the Semester.


5. Cheating, Copying, or Plagiarism:

AI generators, digital assisting programs, and plagiarism have become an increasing problem.  The CAVE teachers do check work and put them through programs that can detect if a student has used one.  Our policy will be a mark of “0” (a rewrite may be required) on the first assignment. If it occurs a second time the student will be withdrawn from the course.  Integrity of the courses is of the utmost importance and that of the student doing the courses.

There are rules about academic integrity and cheating. Breaking these rules has serious consequences.

Here are some examples of breaking the rules:

• Copying from a fellow student’s work or test, or allowing them to copy your work;
• Plagiarism: using someone else’s words or ideas without acknowledging they are not your own;
• Handing in another student’s work as your own;
• Handing in material downloaded from the Internet.