Purchasing Curriculum

I just had a great question about curriculum...What can I buy?  Here is some information that I think may be helpful for new and returning families, as things may have changed over the years you have been a part of HCOS.  :)

The DO’s:

1. Books, programs, specific curriculums that provide lessons for your kids to work through (like the Saxon math you purchased)

2. Workbooks and learning kits/manipulatives that supplement the books/programs/curriculums, including subject-specific games

3. Subscriptions that support your kids’ learning

4. Community lessons that your kids take (sports, Fine Arts, workshops… from community businesses that can provide criminal record checks/policies to our school offices) - ONLY available after core subject curriculum has been purchased and after September

*if shipping is required, then the shipping cost can also be covered for these orders

The DON”Ts:

1. Equipment (computers, instruments, exercise items, cameras, etc – large ticket items like these need to be approved by our school office and , if approved, are leased over a three year period then either returned to the school or bought out at the end of 3 years)

2. Toys (items that cannot be described as educational for your child's learning in a specific subject)

3. Lessons or fees for any lessons provided informally through friends or family – not community businesses – cannot be invoiced, unless a Criminal record check is provided to the school beforehand and the person is willing to invoice the school using the Vendor Invoice paperwork (which I can provide you, if you need it)

There are some items that may seem like toys that we can actually claim for educational reasons in the learning plans.  Often, things like lego and K’Nex, art kits, paper plane making kits, etc can be supported as educational items in the SLPs and thus are allowed.  If you are unsure, let me know what those items are and I’ll let you know if we are able to show educational ‘value’ to the items.

For students who enrol before October 1, the school makes up to $1000 available to use on educational purchases, including a max of $600 to go towards things like community lessons (Do #4) and ‘consumables’(DO #2) (workbooks that get written in, items that get used up – like art kits).  After October 1, the total available is $500.

The school is NOT ALLOWED to reimburse purchases made by parents, therefore, if you find a resource that you really want but cannot find a business that the PO# your boys were each assigned, then please contact me to purchase it.  If you purchase it directly, you will not be reimbursed for it.

If you are interested, the school is allowed to use some of your family’s curriculum funds to reimburse your internet costs.  If you save these paid invoices/bills over the school year, then in April/May you can apply for an internet reimbursement of up to $350, which gets paid out in July/August.  This is often an attractive option for families and  is easy to apply for near the end of the school year.