Journey Middle School > School Information

FAQ'S

I never seem to know what is going on at Journey. My son never brings home notices and he doesn't say much when I ask him about his day. How can I get more information about what is going on?

Thankfully our new website will allow you to access information. There is a Calendar page for upcoming events, a Newsletter page for monthly news and a weekly School Blog. Staff members can help you to fill in the blanks too. Many Teachers maintain their own Blogs, Wikis and Websites to keep parents up-to-date on what is going on at Journey Middle. You are also welcome to drop by and pick up hard copies of all notices at the Front Desk. There are a number of informative school and community notice boards in the Front Foyer.

My daughter is really struggling to complete homework. Does Journey offer support?

Some Journey teachers offer academic assistance during break times. If that is not available in your daughter's class, we have a Homework Club that runs Monday to Thursday from Bell to 3:30. This Club is an extracurricular service provided by teachers and education assistants to help kids complete their homework.

I want my son to have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). He is really having trouble keeping up with his school work. How do I get him an IEP?

Students need to have a psycho-educational evaluation and need to meet ministry guidelines to qualify for an IEP. Please refer to the Ministry's website: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/special_ed_policy_manual.pdf#page=48
Currently, there is a wait list for psycho-educational testing at the school district level. Private psycho-educational testing is available, but can be costly. Thankfully, an IEP is not the only way to get support.

My son is in grade 5 and is really worried about going to Journey, how can we help reduce his anxiety around this transition?

Your son is not alone in his worries and Journey is dedicated toward making his and other grade 5's move to Middle School as pleasant as possible. The elementary schools are invited to participate in two field trips to the Middle School during our Future Journey Dragon exploratory. Special Needs students and students with hightened anxiety around the transition, are invited for additional visits and activities so they feel right at home when they start grade 6. Parents are welcome to tour our facilities. In fact, Journey students conduct guided tours the week before school starts to calm both future students and parents nerves.

My daughter says that parents don't volunteer at Journey, is that true?

No, parents do volunteer at Journey and their time is valued. For example, many parents put in their time to help to run Wednesday Food Sales which raise money for school materials and programs. Others volunteer to drive students on field trips or to sporting events.

I have some concerns about my son's program, what steps should I take to have them addressed?

You should approach your son's teacher first. This face to face approach is the most proactive and often is all you need to do to solve the problem. Please refer to the Journey Parent Handbook for more information.

My son is really afraid of "bullies" and this upsets me. What is Journey's position on bullying?

Students should feel safe at school. We ask that all students read and sign our "Code of Conduct" before the school year begins. This code is about protecting students' rights to a safe school. Bullying is not tolerated.

If you have a question that you want answered, email: gbridal@sd62.bc.ca. It might be an FAQ that we can post an answer to here...