How It Works

And what to expect in each grade

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We support your child in following their dreams and pursuing their passions

Your child will follow the B.C. Ministry of Education curriculum in a unique way. Your child is at the centre of their learning journey so they choose their own path towards meeting Ministry competencies.

You and your child work one-on-one with a B.C.-certified educator and develop a learning plan that is based on your child’s unique interests and passions.

We offer incredible support and resources to help them succeed every step of the way, including through graduation and pursuing post-secondary education.

Your child..
  • Works one-on-one with a B.C. certified educator, also known as a Learning Consultant (from kindergarten to Grade 12). Together, you develop a learning plan that is based on your child’s unique interests and passions.
  • Can graduate with a Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood Diploma), Adult Graduation Diploma or complete high school with a School Completion (Evergreen) Certificate.
  • Can access integrated personalized support services if they have disabilities or diverse abilities
  • Will have Indigenous learning opportunities so they can understand the world and its relations through a framework of Indigenous wisdom and philosophy.
  • Has access to the SelfDesign Learning Experiences Library, a dynamic collection of resources, questions, suggestions and inspirations sparked by the curiosity of our learners and offered in integrated interest-based experiences.
  • Has access to many opportunities to interact with their peers online, and through in-person events.
  • May still be able to enrol in our K-12 program through our partnership with Cognia, if you live outside of British Columbia, including residents of the United States. For more information, please send a message to info@selfdesign.org.

“At SelfDesign, I always felt supported by my learning consultants and by the wider community. There was always a way to create the kind of learning experience I wanted while still meeting the requirements to go on to university after graduation, as was my plan.”

– Madelaine, SelfDesign Learner

How our school works

Children know how to learn; they were born knowing how to learn. If they follow their passions and are supported in doing that, they become powerful learners – the learners they were always meant to be. Find out more about how our school works from our educators and members of our principal’s team.

How we assess your child’s learning

Instead of traditional reporting, we assess learning through a process we call Observing for Learning. Your B.C. certified educator participates in an ongoing weekly conversation with you and your child. Your educator will ensure that your child is accessing the B.C. curriculum requirements.

What is Observing for Learning?

In the Observing for Learning process, you observe and reflect on your child’s learning on a weekly basis.This could include talking about learning activities, the learner’s engagement, or their emotional response to learning during that week. Your educator then responds, reflects and shares in observing, and also matches your child’s learning with the B.C. curriculum.

Your educator will coach you and your child in how to observe daily activities, assisting you in noticing learning as it unfolds in everyday moments.

As your child becomes a youth, they collaborate directly with the educator in the Observing for Learning process, with parent assistance happening only as needed. This allows your child to form a deepened awareness of their own integrated learning, goals, interests and skills.

What to expect in each grade

What to expect in each grade

Kindergarten to grade 7

From kindergarten to Grade 7, we have developed a B.C. certified educational program that allows the unique spirit of your child to evolve naturally, today and into the future. Our offerings speak both to the playful spirit of the child and the emerging maturity of the young person.

  • You and your child work with a B.C. certified educator to create a personalized learning plan that maps your child’s interests and curiosities, specifying resources and activities that will be used to facilitate learning and meet B.C. educational requirements.
  • You’ll work one-on-one directly with your educator, who will guide you through your child’s learning plan. As your child grows older, their direct relationship with the educator grows as well.
  • Grade 6-7: additional offerings include optional drop-in real-time meetings which are playful, low-pressure opportunities for your child to enter into a collaborative online learning environment, to develop foundational skills to support them in their growing independence as an online learner at SelfDesign.

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Grades 8 and 9

Grade 8 and 9 at SelfDesign Learning Community follows a similar program to kindergarten to Grade 7 with the addition of workshops that are either theme-related or personal development-related.

  • Grades 8-9: In addition to live offerings, learners have access to a variety of resources and prompts for artifact creation available throughout the learning year through the SelfDesign learning platform which will support them as they move into their highschool grades.
  • These drop-in workshops offer playful, low-pressure opportunities for your child to enter into a collaborative online learning environment, to develop foundational skills, and to interact with the curriculum.
  • Your child can participate in the workshops as observers or actively participate in sharing stories, laughter, and sharing perspectives on their themes.
  • In grades 8 and 9, your child will start to take on more responsibilities, engage in deeper Observing for Learning with their educator, and may explore connections with their peers online. These Observing for Learning communications provide evidence of learning that is validated by the educator for academic credit, and create rich documentation for your child and your family about the breadth of learning that has occurred over the year.
  • You and your child will start to look towards grades 10 to 12 and what path to completion may suit them best.
  • Learning takes place in a variety of environments — at home and in communities as well as in SelfDesign-organized offerings, from camps to community events to online forums and special interest groups (optional).

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Grades 10-12

Grade 10 to 12 learning follows the B.C. curriculum and SelfDesign Learning Community’s personalized learning approach.

Courses are grouped and integrated into a theme, which is a subject your child is interested in such as Travel and Adventure, Storytelling, or STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math)

  • All Grade 10 themes include the core courses required for the Dogwood graduation diploma. Themes are interest-based experiences where the course content is delivered through the lens of the chosen interest.
  • Grade 11 and 12 themes are more diverse and flexible than Grade 10, so learners can begin to personalize their path to graduation, while still engaging in interest-based learning.
  • Grade 12 learners can chart their path to graduation (and personalized post-secondary admissions requirements) with a combination of theme and add-on course choices.
  • Grade 10 to 12 learning includes 20-plus hours of course-based learning each week, which includes 17-plus hours of coursework, one hour of weekly connection with an educator, and two hours of connection with a learning specialist, who facilitates the learner’s courses and themes.
  • There are many possibilities for your child to connect with peers through group-based learning and participate in in-person camps throughout the province during the year.
  • Learners in grades 10 and 11 create a Personal Challenge Project – a passion-lead project with their personal interests as the focus. Learners in Grade 12 create a Capstone project, a year-long personal project about their interests.
  • In Grade 12, your child can participate in the year-end commencement celebration.

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Graduating from SelfDesign

Your child has the same opportunity to graduate as a learner in brick-and-mortar (traditional classroom-based) schools. Your child can apply to post-secondary institutions to further their education and work toward a future professional career. We support your child in achieving their goal of completion in the way that best suits them.

  • B.C. Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood Diploma)
  • British Columbia Adult Graduation Diploma (BCAGD or “Adult Dogwood” Diploma)
  • School Completion (“Evergreen”) Certificate

The B.C. Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood Diploma) is awarded to students who successfully complete the provincial graduation requirements. Students require a minimum of 80 credits to graduate. – B.C. Ministry of Education and Child Care.

The British Columbia Adult Graduation Diploma (BCAGD or “Adult Dogwood” Diploma) is for adult learners (18 and older) who want to take courses in order to complete high school and obtain their adult high school diploma. – B.C. Ministry of Education and Child Care

The School Completion (“Evergreen”) Certificate is intended to celebrate success in learning that is not recognized in a Certificate of Graduation. It is used to recognize the accomplishments of students with special needs and an Individual Education Plan, who have met the goals of their education program, other than graduation (and not all students with special needs should be in an Evergreen Certificate Program). The Evergreen Certificate is not a graduation credential; students who receive an Evergreen have not graduated. It is important that students and their parents clearly understand that the Evergreen represents the completion of personal learning goals but does not represent graduation. – B.C. Ministry of Education and Child Care

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Learners Graduate with Dual Certification

At commencement, SelfDesign learners can receive a Dogwood Diploma, an Adult Dogwood Diploma, or a School Completion Certificate along with a SelfDesign certificate with the prestigious Cognia seal. The Cognia seal signifies that SelfDesign adheres to globally recognized educational standards, making it easier for graduates to be considered by top institutions, including Cognia-accredited schools worldwide.

The Cognia certification is especially beneficial for families relocating overseas. Whether applying to online programs or traditional schools worldwide, the accreditation validates that SelfDesign learners come from a high-quality, respected educational background.

SelfDesign’s partnership with Cognia began in 2011, reflecting our dedication to maintaining and exceeding high standards in education. Cognia is a non-profit organization based in the U.S. that has been accrediting schools for over 100 years. Its comprehensive framework supports continuous improvement, ensuring that institutions like SelfDesign are equipped to meet learners’ and families’ diverse and evolving needs.

With Cognia’s extensive reach, accrediting 36,000 institutions in over 90 countries, and serving nearly 25 million students globally, a SelfDesign certificate with the Cognia seal represents a competitive advantage for learners pursuing further education. By equipping learners with the Cognia-endorsed SelfDesign certificate, graduates are well-prepared to explore new educational horizons and thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

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Commencement at SelfDesign – Through the Learners’ Eyes

SelfDesign has changed the lives of many learners by allowing them to be their true authentic selves and doing things in a way that works best for them individually. Find out more about why learners choose SelfDesign.

Download our Information Packages

Kindergarten to Grade 9

Grade 10-12