Contents Finance Technology and Communications Campus Store Transportation
HSC ENROLMENT TEAM Greetings from HSC’s Enrolment Team!
SHERIANN HEATH-JOHNSTON MSED., OCT
Director of Enrolment heathsh@hsc.on.ca 905-389-1367, ext. 106
We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome as you become a part of our community. As you embark on your journey with HSC, it’s our priority to ensure that you have all the resources you need to feel prepared for daily life at the College. Our dedicated enrolment team is here to address any inquiries you may have throughout your enrollment process at HSC, and as your child transitions into academic life, commencing with an orientation before the start of each school year. Within this guidebook, you will discover essential information to kickstart your time at HSC. We have compiled details on four crucial aspects of the College, as suggested by our parents. We will keep you informed throughout the year about important dates and events to ensure that you, as a new member of the HSC family, maintain your enthusiasm and confidence in your decision to join our College. If you have any questions along the way, our Admissions Team is available at admissions@hsc.on.ca.
VANESSA FERGUSON
Enrolment Officer
vanessa.ferguson@hsc.on.ca 905-389-1367, ext. 191
RACHEL FORTUNE
Enrolment Officer
rachel.fortune@hsc.on.ca 905-389-1367, ext. 137
TARA MEYER
Registrar
tara.meyer@hsc.on.ca 905-389-1367, ext. 160
Finance A not-for-profit independent school, Hillfield Strathallan College is a registered charity. Our operating budget is primarily determined by our tuition fee revenue. We operate our classrooms, repair our buildings and facilities, and maintain our grounds and playing fields with our annual operating budget. Our future fees are set once a year based on forecasted annual operating expenses for the corresponding school year.
EXPLAINING OUR tuition FEE SCHEDULE The College has a tuition fee schedule with various payment plans to assist parents with tuition expenses over the year. Plans B, C and D are subject to College approval and include a built in monthly administrative fee. The due dates related to all payment plans start July 31, with exception to plan D which commences May 31. Payments must be made to complete acceptance of enrolment and ongoing enrolment so that a student may attend in September. Students enrolling subsequent to October 31 are only eligible for payment plan A with all funds due upon enrollment. Students residing in Canada under a parent’s work visa or students who will be attending HSC on a study permit are required to pay fees as set out in the International Fee Schedule (Plan I). Late payment charges on overdue account balances will be assessed, and as stipulated in the student’s enrolment contract, HSC reserves the right to withdraw services if accounts are not paid by the established due dates. The College prefers tuition fees to be paid by pre-authorized bank payment. Payments on account balances may also be made by cash, cheque, internet banking or Interac at the HSC Business Office. The College does not accept any form of credit cards for payment of tuition; however, does have a relationship with a third party provider, Plastiq, to facilitate the use of credit cards. Visit hsc.on.ca/payment for information on payment options.
Tuition payment plans offered PLAN A
One payment due July 31
PLAN B
Three payments due July 31, October 31, January 31
PLAN C
Nine monthly payments due July 31 through March 31
PLAN D
Twelve monthly payments due June 30 through May 31
PLAN I
International, one payment due upon enrolment
NEW STUDENT APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION FEES A non-refundable admission application fee will apply upon submission of your online application. When your child is offered a place at HSC, you must complete an online ongoing enrolment form and contract, and you must pay a registration fee. The registration fee is a one-time, non-refundable additional fee and is not applied to the tuition fee.
ongoing enrolment DEPOSITS FOR RETURNING STUDENTS Once the student is enrolled, they will continue to remain enrolled for subsequent years, so long as the student continues to meet HSC’s academic requirements and financial obligations. A $1,000 deposit will be applied to your February statement to secure enrolment for the coming school year. This deposit is then allocated to the following academic year’s tuition fees on July 31.
NEW AND RETURNING STUDENT WITHDRAWALS/ TUITION REFUNDS Families who choose to withdraw from the upcoming school year are asked to do so prior to April 1, via the HSC Withdrawal Form. After April 1, you will be fully committed to having your child return to HSC with all the associated privileges and obligations.
TUITION REFUND INSURANCE The College recognizes that making an investment in tuition is a very important financial decision. Occasionally circumstances arise where a family must withdraw, and to assist in safeguarding and potentially lessening any financial losses, the College offers insurance for these situations through our Tuition Refund Insurance Plan. This plan helps to protect against the loss of unused fees for the year the student is in attendance. We strongly encourage families to take advantage of this plan and recommend it to parents in occupations with high transfer rates.
understanding your fees
Our annual tuition includes numerous services and supports.
The annual tuition fees include many programs, options and services. It is important to understand the items that are included with the payment of annual tuition fees and what may be subject to incidental fees. Included items and those considered incidentals (items that require additional fees) are outlined below:
NOTE: These items are not rebated or refunded should a family not require them. They are included as a component of our holistic style of service delivery.
Included Daily hot lunch (EATSMART-certified) and daily snack offering Technology access, including school email and network access campus wide Comprehensive student services and professional counselling, health services and wellbeing supports Transportation program for main routes Before-school and after-school care Co-curricular programming (ages 6 and up)
Extras (required) School uniforms (including athletic uniforms) Laptop (Grades 5–12) E-week trip (M9/Grade 4 – Grade 12) Textbooks (Grade 5 – Grade 12), course materials and yearbook (1 per family)
Optional Advanced Placement (AP) examination fees Athletic tournaments Athletic uniforms Duke of Edinburgh program Campus Store and Tuck Shop (Senior School) purchases Annual school photo packages Participation in optional trips and exchange programs
TRIPS AND E-WEEK ACTIVITIES: All students in M9/Grade 4 through Grade 12 are expected to participate in a programbased field trip each year. There are no classes offered during this period. Each trip has a cost structure that will be shared with the students participating. The costs are calculated on an annual basis and are trip dependent. These activities offer students the opportunity to learn through experience, in such areas as Canadian history, French Canadian culture, environmental awareness, and curriculum-based outdoor education. The College may offer other special trips and events (athletics, arts and service). Charges for entrance fees, accommodations, transportation etc. will be determined per trip and be billed to your student account.
INCOME TAX BENEFITS: CHILD-CARE EXPENSES There are some expenses that may be claimed by parents as child-care expenses. A receipt is issued to the parent/sponsor who has paid the fees. Child-care receipts are issued based on the calendar year and not the school year. Only the components of the tuition pertaining to child-care expenses qualify for a receipt. In addition, those students completing Advanced Placement Courses will receive a T2202A with respect to the tuition payments paid for those particular courses.
SCHOLARSHIPS HSC offers a broad range of merit based scholarships. Interested students must submit a scholarship application and write the scholarship exams. External candidates must be enrolled to be eligible. To learn more, visit hsc.on.ca/scholarships.
FINANCIAL AID BURSARY The financial aid program is designed to assist parents who expect their annual family income to grow as their children grow. Provided for up to a maximum of four years, bursaries afford parents an opportunity to enrol their children immediately and transition to paying full fees within several years of enrolment. In addition, the program provides short-term assistance to existing families who encounter temporary unforeseen financial difficulties. Please visit hsc.on.ca/financialaid for more information
PRIVACY STATEMENT Hillfield Strathallan College is committed to protecting the privacy of our families, students, employees, alumni, donors and other individuals about or from whom we collect personal information. We value the trust of those we deal with, and of the public, and recognize that maintaining this trust requires that we be transparent and accountable in how we treat the information that you choose to share with us. To learn more about HSC’s privacy policy please view the College Handbook at hsc.on.ca/ collegehandbook.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ENROLMENT INFORMATION: INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PROGRAM
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT LIVING POLICY
HSC offers a comprehensive academic and co-curricular program for a select and limited group of international study permit students annually. Our faculty support international students in a program that gives our visiting students, as well as our domestic students, the opportunity to learn about diverse cultures, gain new perspectives and meet friends.
International study permit students will be asked to live with an HSC host family unless they will be residing with a family who;
An international student is defined as a non-permanent resident of Canada. International study permit students are required to pay the total of annual HSC tuition, expansion fees, registration fees and, if applicable, all fees required by our third-party homestay, guardian and international health insurance providers. Acting as a facilitator, HSC will remit the homestay and insurance fees directly to these third parties on the students’ behalf. The total amount payable to HSC upon enrolment is found in the International Fee Schedule. A “full fees paid letter” will be issued for immigration purposes following the confirmed receipt of payment and completed enrolment documents. Late payment charges on overdue account balances will be assessed, and HSC reserves the right to withdraw services if accounts are not paid in accordance with the established due dates. Enrolment and re-enrolment fees may be wired, or paid by Canadian bank draft. Please contact finance@ hsc.on.ca for our wire transfer information.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT WITHDRAWAL POLICY Students who choose to withdraw a confirmed enrolment or ongoing enrolment to the College must do so prior to April 1 in order to be released from the obligations of the upcoming school year’s enrolment contract. All HSC students who withdraw after April 1, will be responsible for the next school year’s tuition fees as outlined in the enrolment contract. An exception to this policy may be granted if Immigration Canada (IRCC) does not approve the student’s study permit. This request must be made to admissions@hsc. on.ca and include a copy of the original letter of refusal from IRCC.
a) holds citizenship or permanent residency in Canada, or b) can show proof of visitor status for the consecutive time of the child’s academic program. Our host family program is provided by a third party, Canada Homestay Network (CHN). Additional services (airport pickup, etc.) are offered by CHN at an additional fee to the student. Further, all international students living with a host family will receive Guardianship Services via Canadian Education Student Services (CESS). This service is also available for parents in the country who may require translation support for school interactions including emergency support 24/7.
THE CANADA HOMESTAY NETWORK Students aged 14 and up are eligible to become a part of HSC’s host family program. The Canada Homestay Network (CHN) works with HSC to place our students with host families in the local area accessible by HSC’s transportation routes. Once a student is placed with a host family, supervision and support are provided by CHN’s Relationship Manager 24 hours a day. The HSC Senior School’s International Student Specialist also supports students to ensure that homestay accommodations are meeting their needs.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUARDIANSHIP
Each of our international study permit students, living with a host family, will have a Canadian guardian from Canada Education Student Services (CESS) who will support the child’s success during their time at HSC. More information on CESS’s offerings may be found at hsc.on.ca/admissions/ international-students/international-student-guardianship.
technology and communications
myhsc Your email and the password you chose to create your myHSC account as part of your first step through the admissions process is the same software you will use as a parent/guardian going forward. Now that you are an official member of the HSC community, your ability to access resources inside this software has increased. It is important that you take some time to explore the myHSC resource board and all of the content therein, as this is how you will stay informed about all of the events and activities at HSC, and there is a lot! There are many ways to access myHSC. One of the easiest is to visit www.hsc.on.ca and click on the myHSC icon on the upper right hand side of the page.
Communications at HSC While you will receive important College-wide information via email, you will also be responsible for visiting myHSC to set up your notification preferences to ensure you receive information specific to your child(ren)’s school life. This will allow you to select whether you receive notifications via email, text or not at all. You can customize how little or how much of the daily updates you will receive. The myHSC resource board has a dedicated link to IT Services. Once inside you can click on topics to watch a video and learn more about how you can customize your notifications.
myHSC Responsibilities As a myHSC user there are important steps that you will need to complete inside the software on an ongoing basis. These include: • •
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Updating emergency contacts and medical information for your child(ren) Signing consent forms (E-week is an example where, like your enrolment contract, all responsible signing authorities on the child(ren)’s record will need to login with their unique password to sign) Personalizing your notification settings Reviewing the News Feed for class, school and College updates and information (this is often where reminders of celebrations or schedule changes are shared with both parents/guardians and students) Accessing your child(ren)’s report cards and reviewing their academic calendar Accessing your monthly statements and reviewing past signed documents like your enrolment contract
The IT Services team can be reached at Itservices@hsc.on.ca. The team would be pleased to answer any questions you may have about myHSC. Please note that several tutorial videos await you on the myHSC IT Resource Board under the Topics tab.
*Visit myHSC IT Services resource board for how-to videos of serveral IT topics (notifications, emergency contacts, medical updates etc.)
Bring Your Own Device Program HSC operates using a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Program for Grades 4/M9 through Grade 12. Students bring their own device to school daily in support of the academic program. HSC suggests several hardware options that can be used with our BYOD program and we fully support both Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS platforms. Visit myHSC to view our recommendations. Should you need help with the choice of your child’s BYOD device and the installation of software, email ITServiceRequest@hsc.on.ca.
Annual AUA (Acceptable Use Agreement) Each year the IT services department will ask parents/guardians and students to sign on an annual use agreement. The safety and wellbeing of our community and systems starts with our awareness of the importance of security and acceptable usage of the technology and tools we make available. Should a community member break this agreement they may lose the right to access our network.
STUDENT PHOTOS AND IMAGES Images of our daily activities and student participation are a large part of our community sharing and celebration. Images may be shared in print publications, the College website, internal media screens, promotional videos and all types of social media (e.g., Vimeo, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram). Concerns should be brought to the Director of Advancement and Communications at communications@hsc.on.ca.
campus store The Campus Store entrance is located behind the bus parking on the lower level of our Strathallan Building. Our entrance is marked with a green awning over the exterior doors. Please use this set of doors to enter and exit the store.
Uniforms Our Campus Store staff are very knowledgeable and happy to assist you in picking out your child(ren)’s uniform. To review our uniform offerings you can visit the myHSC uniform guide at hsc.on.ca/uniformguide.
Textbooks You are able to purchase your new and used textbooks at the Campus Store. Early Education and Middle School Faculty select items required for students and assemble bookbags for each child at the start of each school year. The cost for these items vary, and will show up on your fall statement as Campus Store purchases. Senior School students will proceed to the campus store to select books as they do have the option to shop used textbooks. A buy-back program accepts those textbooks that are in good condition and will be applicable to course work in the next year. For students wishing to get ahead in the summer, see the campus store for guidance. Note the campus store is open throughout the summer. Please visit our online store for hours of operation at hsc.on.ca/campusstore.
Sundry Items The Campus Store has many quality items for sale, necessities such as school books, new and gently used uniforms, graduation rings, varsity wear and school supplies. Healthy snacks and beverages are also available for purchase. Senior School students may also have access to the student run Tuck Shop, during class breaks and after school.
Campus Store Appointments You are encouraged to book a campus store appointment when buying a uniform for the first time. Please email campusstore@hsc.on.ca or call 905-389-1367 ext. 112.
Online Campus Store HSC also offers online shopping. You can visit our store at hsc.on.ca/campusstore Items can also be sent home with the student(s) if requested.
Used Uniforms The HSC Parents Guild organizes multiple used uniform sales per year. You will receive emails regarding these dates. For the safety of our community we ask that no HSC uniform pieces be donated outside of HSC. If you have uniform pieces that you would like to donate, please deposit the items in the purple bin located inside the doors of the Campus Store.
transportation Included in tuition is our main-route bus transportation program. Our bus drivers cover 30+ routes each day within a one-hour radius of our College. Students enjoy morning pickup and can select from two afternoon drop-off times Monday through Thursday, departing at 3:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. to accommodate family schedules and co-curricular community activities. On Friday only an early departure is offered. Some scheduled holidays will affect offerings. When changes occur they will be communicated via email and can be seen on the HSC calendar. Be sure to review our Transportation FAQ at hsc.on.ca/transportationFAQ for additional information.
My Personal Bus Route Bus routes are made available in late August. You will have access to your personal route via the myHSC Transportation Resource Board. Reading your bus route for the first time can be confusing. Please contact transportation@hsc.on.ca for a personal tutorial.
Bussing Support to Multiple Homes Some students share their time between multiple homes. To support our team in routing multiple locations we ask that you complete the HSC Transportation Form. This form can be found on the myHSC Transportation Resource Board.
Opting Out of Transportation Transportation is included in HSC tuition fees as it includes not only access to our pick-up and drop-off offerings but also for various trips and co-curricular excursions. Although no discount is offered should you choose to drive your child(ren) daily, we do ask that families complete the HSC Transportation Form to assist our team in routing for other families. Should you ever change your mind, simply fill in a new HSC Transportation Form.
TrackEM HSC has partnered with a GPS company, TrackEM that allows HSC families to track their child(ren)’s school bus in real time. This payfor-service system maximizes the efficiency of the daily school bus routines and minimizes the guesswork of commuter traffic route delays. The system has proven to be a valued asset to a growing number of HSC families. For more information about the tracking services, or for assistance with the registration, please call the TrackEM customer support team toll free at 1-866-868-7225.
Changing my Child’s Bus Plans We understand that people’s plans change. Should you need to change bus plans, your first point of contact will be your school’s administrator. Likewise, you can contact the transportation team for assistance at transportation@hsc.on.ca and reception at 905389-1367.
Enrolment department INFORMATION The Enrolment Team is always happy to assist you with enrolment and reenrolment questions. Please do not hesitate to contact us. www.hsc.on.ca admissions@hsc.on.ca 905-389-1367
Sheriann Heath-Johnston Director of Admissions n ext. 106 Vanessa Ferguson Admissions Officer n ext. 191 Rachel Fortune Enrolment Officer n ext. 137 Tara Meyer Registrar n ext. 160 Delia Stapleford Business Office n ext. 110
Respect. Integrity. Community. Individuality. Determination. Our core mission is to develop joyful and engaged students who live life with purpose. The best learning happens when students are happy to come to school, have opportunities to follow their passions, and participate in deep learning experiences that challenge them. Joyful, engaged students develop strong relationships with their peers and with the caring adults who spark and support their learning both inside the classroom and beyond. Their journey at HSC prepares students to live with purpose—to understand their world, inspire, lead, act, and make a difference in their own unique ways.