Potts is Going Paperless*!
We've been looking into ways to reduce our paper usage for several years and the pandemic coincidentally provided us with a long-term and large-scale test of different ways of approaching this situation. Now, we are asking all students in Grade 5 and up to bring a device to class (laptop, tablet, iPad, smartphone) to use for activities in class and improve their learning outcomes.
Here are some of the benefits of our new paperless system:
Still want paper homework? Feel free to print worksheets at home and take pictures to turn in!
*We understand that very young learners particularly benefit from using paper (such as for learning handwriting in early grades) so paper can certainly be used in those classes.
Here are some of the benefits of our new paperless system:
- Instant feedback on tests in class!
- No more lost handouts!
- Improved teaching by giving teachers a full view of past performance!
- No more learning interruptions in case of future lockdowns or other unforeseen events!
- Faster marking of all homework!
- Helping the environment and saving trees by reducing paper waste!
- On-the-fly adjustments to homework based on situations which come up during a class.
Still want paper homework? Feel free to print worksheets at home and take pictures to turn in!
*We understand that very young learners particularly benefit from using paper (such as for learning handwriting in early grades) so paper can certainly be used in those classes.
Our Latest Message to Parents Regarding Covid
Dear Students and Parents:
I would like to thank you for being a part of our lives here at Potts Education Studio. Thank you so much for trusting us with your extracurricular education. Education equips students with power - the power to have more control over their own lives. Our students have gone as far as Oxford and Harvard and so many other schools in between, many choosing UBC or University of Toronto. Our students have received scholarships of up to $80,000. For some, just keeping ahead of the teaching at school is the goal. We are grateful to you no matter the reason you are with us.
The COVID-19 situation is evolving, and the government is updating its rules and protocols all the time; we at the studio take our responsibilities to keep students, staff, and parents safe and healthy very seriously, not to mention that we are obliged to follow the rules and laws set out by the municipal, provincial, and federal governments.
As such, I would like to outline the following protocols:
***For the time being, until case numbers drop significantly, we would respectfully request that all students from Gr 5 and up who have no preference between online and in-class remain online; however, if you cannot tolerate online learning, then we will welcome you to come to the studio.***
We will be contacting everyone about this individually very soon.
Please note: if the instructor of an in-person class starts to feel sick, even a little bit, it is prudent to keep the students safe just in case. As such, we have three options, to be decided at the time on a case-by-case basis, depending on availability.
If a student starts to feel sick, the student must avoid coming to the studio and take the class online if possible. If joining us online is not possible, then we will record the class or explore makeup options according to our normal rules and regulations. Please note that if a student exhibits symptoms while here, we will ask a parent to come and collect the student immediately. Please give us at least one extra emergency contact phone number.
Parents note: even pre-pandemic times, a small minority of students would often use the excuse of “sick” as a way to get out of class or out of doing homework; this excuse could be rife for abuse even more so, now. Please help us in making sure that a student’s homework is complete and ready for submission if he/she claims sickness - that way we know the reason is authentic.
Classroom protocols for students:
Before the pandemic, we had the pleasure of hosting classes in person for many years. We now have a suite of successful online classes, too. We are not aiming to keep people out of the studio and online if they prefer in-person classes, so please understand that we are moving as quickly as we can to bring people back. That said, we will have to complete this process in small steps and stages as the circumstances evolve; it is not as simple as turning a switch “on” or “off”. Your continued support and cooperation will help make this process as smooth and easy as possible.
Thank you so much!
-Phil Potts
I would like to thank you for being a part of our lives here at Potts Education Studio. Thank you so much for trusting us with your extracurricular education. Education equips students with power - the power to have more control over their own lives. Our students have gone as far as Oxford and Harvard and so many other schools in between, many choosing UBC or University of Toronto. Our students have received scholarships of up to $80,000. For some, just keeping ahead of the teaching at school is the goal. We are grateful to you no matter the reason you are with us.
The COVID-19 situation is evolving, and the government is updating its rules and protocols all the time; we at the studio take our responsibilities to keep students, staff, and parents safe and healthy very seriously, not to mention that we are obliged to follow the rules and laws set out by the municipal, provincial, and federal governments.
As such, I would like to outline the following protocols:
- we endeavour to have our most popular classes operate as hybrid classes, so that there is the option to physically attend the studio or join us online.
***For the time being, until case numbers drop significantly, we would respectfully request that all students from Gr 5 and up who have no preference between online and in-class remain online; however, if you cannot tolerate online learning, then we will welcome you to come to the studio.***
We will be contacting everyone about this individually very soon.
- we understand that for Gr 1, Gr 2, Gr 3, and Gr 4 group class students, online studies are not optimal, so we will host those classes in person
- all French classes (group or one-on-one) will be held online only for the foreseeable future
- for some specialty classes (i.e. Media studies, University reading / writing), we are endeavouring to have those classes remain as online-only classes if possible
- one-on-one classes (for English, math, sciences, university planning services) will be arranged as in-person or online on a case-by-case basis
- parents, please remain outside of the studio unless you need to come in for a question or for registration purposes; however, please use the phone as much as possible
Please note: if the instructor of an in-person class starts to feel sick, even a little bit, it is prudent to keep the students safe just in case. As such, we have three options, to be decided at the time on a case-by-case basis, depending on availability.
- We may simply host that class online only for that day (or days, depending on the teacher’s health) if the teacher is still well enough to teach, but has symptoms of a cold of flu, and we would ask the students and parents for their understanding that our goal is to keep people safe
- We may completely reschedule the class, again on a case-by-case basis
- We may find a substitute teacher for that day (or days), to be decided on a case-
by-case basis. ***Please note it is not the aim of the studio to change teachers for no reason; but we have a responsibility to provide the classes people have signed up for, and under certain circumstances, a substitute may be the best option. Substitutes are only teachers that work here at the studio, and must follow the same standards that Phil has set out for the entire staff. The class lesson and assignments have already been arranged by the original teacher, so there is no difference in lesson content, quality, or homework.
If a student starts to feel sick, the student must avoid coming to the studio and take the class online if possible. If joining us online is not possible, then we will record the class or explore makeup options according to our normal rules and regulations. Please note that if a student exhibits symptoms while here, we will ask a parent to come and collect the student immediately. Please give us at least one extra emergency contact phone number.
Parents note: even pre-pandemic times, a small minority of students would often use the excuse of “sick” as a way to get out of class or out of doing homework; this excuse could be rife for abuse even more so, now. Please help us in making sure that a student’s homework is complete and ready for submission if he/she claims sickness - that way we know the reason is authentic.
Classroom protocols for students:
- all students will be required to wear masks for now
- students from Gr. 5 and up - please do bring an electronic device (i.e. a laptop, an iPad, or a phone - the bigger, the better) since many of our learning objects (i.e. testing) have become digital over the last 2 years. Our goal is to reduce paper waste and help the environment, and get work and test results back to students faster and easier than with a paper system. It also helps us keep records more effectively. What’s more, in case of an emergency, another lockdown, or any other unforeseen scenario, we want your education to continue uninterrupted, so having materials available online will ensure this. (And you won’t lose your handouts if they’re available online, right?)
- for now, eating will be forbidden in the studio (except for medical necessity); drinking will be limited to a lidded, re-usable cup with water only, and we ask students to reduce mask-off time as much as possible. Please do NOT bring bubble tea or other drinks into the studio.
- please wait outside for class to start, and please wait for pick up outside as well. Our goal is to prevent unnecessary exposure to indoor space. Of course, stay inside if it is cold or wet out.
- we have added a new teaching space, located at #125-8833 Odlin Cres., just across from the Admiralty Centre parking lot. It is spacious and newly renovated. We will contact you if your class is going to be held in that space.
Before the pandemic, we had the pleasure of hosting classes in person for many years. We now have a suite of successful online classes, too. We are not aiming to keep people out of the studio and online if they prefer in-person classes, so please understand that we are moving as quickly as we can to bring people back. That said, we will have to complete this process in small steps and stages as the circumstances evolve; it is not as simple as turning a switch “on” or “off”. Your continued support and cooperation will help make this process as smooth and easy as possible.
Thank you so much!
-Phil Potts