Frequently Asked Questions

Students will learn required academic subjects - English, Math, Science and Social Studies - along with Physical Education, CALM and a variety of personalized option courses, which can be tailored to each student's interests. We've shared a list of the standard academic and CTS courses on offer in Building Futures, but the opportunities and choices are endless! By working in a hands-on, real life learning environment, students will also master their communication, relationship and business skills, while developing a strong work ethic and discovering possible career paths. And of course, they will also learn every stage of building a home: from pouring the foundation to selling it to the buyer.

This program follows the Parkland School Division calendar in the same way every other school in PSD does. The Building Futures classroom is based in Spruce Grove Composite High School from September to January, then moved to the build site once the garage has been constructed and is ready for classroom use. 

No. Transportation to the work site will be arranged through Parkland School Division’s Transportation Department.

Building Futures is an open campus program. While the site remains supervised for those who wish to stay, students are free to leave it during their lunch time. Should parents or guardians prefer that their child remain on site, they may simply contact the teacher to let them know.

Yes. Because Building Futures is scheduled during the regular school day, students should not encounter problems making it on time to extracurricular activities. Although students learn off site, they are still members of their home school community.

An additional cost of $200 is charged to cover field trips and consumables. Students will need to provide their own school supplies, as well as some of the personal equipment they will be using on the job site. Please refer to the Program Details page for a supply list and more specific information.

The list is endless. Students will see and be taught first-hand by carpenters, plumbers, electricians, landscapers, project managers, interior designers, real estate agents, site supervisors, project managers and countless other professionals, from whom they will learn valuable real-world skills that transfer to life after high school.

Yes! We expect no previous knowledge and will teach each skill as needed.

No. Students will not be able to apprentice during their year in Building Futures. However, this experience will allow them to witness many different trades in action, and give them the chance to see what may appeal to them as a future career.

Between 28 and 32 students will be part of the Building Futures class.

Yes. This experience will benefit most types of learners. Teachers will deliver the curriculum in a personalized academic manner. Our hands-on approach and project-based model is designed to encourage and foster problem-solving skills, creativity and innovation, and digital competency.

The students will be taught by two Parkland School Division subject-specific teachers. As it is in any school, academic delivery is the responsibility of the teachers. A site supervisor from Coventry Homes will also be working closely with the students to demonstrate the various aspects of building the home. This extremely low student-teacher ratio will help maximize student learning.

We believe that students learn best when they are engaged in real life, tangible learning experiences. Like life, everything learned in Building Futures is interconnected.

Please visit the How to Register page to apply for the program.

Please contact the Connections for Learning office at any time. We are happy to share more information with you and answer any questions you may have.