Welcome Chantal!
We feel so blessed to welcome Chantal Stewart in her new role as Seed Lead Teacher. Chantal is now the primary point of contact for all things Seed: the person to talk to about program questions, whether Seed might be a good fit for a student, or simply what kind of support is available.
One of Chantal’s goals this year is to continue building strong relationships across HCOS with the Learning Support team, case managers, CC/CC+ teachers, and families, so that together students get the support they need to thrive in home education.
- Nurturing to Grow
For Chantal, the Seed program has never just been about accommodations, assignments, or online learning. It’s about students.
“Meaningful growth often begins long before a student’s marks improve. It begins when a student who has struggled with school starts to believe that learning might actually be something they can do, and maybe even enjoy.”
Last year, during a one-to-one novel study, one of Chantal’s students stopped mid-lesson to share something unexpected: he had never enjoyed doing a novel study before, but for the first time, it was fun.
That moment has stayed with Chantal ever since. It wasn’t really about the novel. It was about connection, about a student feeling comfortable enough to engage, take risks, ask questions, and experience success in a way that worked for him.
That, Chantal says, is the heart of Seed.
- Planting the Seeds of Confidence
Many Seed students arrive having already decided that certain things are simply too hard, carrying an “I’m just not good at this” mentality. Through consistent relationships, individualized support, encouragement, and expectations that recognize each student’s unique strengths, Chantal and the Seed team have the privilege of helping change that story.
“Just as a seed needs the right conditions to break open and grow, our students flourish when they feel known, supported, and genuinely believed in.”
That, Chantal says, is the favourite part of being a Seed teacher: watching that little seed of confidence begin to split open. “I can’t do this” slowly becomes “Maybe I can.” Students begin taking risks. They become more independent. They discover strengths they didn’t know they had.
Those moments of transformation are what make Seed so special, and every student’s path may look different, but every student deserves the opportunity to grow and to discover the joy of believing in themselves
- Let's Start the Conversation
As HCOS prepares for the upcoming school year, Seed currently has space for four additional Grade 8 students and a limited number of openings in the Math program.
If you have a student who may benefit from individualized support or would simply like to learn more about the Seed program, Chantal would love to connect. Sometimes a conversation is the best place to start!
