Frequently Asked Questions

1. WHAT DOES THE FAMILY PROVIDE?
   Software/hardware: The family must provide for their own copy of Microsoft Office (1997 or newer) or be using Open Office which is a free software suite which can read Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.) and save files as Office documents. It is available for Windows, Mac OSX and Unix, and you may download it from www.openoffice.org.

   The family must also provide for their own computer, and internet (TCP-IP) access.

   Computer specifications:
   PC: Windows 95/98/2000/XP; Pentium 1 minimum,128 MB RAM, 2 GB Hard Drive, and CD-rom player
   Mac: OS 9.X or X, Power PC G3 or newer, 128 MB RAM, 2 GB Hard Drive, and CD-rom player
   
   
   
2. WHAT DOES NORTHSTAR HOMESCHOOL AND INDEPENDENT STUDY (HIS) PROVIDE?
   NorthStar HIS will provide all of the lesson resources for each class provided for download from our FirstClass Intranet Server. NorthStar HIS has provided a comprehensive list of all of the items which the family will need to purchase for each class for which they have purchased the lesson bundles. NorthStar HIS will provide a "Resource CD" ($3) which contains all of the needed freeware and shareware software that will be used in the lesson bundles. NorthStar HIS will provide a "NS HomeSchool 101" ($4) video which will explain how the program works and how the family can get started using the program.
   
   
   
3. HOW DO I GET MY LESSONS?
   Each NorthStar HomeSchooler will download his/her lesson bundle from within our online learning environment. For more info, please see the How NorthStar HomeSchool Works page.
   
   
   
4. IS NORTHSTAR HOMESCHOOL A HOME SCHOOL UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION THAT OFFERS ADMINISTRATIVE AND TRANSCRIPT SERVICES TO HOME SCHOOLING STUDENTS?
   While NorthStar HomeSchool is not a HomeSchool Umbrella organization but is a curriculum and lesson resource provider, we are moving toward offering more services to home-based learners, and in the future, we may extend those services to include an umbrella administration service for those who have chosen to home educate.

NorthStar Academy Canada
#107, 1001 -20th Avenue, Didsbury, AB
Email: cdninfo@nsaschool.ca
1-403-335-9587
1-877-335-1171 (toll free)
1-403-335-9513 (fax)