FAQ
You’ll find below the answers to some of the more common questions parents and students have asked us about LYNX. If we haven’t addressed your query on this page, contact us by clicking on one of the buttons below.
What Program Choices are there for LYNX Grades 1 - 9
In conjunction with our sister school ursa, LYNX offers three programming choices for our elementary and junior high students.
1. Fully Teacher Directed Program – Online, Onsite Mornings: On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, parents transport students to our Third Schools West Campus at 3311 49 St SW Calgary. There students attend their morning online classes onsite while supervised and provided with additional support by our educators. Transportation is provided by school bus to the student’s Calgary outdoor nature classroom. Parents transport their student home at the end of class. On Wednesday mornings, teacher directed programming is delivered at the Third Schools East Campus located at 400 Prince of Peace Way, Rocky View County. Parents are responsible for transporting students to and from this location.
2. Fully Teacher Directed Program – Online, Home Mornings: On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, students attend their morning online classes onsite at home. Parents arrange transportation to and from the student’s Calgary, Cochrane or Okotoks outdoor nature classroom. On Wednesday mornings, teacher directed programming is delivered at the Third Schools East Campus located at 400 Prince of Peace Way, Rocky View County. Parents are responsible for transporting students to and from this location.
3. Shared Responsibility Program – Parents choosing this option are assisted by one of ursa’s skilled Home Education Managers in providing the Parent Directed component of their student’s program. Parents transport students Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays to their Calgary, Cochrane or Okotoks outdoor nature classroom. The nature classroom component of the program is Teacher Directed. As well, Shared Responsibility students may participate in Teacher Directed programming Wednesday mornings at the Third Schools East Campus located at 400 Prince of Peace Way, Rocky View County.
What does LYNX charge for tuition?
Tuition for the LYNX Grades 1-9 2025-2026 School Year is $7,350 for onsite, online and $4,410 for online or a Shared Responsibility program. Arrangements can be made to pay fees by instalments and bursaries are available for families unable to afford our published tuition fees.
What do the kids do when it is too cold to be outside?
LYNX takes the wellbeing of our students and staff very seriously. Students learn how to dress appropriately for the weather conditions and our staff monitors their compliance. In the event of extreme conditions, our afternoon classrooms are relocated to an indoor location – often a library, recreation centre, or other public facility or, in very unusual situations, students are provided activities to complete in the safety of their homes.
What times and days of the week do LYNX students attend their outdoor classroom?
LYNX students in Grades 1-9 attend their assigned “outdoor classroom” on scheduled school days Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Unless registered for our online, onsite program in Calgary, parents drop off their children at the designated location between noon to 12:30pm and then pickup them at 3:30pm. Online, onsite students are transported to the Calgary outdoor classroom by school bus with parent pickup at 3:30pm.
Where are the Outdoor Classrooms for LYNX Grades 1-9?
What subjects are taught in the outdoor classrooms?
What do LYNX Grades 1-9 students do on Wednesdays?
On Wednesday mornings, we offer Art, Music, and Physical Literacy onsite for our grade 1-9 students, as well as Food for students in Grades 7-9. These classes are held at our Third Schools East Campus. All LYNX students are off Wednesday afternoons.
I work during the day. How do I transport my students to and from school?
LYNX is pleased to offer scheduled school bus service for students residing within the city of Calgary. To ensure a safe and reliable journey for your child, we have partnered with our in-house professional transportation provider, InBus.
Eligibility for Bus Service
Service is available for the following students living in Calgary based on demand:
ECS: Students enrolled in LYNX ECS .
Grades 1-9 (Online/Onsite Program): Students registered in our Online/Onsite program are eligible for a dedicated bus service. Learn more about the Grade 1-9 bus service here.
How to Register for Busing
Requesting bus service is simple. During your child’s online registration, please select the school bus transportation option to indicate your interest.
Our Approach to Route Planning
To operate efficiently, our bus routes are planned based on ridership demand. This means we can only establish and maintain routes in communities where a sufficient number of students have registered for the service.
Transportation for Families Outside Calgary
At this time, we are unable to provide scheduled bus service to families living outside of the Calgary.
However, our LYNX community is incredibly resourceful! Many families connect to arrange carpools. If you are interested in exploring carpooling options, we encourage you to contact us. We also love to see our students embracing an active lifestyle by bicycling to their outdoor classrooms where possible. Some live close enough they can even walk!
How will I know if LYNX will be a good fit for my child?
Most children and students thrive in our LYNX ECS and LYNX Grades 1-9 classrooms. While we know all children and students are different, those with the following characteristics tend to excel at LYNX:
- Children/students who enjoy being outside and can function in outdoor temperatures
- Children/students with average or higher academic ability
- Children/students who prosper with hands-on or kinesthetic learning
- Children/students who enjoy or need to move their bodies
- Children/students with average physical abilities to enable them to hike
- Children/students who are interested in their environment
- Children/students with mild/moderate learning challenges
- Children/students who are distractible (ADD & ADHD)
Do you have a "try out" program?
Absolutely! In fact, we generally insist that potential LYNX Kindergarteners or Grade 1-9 students join us for a “try out” day. That way they can discover how just how much fun ‘nature inspired’ education is. Anticipate that they will be tired by the end of the day. LYNX kids are active!
Does LYNX accept students with special educational needs?
Isn't engaging in risky outdoor activities dangerous?
The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) encourages parents to allow their children to engage in what they define as “risky play”, recognizing that these activities are necessary for healthy child development. Managing risks is very different than placing children situations where they are exposed to uncontrolled hazards. For more information on risky play, read the CPS’s position statement “Healthy childhood development through outdoor risky play: Navigating the balance with injury prevention”.
If you are considering LYNX for your child, click on the “Join Us” button below. Please use the “Contact LYNX” button for general questions.