Program Format. The program at iSVS is primarily a student-led/instructor-facilitated and supervised, online, personalized learning program that operates on a term schedule. Target deadlines are set within each course to help students budget their time and stay on task throughout the term, but the actual time that a student spends on the instructional and evaluative components of each course varies according to student’s ability, prior learning, and special needs. Academic counselors, student support personnel and school administrators track student progress toward graduation, identifying what further credits are needed and working with students to address course needs for graduation. Our students ultimately determine the sequencing of courses that do not have prerequisites. Students are expected to complete a set of core courses as required for Idaho Graduation standards (as such may change from time to time), as well as a number of electives as required for graduation. Each year a broad array of courses, at differing levels, are offered depending upon student interest and current teacher certification/endorsement. The course catalog for iSVS includes a wide variety of selections in all core academic areas—Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, as well as electives in areas such as World Languages, Business and Marketing, Digital Technologies, Fine/Visual/Performing Arts, Life/Study Skills, and Physical Education. Additionally, iSVS may provide courses that meet criteria for alternative program specifications. Courses may include text, diagrams, images, audio content, and interactive simulations to facilitate the comprehension of concepts, assessments (self, objective, and subjective) that test mastery of concepts, and activities/projects/assignments that test higher-order thinking skills and engage students in a social constructivist environment. Courses are taught by Idaho-certified instructors who engage students who have questions, problems, or curiosities through a virtual whiteboard, email, phone, instant messaging and scheduled office hours or discussion groups. Content selection is based on sound research-based pedagogical theory and practice; it is effective, efficient, and appealing; is aligned to Idaho state content and national quality standards; and accommodates multiple learning styles and individual needs. The addition of a middle school program would have all the same highly supportive components as high school as described above, with more focus on parent involvement and promoting engagement in academics. Middle grade students will also be assigned an Advisory teacher/mentor who works closely with the student and parent towards academic goals. The school will provide a wide array of middle grade courses in core and elective areas. and aAll course activities will meet Idaho standards for content as well as advancement to high school With the school’s mission aligned to reaching students who need alternative types of instruction, iSVS may also establish an alternative program within the district for students that meet the state alternative program requirements. While the alternative program will use similar program components listed of its regular education programs to meet the wide demographics (including at-risk characteristics), it will have specific focus on engagement and course completion. The alternative program may include lower teacher to student ratios, enhanced regional Orientation sessions, counseling services specific to the program, summer courses and meet all specific state of Idaho criteria for alternative programs. iSVS is most concerned with student progress made toward advancement requirements, whether such be graduation or grade advancement. We recognize that many of our students have work and family responsibilities that make “traditional” school attendance difficult to comply with, and that is why they choose to attend iSVS. However, attendance is tracked for State and Federal reporting. In compliance with I.C. 33-512, iSVHS monitors and reports student Average Daily Attendance (ADA) based upon course progress while the student is logged into their courses and/or engaged in offline instruction/learning or via course mastery as such is permitted by the state. In accordance with I.C. 33-512, iSVS will provide a minimum of 990 instructional/learning hours to each iSVHS student during the course of each year and/or any other minimum standards that may hereafter be mandated by the state for applicable grade levels and programs. General student attendance is reviewed as days since last login. The following attendance guidelines guide contact with absentee students: ● Student has not logged in to the Student Information System or the Learning Management System for three or more consecutive school days. ● Student has not communicated with student support personnel during this time. ● Student does not have an excused absence on record with student support personnel. Students who meet the criteria stated above are considered to be “absent unexcused” and will be on record as such. If a student receives twenty consecutive school days of unexcused absences, or there is other significant evidence of violation of the school’s attendance policies, the student’s attendance is reviewed by the administration, with a possible recommendation to the Board for expulsion based upon habitual truancy. Idaho Code § 33-205 and § 33-206 and/or a determination in communication with the student/family that the student has voluntarily withdrawn from the school. If the student has never actually started attendance at the school and logs no attendance the first twenty consecutive days of school, the student has never completed the enrollment process and is removed from the school’s student roster. Our instructional model is an instructor-facilitated, personalized learning model. A key component of this model is the inclusion of a significant portion of online, synchronous interactions between students and instructors, and between students and other students. An instructor’s goal is that once each week, the instructor in every course holds a synchronous “virtual classroom” session or posts an exercise or recorded session for student review. More or less activity will be dependent upon the particular discipline. These virtual classroom sessions typically involve a presentation by the instructor of prepared materials, together with extensive question-and-answer opportunities for students, or group work activities. The virtual classroom offers a voice-over-IP delivery, so that students can talk to the Instructor and hear the conversations between the instructor and other students; the virtual classroom also facilitates instructor-student and student-student communications via a shared whiteboard and text messaging among other capabilities. Virtual classroom sessions are archived, so that students can review recordings later if they were unable to attend the session or are preparing for an exam. iSVS celebrates the inherent differences in learners by providing courses that speak to the strengths of multiple learning styles and accommodate in advance the special needs of students. Content may be presented in multiple formats including audio, text, diagrams and drawings, illustrations, and interactive simulations to accommodate the learning preferences of audio, visual, and kinesthetic learners. Courses are selected to accommodate students with many diagnosed and undiagnosed learning disabilities and to scaffold the metacognitive and organizational skills of all students. Each student participates in some or all of the following activities to help the instructional staff at iSVS identify and accommodate the needs of each student. Each student will be adequately assessed to determine their appropriate placement into courses that meet their needs for graduation. This will include consideration of such matters as IEP and special needs reporting, ESL, Section 504 and other such applicable considerations. Each student works with student support personnel, members that may be comprised of Instructors, administrators, counselors and/or other student support personnel who work in union to achieve the individual learning objectives of the students, the families, and the school. The focus of student support services is to challenge the student to not only achieve a basic understanding of the core material, but to explore and expand on those concepts by applying them to real-world scenarios. Each individual providing student support services plays a key role in the academic experience of the student. At iSVS, students are facilitated by Idaho-certified instructors. The Instructor’s role at iSVS is to support and personalize learning and to inspire students to reach beyond the content and find meaning and application to life. iSVS instructors are employees of iSucceed Virtual High School, Inc. Technology and the nature of online communication/courses enable instructors to meet and work with each student as an individual. The instructor’s role in the online environment is to assist the students to obtain an understanding and mastery of the course of study; however, instructors also establish and maintain individual relationships with students. Students engage instructors and ask questions privately via email or publicly via the virtual classroom or discussion boards. Student support personnel serve as the main school contact with the students and their families. Once the student is enrolled in iSVS, the student support personnel engage the student and the family to develop a plan to help the student meet graduation requirements. Student support personnel also monitor student progress and remediate, as required. The student support personnel also seek to assist students who are “hiding” in the back of the class (i.e., not participating), who are not logging in or completing assignments in a timely manner or who need assistance in changing their course expectations in order to encourage and assist the students as they get back on track. The student support personnel are accountable for the outcomes of their assigned students, as they are focused on a 360 degree view of the student, utilizing not only the information provided by Instructors, but also accounting for the personality, individual circumstances and characteristics of the student. Student support personnel seek effective learning strategies for each student and maintain good relationships with both the student and their family. With this targeted demographic of students, many being those who have already chosen to leave the public education system prior to having earned a diploma, the student support personnel role in working directly and regularly in communicating with our students is critical in keeping our students engaged in the learning process and ultimately in school. iSVS knows that the likelihood of success of an online learner is significantly higher when that student’s initial experience is positive and when she/he feels a clear sense of personal direction. A positive experience is marked by student confidence, excitement, connection, support, and a feeling of momentum. ▇▇▇▇ believes that the crucial time period for student engagement and retention begins weeks before the student officially starts his/her studies. By the very nature of technology and taking online courses, rich data that indicates activity (login, assignment submission, time of study, assessment completion) can be readily reported on and monitored. To ensure student success, iSVS offers the following actions: ● Assignment of iSVS student support personnel as part of the student support services ● Personal Interview to determine personal goals and interests (optional depending upon student circumstances) ● Collection of Personal Data (including confirmation of Idaho residency) ● iSVS online Orientation module (for students and parents of minor students) ● Face-to-face school orientation (optional - recommended for students and parents/legal guardians) ● Readiness check prior to school start ● iSVS social events (optional throughout the school year) ● Placement tests (if determined necessary by iSVS) ● Course selection ● Start-up Check (typically within the first week - for technical issues and startup) ● Follow up Check (typically within the second/third week - further follow-up) ● First term review w/parents/legal guardians Continual monitoring of student progress to improve student outcomes and completion is also critical to long-term student success. To ensure continuing progress, iSVS plans to offer the following actions: ● Course selection ● Term parent/legal guardian reviews ● Weekly checks (if determined necessary by iSVS The educational experience provided by iSVS has been designed with the students and families in mind. iSVS utilizes computer technology as one component of the learning experience to connect students with courses, content, student support teams and other students. Students are supplied with a computer technology, software and an internet stipend to help cover the costs of internet service. By supplying each student with a pre-configured hardware and software platform (“Student Technology”) fully loaded with all necessary software, filters and monitors necessary for each student to access their specific coursework, iSVS can provide better support and ensure a consistent and secure educational environment for every student. Each student is required to enter into the school’s Technology Use Agreement to assure that the school’s technology and computer equipment are used in conformance with established Board technology use policies. The School’s Technology Use Agreement has been provided to the staff of the Idaho Public Charter School Commission. Technical support begins the moment the student registers and the Student Technology is prepared to ship. iSVS performs a detailed quality assurance check at the point of shipment to make sure all the necessary components are included in the shipment. In addition to the Student Technology, iSVHS includes a number of “Getting Started” documents to assist the student and their families. The iSVHS Technology Check provides a checklist including: shipment contents, hardware setup, internet connection, and software application check. Additionally, the Technology Check explains how to contact iSVS should they have questions. Students and their families have numerous ways to access support from iSVS. Students and their families are provided with an orientation that enables them to become familiar with all aspects of the iSVS online learning environment. Again, questions associated with this orientation can be addressed through phone, email, or online support. Ongoing technical support is categorized as follows: • Hardware/software/connections that don’t work • Fulfillment of school materials • Accessing courses/Learning Management System • Academic questions • Course change questions • Policy/dispute questions/issues iSVS is organized to ensure that specific questions can be responded to in an expedient fashion. iSVHS provides tech support in manners that, from experience, have proved to be most effective. This may include but not necessarily be limited to telephone and online support. iSVS believes that improvement in student achievement results through a balanced application of technology and online learning best practices. iSVS constantly evaluates technology in an effort to improve our ability to engage our students, support our instructors, and communicate with the families we serve. We believe that iSVS has aggregated best-of-breed technology platforms that are comprised of innovative and practical applications, enhancing our students’ ability to engage with the course material and their student support personnel, while gaining expertise with 21st century technologies. iSVS believes that combining the Student Technology with online learning best practices serves to further enhance student achievement. iSVS is committed to applying proven best practices as appropriate. Students enroll in an online learning environment for a variety of reasons. Some have work and family obligations, while other students are involved in activities and/or careers that require a flexible schedule. For this reason, the
Appears in 1 contract
Sources: Performance Certificate
Program Format. The program at iSVS iSVHS is primarily a student-led/instructor-facilitated and supervised, online, personalized learning program that operates on a term schedule. Target deadlines are set within each course to help students budget their time and stay on task throughout the term, but the actual time that a student spends on the instructional and evaluative components of each course varies according to student’s ability, prior learning, and special needs. Academic counselors, student support personnel and school administrators track student progress toward graduation, identifying what further credits are needed and working with students to address course needs for graduation. Our students ultimately determine the sequencing of courses that do not have prerequisites. Students are expected to complete a set of core courses as required for Idaho Graduation standards (as such may change from time to time), as well as a number of electives as required for graduation. Each year a broad array of courses, at differing levels, are offered depending upon student interest and current teacher certification/endorsement. The course catalog for iSVS iSVHS includes a wide variety of selections in all core academic areas—Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, as well as electives in areas such as World Languages, Business and Marketing, Digital Technologies, Fine/Visual/Performing Arts, Life/Study Skills, and Physical Education. Additionally, iSVS iSVHS may provide courses that meet criteria for alternative program specifications. Courses may include text, diagrams, images, audio content, and interactive simulations to facilitate the comprehension of concepts, assessments (self, objective, and subjective) that test mastery of concepts, and activities/projects/assignments that test higher-order thinking skills and engage students in a social constructivist environment. Courses are taught by Idaho-certified instructors who engage students who have questions, problems, or curiosities through a virtual whiteboard, email, phone, instant messaging and scheduled office hours or discussion groups. Content selection is based on sound research-based pedagogical theory and practice; it is effective, efficient, and appealing; is aligned to Idaho state content and national quality standards; and accommodates multiple learning styles and individual needs. The addition of a middle school program would have all the same highly supportive components as high school as described above, with more focus on parent involvement and promoting engagement in academics. Middle grade students will also be assigned an Advisory teacher/mentor who works closely with the student and parent towards academic goals. The school will provide a wide array of middle grade courses in core and elective areas. and aAll course activities will meet Idaho standards for content as well as advancement to high school With the school’s mission aligned to reaching students who need alternative types of instruction, iSVS iSVHS may also establish an alternative program within the district for students that meet the state alternative program requirements. While the alternative program will use similar program components listed of its regular education programs to meet the wide demographics (including at-risk characteristics), it will have specific focus on engagement and course completion. The alternative program may include lower teacher to student ratios, enhanced regional Orientation sessions, counseling services specific to the program, summer courses and meet all specific state of Idaho criteria for alternative programs. iSVS iSVHS is most concerned with student progress made toward advancement requirements, whether such be graduation or grade advancement. We recognize that many of our students have work and family responsibilities that make “traditional” school attendance difficult to comply with, and that is why they choose to attend iSVSiSVHS. However, attendance is tracked for State and Federal reporting. In compliance with I.C. 33-512, iSVHS monitors and reports student Average Daily Attendance (ADA) based upon course progress while the student is logged into their courses and/or engaged in offline instruction/learning or via course mastery as such is permitted by the state. In accordance with I.C. 33-512, iSVS iSVHS will provide a minimum of 990 instructional/learning hours to each iSVHS student during the course of each year and/or any other minimum standards that may hereafter be mandated by the state for applicable grade levels and programsstate. General student attendance is reviewed as days since last login. The following attendance guidelines guide contact with absentee students: ● Student has not logged in to the Student Information System or the Learning Management System for three or more consecutive school days. ● Student has not communicated with student support personnel during this time. ● Student does not have an excused absence on record with student support personnel. Students who meet the criteria stated above are considered to be “absent unexcused” and will be on record as such. If a student receives twenty consecutive school days of unexcused absences, or there is other significant evidence of violation of the school’s attendance policies, the student’s attendance is reviewed by the administration, with a possible recommendation to the Board for expulsion based upon habitual truancy. Idaho Code § 33-205 and § 33-206 and/or a determination in communication with the student/family that the student has voluntarily withdrawn from the school. If the student has never actually started attendance at the school and logs no attendance the first twenty consecutive days of school, the student has never completed the enrollment process and is removed from the school’s student roster. Our instructional model is an instructor-facilitated, personalized learning model. A key component of this model is the inclusion of a significant portion of online, synchronous interactions between students and instructors, and between students and other students. An instructor’s goal is that once each week, the instructor in every course holds a synchronous “virtual classroom” session or posts an exercise or recorded session for student review. More or less activity will be dependent upon the particular discipline. These virtual classroom sessions typically involve a presentation by the instructor of prepared materials, together with extensive question-and-answer opportunities for students, or group work activities. The virtual classroom offers a voice-over-IP delivery, so that students can talk to the Instructor and hear the conversations between the instructor and other students; the virtual classroom also facilitates instructor-instructor- student and student-student communications via a shared whiteboard and text messaging among other capabilities. Virtual classroom sessions are archived, so that students can review recordings later if they were unable to attend the session or are preparing for an exam. iSVS iSVHS celebrates the inherent differences in learners by providing courses that speak to the strengths of multiple learning styles and accommodate in advance the special needs of students. Content may be presented in multiple formats including audio, text, diagrams and drawings, illustrations, and interactive simulations to accommodate the learning preferences of audio, visual, and kinesthetic learners. Courses are selected to accommodate students with many diagnosed and undiagnosed learning disabilities and to scaffold the metacognitive and organizational skills of all students. Each student participates in some or all of the following activities to help the instructional staff at iSVS iSVHS identify and accommodate the needs of each student. Each student will be adequately assessed to determine their appropriate placement into courses that meet their needs for graduation. This will include consideration of such matters as IEP and special needs reporting, ESL, Section 504 and other such applicable considerations. Each student works with student support personnel, members that may be comprised of Instructors, administrators, counselors and/or other student support personnel who work in union to achieve the individual learning objectives of the students, the families, and the school. The focus of student support services is to challenge the student to not only achieve a basic understanding of the core material, but to explore and expand on those concepts by applying them to real-world scenarios. Each individual providing student support services plays a key role in the academic experience of the student. At iSVSiSVHS, students are facilitated by Idaho-certified instructors. The Instructor’s role at iSVS iSVHS is to support and personalize learning and to inspire students to reach beyond the content and find meaning and application to life. iSVS iSVHS instructors are employees of iSucceed Virtual High School, Inc. Technology and the nature of online communication/courses enable instructors to meet and work with each student as an individual. The instructor’s role in the online environment is to assist the students to obtain an understanding and mastery of the course of study; however, instructors also establish and maintain individual relationships with students. Students engage instructors and ask questions privately via email or publicly via the virtual classroom or discussion boards. Student support personnel serve as the main school contact with the students and their families. Once the student is enrolled in iSVSiSVHS, the student support personnel engage the student and the family to develop a plan to help the student meet graduation requirements. Student support personnel also monitor student progress and remediate, as required. The student support personnel also seek to assist students who are “hiding” in the back of the class (i.e., not participating), who are not logging in or completing assignments in a timely manner or who need assistance in changing their course expectations in order to encourage and assist the students as they get back on track. The student support personnel are accountable for the outcomes of their assigned students, as they are focused on a 360 degree view of the student, utilizing not only the information provided by Instructors, but also accounting for the personality, individual circumstances and characteristics of the student. Student support personnel seek effective learning strategies for each student and maintain good relationships with both the student and their family. With this targeted demographic of students, many being those who have already chosen to leave the public education system prior to having earned a diploma, the student support personnel role in working directly and regularly in communicating with our students is critical in keeping our students engaged in the learning process and ultimately in school. iSVS iSVHS knows that the likelihood of success of an online learner is significantly higher when that student’s initial experience is positive and when she/he feels a clear sense of personal direction. A positive experience is marked by student confidence, excitement, connection, support, and a feeling of momentum. ▇▇▇▇▇ believes that the crucial time period for student engagement and retention begins weeks before the student officially starts his/her studies. By the very nature of technology and taking online courses, rich data that indicates activity (login, assignment submission, time of study, assessment completion) can be readily reported on and monitored. To ensure student success, iSVS iSVHS offers the following actions: ● Assignment of iSVS iSVHS student support personnel as part of the student support services ● Personal Interview to determine personal goals and interests (optional depending upon student circumstances) ● Collection of Personal Data (including confirmation of Idaho residency) ● iSVS iSVHS online Orientation module (for students and parents of minor students) ● Face-to-face school orientation (optional - recommended for students and parents/legal guardians) ● Readiness check prior to school start ● iSVS iSVHS social events (optional throughout the school year) ● Placement tests (if determined necessary by iSVSiSVHS) ● Course selection ● Start-up Check (typically within the first week - for technical issues and startup) ● Follow up Check (typically within the second/third week - further follow-up) ● First term review w/parents/legal guardians Continual monitoring of student progress to improve student outcomes and completion is also critical to long-term student success. To ensure continuing progress, iSVS iSVHS plans to offer the following actions: ● Course selection ● Term parent/legal guardian reviews ● Weekly checks (if determined necessary by iSVS iSVHS The educational experience provided by iSVS iSVHS has been designed with the students and families in mind. iSVS iSVHS utilizes computer technology as one component of the learning experience to connect students with courses, content, student support teams and other students. Students are supplied with a computer technology, software and an internet stipend to help cover the costs of internet service. By supplying each student with a pre-configured hardware and software platform (“Student Technology”) fully loaded with all necessary software, filters and monitors necessary for each student to access their specific coursework, iSVS iSVHS can provide better support and ensure a consistent and secure educational environment for every student. Each student is required to enter into the school’s Technology Use Agreement to assure that the school’s technology and computer equipment are used in conformance with established Board technology use policies. The School’s Technology Use Agreement has been provided to the staff of the Idaho Public Charter School Commission. Technical support begins the moment the student registers and the Student Technology is prepared to ship. iSVS iSVHS performs a detailed quality assurance check at the point of shipment to make sure all the necessary components are included in the shipment. In addition to the Student Technology, iSVHS includes a number of “Getting Started” documents to assist the student and their families. The iSVHS Technology Check provides a checklist including: shipment contents, hardware setup, internet connection, and software application check. Additionally, the Technology Check explains how to contact iSVS iSVHS should they have questions. Students and their families have numerous ways to access support from iSVSiSVHS. Students and their families are provided with an orientation that enables them to become familiar with all aspects of the iSVS iSVHS online learning environment. Again, questions associated with this orientation can be addressed through phone, email, or online support. Ongoing technical support is categorized as follows: • Hardware/software/connections that don’t work • Fulfillment of school materials • Accessing courses/Learning Management System • Academic questions • Course change questions • Policy/dispute questions/issues iSVS iSVHS is organized to ensure that specific questions can be responded to in an expedient fashion. iSVHS provides tech support in manners that, from experience, have proved to be most effective. This may include but not necessarily be limited to telephone and online support. iSVS iSVHS believes that improvement in student achievement results through a balanced application of technology and online learning best practices. iSVS iSVHS constantly evaluates technology in an effort to improve our ability to engage our students, support our instructors, and communicate with the families we serve. We believe that iSVS iSVHS has aggregated best-of-breed technology platforms that are comprised of innovative and practical applications, enhancing our students’ ability to engage with the course material and their student support personnel, while gaining expertise with 21st century technologies. iSVS iSVHS believes that combining the Student Technology with online learning best practices serves to further enhance student achievement. iSVS iSVHS is committed to applying proven best practices as appropriate. Students enroll in an online learning environment for a variety of reasons. Some have work and family obligations, while other students are involved in activities and/or careers that require a flexible schedule. For this reason, thethere is no “typical” day for students enrolled at iSVHS; however, many students discover they can benefit from spending an extended amount of time on a single subject. Students are able to get into the flow of learning, build momentum, and become more accomplished than if they divided up that time between multiple classes. Through the learning styles assessment, students discover not only how they learn best, but also at what times they learn best, thus making more effective use of their time. Some students log on early in the morning on t
Appears in 1 contract
Sources: Performance Certificate
Program Format. The program at iSVS is primarily a student-led/instructor-facilitated and supervised, online, personalized learning program that operates on a term schedule. Target deadlines are set within each course to help students budget their time and stay on task throughout the term, but the actual time that a student spends on the instructional and evaluative components of each course varies according to student’s ability, prior learning, and special needs. Academic counselors, student support personnel and school administrators track student progress toward graduation, identifying what further credits are needed and working with students to address course needs for graduation. Our students ultimately determine the sequencing of courses that do not have prerequisites. Students are expected to complete a set of core courses as required for Idaho Graduation standards (as such may change from time to time), as well as a number of electives as required for graduation. Each year a broad array of courses, at differing differing levels, are offered offered depending upon student interest and current teacher certification/endorsement. The course catalog for iSVS includes a wide variety of selections in all core academic areas—Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, as well as electives in areas such as World Languages, Business and Marketing, Digital Technologies, Fine/Visual/Performing Arts, Life/Study Skills, and Physical Education. Additionally, iSVS may provide courses that meet criteria for alternative program specifications. Courses may include text, diagrams, images, audio content, and interactive simulations to facilitate the comprehension of concepts, assessments (self, objective, and subjective) that test mastery of concepts, and activities/projects/assignments that test higher-order thinking skills and engage students in a social constructivist environment. Courses are taught by Idaho-certified instructors who engage students who have questions, problems, or curiosities through a virtual whiteboard, email, phone, instant messaging and scheduled office office hours or discussion groups. Content selection is based on sound research-based pedagogical theory and practice; it is effectiveeffective, efficientefficient, and appealing; is aligned to Idaho state content and national quality standards; and accommodates multiple learning styles and individual needs. The addition of a middle school program would have all the same highly supportive components as high school as described above, with more focus on parent involvement and promoting engagement in academics. Middle grade students will also be assigned an Advisory teacher/mentor who works closely with the student and parent towards academic goals. The school will provide a wide array of middle grade courses in core and elective areas. and aAll course activities will meet Idaho standards for content as well as advancement to high school With the school’s mission aligned to reaching students who need alternative types of instruction, iSVS may also establish an alternative program within the district for students that meet the state alternative program requirements. While the alternative program will use similar program components listed of its regular education programs to meet the wide demographics (including at-risk characteristics), it will have specific focus on engagement and course completion. The alternative program may include lower teacher to student ratios, enhanced regional Orientation sessions, counseling services specific to the program, summer courses and meet all specific state of Idaho criteria for alternative programs. iSVS is most concerned with student progress made toward advancement requirements, whether such be graduation or grade advancement. We recognize that many of our students have work and family responsibilities that make “traditional” school attendance difficult difficult to comply with, and that is why they choose to attend iSVS. However, attendance is tracked for State and Federal reporting. In compliance with I.C. 33-512, iSVHS monitors and reports student Average Daily Attendance (ADA) based upon course progress while the student is logged into their courses and/or engaged in offline offline instruction/learning or via course mastery as such is permitted by the state. In accordance with I.C. 33-512, iSVS will provide a minimum of 990 instructional/learning hours to each iSVHS student during the course of each year and/or any other minimum standards that may hereafter hereaher be mandated by the state for applicable grade levels and programs. General student attendance is reviewed as days since last login. The following attendance guidelines guide contact with absentee students: ● Student has not logged in to the Student Information System or the Learning Management System for three or more consecutive school days. ● Student has not communicated with student support personnel during this time. ● Student does not have an excused absence on record with student support personnel. Students who meet the criteria stated above are considered to be “absent unexcused” and will be on record as such. If a student receives twenty consecutive school days of unexcused absences, or there is other significant evidence of violation of the school’s attendance policies, the student’s attendance is reviewed by the administration, with a possible recommendation to the Board for expulsion based upon habitual truancy. Idaho Code § 33-205 and § 33-206 and/or a determination in communication with the student/family that the student has voluntarily withdrawn from the school. If the student has never actually started attendance at the school and logs no attendance the first twenty consecutive days of school, the student has never completed the enrollment process and is removed from the school’s student roster. Our instructional model is an instructor-facilitated, personalized learning model. A key component of this model is the inclusion of a significant portion of online, synchronous interactions between students and instructors, and between students and other students. An instructor’s goal is that once each week, the instructor in every course holds a synchronous “virtual classroom” session or posts an exercise or recorded session for student review. More or less activity will be dependent upon the particular discipline. These virtual classroom sessions typically involve a presentation by the instructor of prepared materials, together with extensive question-and-answer opportunities for students, or group work activities. The virtual classroom offers offers a voice-over-IP delivery, so that students can talk to the Instructor and hear the conversations between the instructor and other students; the virtual classroom also facilitates instructor-student and student-student communications via a shared whiteboard and text messaging among other capabilities. Virtual classroom sessions are archived, so that students can review recordings later if they were unable to attend the session or are preparing for an exam. iSVS celebrates the inherent differences differences in learners by providing courses that speak to the strengths of multiple learning styles and accommodate in advance the special needs of students. Content may be presented in multiple formats including audio, text, diagrams and drawings, illustrations, and interactive simulations to accommodate the learning preferences of audio, visual, and kinesthetic learners. Courses are selected to accommodate students with many diagnosed and undiagnosed learning disabilities and to scaffold scaffold the metacognitive and organizational skills of all students. Each student participates in some or all of the following activities to help the instructional staff staff at iSVS identify and accommodate the needs of each student. Each student will be adequately assessed to determine their appropriate placement into courses that meet their needs for graduation. This will include consideration of such matters as IEP and special needs reporting, ESL, Section 504 and other such applicable considerations. Each student works with student support personnel, members that may be comprised of Instructors, administrators, counselors and/or other student support personnel who work in union to achieve the individual learning objectives of the students, the families, and the school. The focus of student support services is to challenge the student to not only achieve a basic understanding of the core material, but to explore and expand on those concepts by applying them to real-world scenarios. Each individual providing student support services plays a key role in the academic experience of the student. At iSVS, students are facilitated by Idaho-certified instructors. The Instructor’s role at iSVS is to support and personalize learning and to inspire students to reach beyond the content and find meaning and application to life. iSVS instructors are employees of iSucceed Virtual High School, Inc. Technology and the nature of online communication/courses enable instructors to meet and work with each student as an individual. The instructor’s role in the online environment is to assist the students to obtain an understanding and mastery of the course of study; however, instructors also establish and maintain individual relationships with students. Students engage instructors and ask questions privately via email or publicly via the virtual classroom or discussion boards. Student support personnel serve as the main school contact with the students and their families. Once the student is enrolled in iSVS, the student support personnel engage the student and the family to develop a plan to help the student meet graduation requirements. Student support personnel also monitor student progress and remediate, as required. The student support personnel also seek to assist students who are “hiding” in the back of the class (i.e., not participating), who are not logging in or completing assignments in a timely manner or who need assistance in changing their course expectations in order to encourage and assist the students as they get back on track. The student support personnel are accountable for the outcomes of their assigned students, as they are focused on a 360 degree view of the student, utilizing not only the information provided by Instructors, but also accounting for the personality, individual circumstances and characteristics of the student. Student support personnel seek effective effective learning strategies for each student and maintain good relationships with both the student and their family. With this targeted demographic of students, many being those who have already chosen to leave the public education system prior to having earned a diploma, the student support personnel role in working directly and regularly in communicating with our students is critical in keeping our students engaged in the learning process and ultimately in school. iSVS knows that the likelihood of success of an online learner is significantly higher when that student’s initial experience is positive and when she/he feels a clear sense of personal direction. A positive experience is marked by student confidence, excitement, connection, support, and a feeling of momentum. ▇▇▇▇ believes that the crucial time period for student engagement and retention begins weeks before the student officially officially starts his/her studies. By the very nature of technology and taking online courses, rich data that indicates activity (login, assignment submission, time of study, assessment completion) can be readily reported on and monitored. To ensure student success, iSVS offers offers the following actions: ● Assignment of iSVS student support personnel as part of the student support services ● Personal Interview to determine personal goals and interests (optional depending upon student circumstances) ● Collection of Personal Data (including confirmation of Idaho residency) ● iSVS online Orientation module (for students and parents of minor students) ● Face-to-face school orientation (optional - recommended for students and parents/legal guardians) ● Readiness check prior to school start ● iSVS social events (optional throughout the school year) ● Placement tests (if determined necessary by iSVS) ● Course selection ● Start-up Check (typically within the first week - for technical issues and startup) ● Follow up Check (typically within the second/third week - further follow-up) ● First term review w/parents/legal guardians Continual monitoring of student progress to improve student outcomes and completion is also critical to long-term student success. To ensure continuing progress, iSVS plans to offer offer the following actions: ● Course selection ● Term parent/legal guardian reviews ● Weekly checks (if determined necessary by iSVS The educational experience provided by iSVS has been designed with the students and families in mind. iSVS utilizes computer technology as one component of the learning experience to connect students with courses, content, student support teams and other students. Students are supplied with a computer technology, software sohware and an internet stipend to help cover the costs of internet service. By supplying each student with a pre-configured hardware and software sohware platform (“Student Technology”) fully loaded with all necessary softwaresohware, filters and monitors necessary for each student to access their specific coursework, iSVS can provide better support and ensure a consistent and secure educational environment for every student. Each student is required to enter into the school’s Technology Use Agreement to assure that the school’s technology and computer equipment are used in conformance with established Board technology use policies. The School’s Technology Use Agreement has been provided to the staff staff of the Idaho Public Charter School Commission. Technical support begins the moment the student registers and the Student Technology is prepared to ship. iSVS performs a detailed quality assurance check at the point of shipment to make sure all the necessary components are included in the shipment. In addition to the Student Technology, iSVHS includes a number of “Getting Started” documents to assist the student and their families. The iSVHS Technology Check provides a checklist including: shipment contents, hardware setup, internet connection, and software sohware application check. Additionally, the Technology Check explains how to contact iSVS should they have questions. Students and their families have numerous ways to access support from iSVS. Students and their families are provided with an orientation that enables them to become familiar with all aspects of the iSVS online learning environment. Again, questions associated with this orientation can be addressed through phone, email, or online support. Ongoing technical support is categorized as follows: • Hardware/softwaresohware/connections that don’t work • Fulfillment of school materials • Accessing courses/Learning Management System • Academic questions • Course change questions • Policy/dispute questions/issues iSVS is organized to ensure that specific questions can be responded to in an expedient fashion. iSVHS provides tech support in manners that, from experience, have proved to be most effectiveeffective. This may include but not necessarily be limited to telephone and online support. iSVS believes that improvement in student achievement results through a balanced application of technology and online learning best practices. iSVS constantly evaluates technology in an effort effort to improve our ability to engage our students, support our instructors, and communicate with the families we serve. We believe that iSVS has aggregated best-of-breed technology platforms that are comprised of innovative and practical applications, enhancing our students’ ability to engage with the course material and their student support personnel, while gaining expertise with 21st century technologies. iSVS believes that combining the Student Technology with online learning best practices serves to further enhance student achievement. iSVS is committed to applying proven best practices as appropriate. Students enroll in an online learning environment for a variety of reasons. Some have work and family obligations, while other students are involved in activities and/or careers that require a flexible schedule. For this reason, thethere is no “typical” day f
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