Virtual Schools

DISTRICTS ALL OVERTHE STATE ARESWITCHING TOONLINE LEARNING.BUT WHAT ABOUTSCHOOLS THAT WEREONLINE TO BEGINWITH?IDAHO NEWS 6'SJESSICA TAYLORSPOKE WITH ONEVIRTUAL SCHOOL TOSEE IF IT'S STILLBUSINESS ASUSUAL.

AND HOWTHEY'RE HELPINGTHE WHOLE STATEADJUST.ONLINE CURRICULUMIS THE STANDARDFOR ANOTHERCHOICE VIRTUALCHARTER SCHOOL."MY FELLOWTEACHERS HADWORKED VERY HARDTO PUT THATCURRICULUM INTOEFFECT AND HELPSTUDENTSUNDERSTAND IT, SO IDO THINK THAT WASONE LEG UP WE HADBECAUSE WE WEREVIRTUAL ALREADY,WE WEREN'TSCRAMBLING TO TRYAND FIGURE THINGSOUTTHEY STILL MADESOME ADJUSTMENTS.TYPICALLY THEYHAVE A HYBRIDSETUP.

MEANINGSTUDENTS CAN GOTO DIFFERENT LABSTO WORK IN-PERSON.THAT'S NO LONGERHAPPENING.

BUTTHEY'RE MAKINGTHEMSELVES EVENMORE AVAILABLE TOSTUDENTS THANTHEY NORMALLYARE..

ADDINGGOOGLE HANGOUTSAND MORECOMMUNICATIONINTO THE MIX."I THINK UM BEING INA VIRTUAL SCHOOLWE DEAL WITH THIS ALOT WE WANT THEBUY IN FROMSTUDENTS WE WANTTHEM TO FEELINVESTED WE WANTTHEM TO KNOWWE'RE INVESTED INTHEM, AND SO JUSTCONTINUING TO ARETHOSE EFFORTS TOREACH OUT, I'VESEEN SO MANYAMAZING THINGSTEACHERS HAVEDONESINCE THESE ONLINESCHOOLS EEM TOHAVE IT FIGUREDOUT.

AND OBVIOUSQUESTION IS, HASTHE STATEDEPARTMENT OFEDUCATION TURNEDTO THEM FORGUIDANCE?

THEANSWER IS YES."THE STATE HAS BEENAMAZINGLYSUPPORTIVE DURINGTHIS TIME, WE'REHAVING MEETINGSEVERY WEEK, WEWERE HAVING MEETSTWICE A WEEK,THERE'S SPECIAL EDMEETINGS EVERYWEEKTHE S-D-E HAS SAIDIN A STATEMENT THEYKEEP IN CLOSECONTACT WITHDISTRICTS ANDCHARTER SCHOOLS,INCLUDING VIRTUALSCHOOLS."I THINK IT'S REALLYIMPORTANT AND I I'MVERY THANKFULLATHE PEOPLE AREREALIZING THATHILTON ALSO HASWORDS OF ADVICEFOR ALL THOSETRANSITIONING TOONLINE."I ENCOURAGE THEMTO GIVE THEMSELVESA LITTLE BIT OFGRACE.

IT'S ALEARNING CURVEWE'RE ALL JUSTDOING THE BESTWITH WHAT WE HAVE,AND GIVINGTHEMSELVES SOMEGRACE WHILELEARNING IN A NEWWAY AND JUSTTRYING TO MAKE THEBEST OF IT"AND GIVINGTHEMSELVES SOMGRACE WHILELEARNING IN A WY AND JUSTTRYING TO MAKE THEBEST OF I