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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2017)
-);<-:67:-/768):-6<;MX\MUJMZ Would virtual school be a good fi t for your family? By SUZANNE KENNEDY Lately, we’ve been hearing more and more about online school- ing. Perhaps you have a child with special needs, or one whose sports schedule is so intense you need a school experience with fl exibility. Some parents of children who’ve experience bullying or who have health issues also may decide that online schooling is the best op on. Maybe you just want more family me. Whatever the reason, the de- cision of which program to use may be daun ng. Geƫ ng started First, decide whether or not you are looking for a religious or secular program. Looking at your budget to determine what you can aff ord will help you choose between public and private. Second, think about what you want your child’s schooling to look like. Do you want him or her to do all of it on the computer, or just some of it? Maybe you feel com- fortable teaching math, but would like to expose her to a foreign lan- guage. Do you travel a lot and need the lessons to be in the form of videos? Perhaps you’d rather your student converse with an actual teacher in real me. Some op ons even have your child as a student in an actual classroom, answering ques ons and par cipa ng in class discussions. In Oregon, the homeschooling laws are pre y lenient, but you s ll will want to make sure that the online program you use is accred- ited, especially if your student is in high school. Check to see who does the grading, how report cards are issued, and ask about a endance requirements. They should let you speak with the instructors as well. Here are a few of the more popular op ons: • Connec ons Academy: This secular site off ers K-12 tui on-free, fully accredited online public schooling in many states, as well as a private fully ac- credited college- preparatory K-12 private school, available to students everywhere. Visit connec onsacademy.com. • Baker Web Academy: Secular, tui on-free program that of- fers online and textbook-based classes with teacher support through technology and face-to- face home visits. Visit bakerchar- ters.org. ous districts in Eastern Oregon, is spearheading an online schooling ini a ve in our area. The IMESD is commi ng fi nancial, human and techno- logical resources toward its suc- cess. One of the main goals is to keep tax dollars in-district while mee ng the diverse needs of the students. Each district is structuring its online experience in its own way. Most larger districts will have an online coordinator and all will have teachers to monitor the students, grade the papers, and answer ques- ons. Chris Be neski, the main online coordinator at the IMESD, says that they are providing the pla orm (called Canvas) and the access to the learning management system, Acellus. Acellus delivers the curriculum in the form of canned videos and programs. Because each district is running its own program, start dates will diff er, as will the amount of fl exibil- ity of the programs. Some will be ready for all online, and some will off er a combina on, so be sure to check with your local district. If you are looking for an alter- na ve to completely tradi onal school, online school may be just the thing for your family. ________ Suzanne Kennedy is a former middle school teacher who lives in Pend- leton with her husband and three children. • A Beka Academy: K-12 and col- lege prep program featuring high-quality video instruc on; uses Chris an character-building textbooks from A Beka Book. Includes the op on to sit in on live classes, ask ques ons, and par cipate in discussions. Visit Abekaacademy.org. • Alpha Omega Academy: An ac- credited online academy and Chris an homeschool curricu- lum for grades pre-K-12. Visit Aoaacademy.com. • K12: K-12 online educa on off ers tui on-free public and tui on-based private school- ing with mul ple start dates throughout the year. Full- and part- me availability. Visit K12. com. Coming soon The InterMountain Educa on Service District, serving numer- CO-ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN ONLINE | ON CAMPUS > > > > One application - 2 great schools! Transfer seamlessly More courses to choose from One-on-one advising Apply NOW! eou.edu/bmcc Para ayuda en Español, llame al 541.962.3491 800-452-8639 | admissions@eou.edu
