GENERAL INSTRUCTION SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Is there a place where I can view a list of all the websites that will be needed on a regular basis?

Mr. Starr will work to ensure that a list of frequently utilized websites by grade band is placed on the BAVA website before leaving for Christmas Break. Mr. Starr will also include them in his weekly newsletter.

What safeguards are in place to assist students who are behind as a result of system scheduling glitches by BAVA? How will time be made-up? Will additional time be given to students to catch-up if they cannot complete the program by the end of the year?

In most cases, curriculum was amended to ensure that students didn’t fall behind. Additionally, the nature of Virtual Academy allows for added time. Students don’t have passing periods, fire drills, assemblies and other things that take up time during a traditional school day. Also, students in Virtual Academy have access to all of their assignments 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. There are tutoring options available from 4pm-7pm twice a week as well. Students who are still struggling with pacing, will be allowed to continue working during 2nd semester to catch up as needed. In addition, our teachers work hard to skip assignments and show grace throughout the process.

Could you look into providing a pacing guide for the parents/students? We do not know which day in Edmentum that needs to be done by the end of the semester?

This year’s pacing was off to begin with because of our late start. In upcoming years, students will not start off already behind and the pacing within the program will be on target. Since we cannot change the calendar within Edmentum, it will look as though students are behind until they reach the point in the curriculum where they should be for a given point in the year. Mr. Starr’s team has already made phone calls to all families that are falling too far behind; if you have not received a call or notification from the roster teacher then your student is making adequate progress. Additionally, the daily schedule is a great pacing tool.

When you take away pages of the curriculum are test questions being looked at to ensure that prior learning pieces are not missed?

Instructional specialists review all content before modifying it so that it does not impact future learning. In areas where content was modified or removed, test items were considered before final decisions were made. If an area is found that needs to be reviewed, please notify the BAVA administration.

If supplemental work is required (IXL, Imagine Learning, Exact Path), what happens if they are unable to do the regular curriculum and the other programs?

The Edmentum coursework is required first. If a student cannot complete supplemental programming it will not impact their grade. This programming is offered to both remediate and/or enrich if needed. These supplemental options are designed to enhance students’ learning and increase their academic performance.

If my virtual student goes back in person next year, what help will be provided if they are behind?

Sites will provide diagnostic assessment to gain information so that teachers will have an understanding if a student is needing remediation. If remediation is needed, it will be provided by site personnel to ensure that students can be successful.

Can virtual students redo assignments/tests to earn a better grade?

If students need to redo assignments or tests, they will need to contact their roster teacher to determine if redoing the assignment or retaking the test is the appropriate option.

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PRE-K/K INSTRUCTION SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Will we continue to use both Waterford and Edmentum for kindergarten or will we eventually be able to move totally to Waterford?

By law, students must have PE. We will continue to utilize Edmentum to meet the PE requirement for all grades for the remainder of this school year. If we identify a better option for the 21-22 school year then we will consider making a change.

In Waterford, what do the Smart Start 1, 2 and 3 designations mean?

Waterford Smart Start is the Pre-K curriculum and 1, 2, and 3 are the ability levels. These are self-paced and the ability level is a result of the answers provided. Once they complete Smart Start, they move into Waterford Reading and Waterford Math based on that Smart Start score. Pacing is determined by minutes as opposed to correct or incorrect responses.

For Pre-K, should we be using Imagine Language and Literacy and Imagine math on top of Waterford?

Students will benefit from utilizing both programs. Students should first complete the daily work in Waterford and then move to Imagine Language, Literacy and Math.

If we feel like our child has been placed too far ahead in Waterford is there a way to change the placement?

Students are given a pre-test. This levels the students and with every skill there is a continuum. However, there is sometimes an issue with a student being placed at a level that is challenging. Sometimes this occurs because they receive help during the pre-test. They can work through this as best they can, as Waterford will eventually be given a post test. Also, if the child is not getting the skill and continues to be unsuccessful the program will set them back to a lower skill.

Resets can be done as it takes time to move them back down and this can be frustrating. In order to reset the student, they will need to contact the teacher who will reach out to an administrator.

We love Waterford, but it is only 20-30mins a day. We are really excited to start a virtual small group once-twice a week, but I was wondering if there was any way to get more hands on activities for the Pre-K/K level.

Parents can always request more activities to be completed from their roster teacher. There are virtual and in-person small groups. Pre-K teachers have added stories, song, handwriting, and other activities for their parents to use.

ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTION SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Students attending sites completed benchmark testing to make sure they were on track. Is there a way virtual kids can still make sure they’re on track?

Elementary virtual teachers will continue to benchmark students. The benchmarks are offered in person or virtually and will be done again in January and in May.

Do students have to do Imagine Learning and Exact Path to fill the gaps? Is it only for those that are struggling?

Imagine Learning and Exact Path are programs that can both remediate and extend learning. Both programs start with a diagnostic assessment to see where students are struggling and then puts students on a path of learning where they will continue to grow in their learning. Both programs continue to move students forward whether the student is below or above grade level.

Is it true that we are having to catch up on Studies Weekly?

Parents were provided with a pacing schedule so that students could catch up and ensure that all required standards are covered. The curriculum should be able to be completed by the end of the year as we are only requiring students to complete assignments that will show standard mastery. There will not be an extra project assigned so that students can complete the work by May. Parents do have the option to move more quickly or slowly as needed.

Will there be more changes to the curriculum coming for elementary?

There will not be any more changes to the core curriculum; however, more supplemental options may be provided to cover any standards that may not be covered within the curriculum.

MIDDLE SCHOOL INSTRUCTION SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

What exactly is IXL and who should use it? What would you like the student to do if they aren’t doing well in a section?

IXL is an interactive website designed to personalize learning for students. All students, virtual or in-person should be using IXL on a regular basis. IXL has “skills” or lessons that match the Oklahoma Academic Standards and serve to fill the gaps students might have. If a student is not doing well, IXL provides an explanation for guidance and additional practice. IXL challenges students to master concepts and build their comprehension and confidence. IXL is a tool we are using to supplement; students can work independently for 30 minutes a day and complete all assigned skills, fill knowledge gaps, and continue to grow.

In the middle school curriculum there seems to be so much work for the student to do if they do all the reading and assignments in a day. There seems to be way more work than the in-person student does in a day. What help can we get to weed through and lighten the load?

Students attending in-person do complete an ample amount of daily practice, writing and journaling that parents may be unaware which would make the comparison of virtual work versus in-person work seem like a heavier load. Our instructional team, along with BAVA administrators and teachers, will continue to review the curriculum to make revisions where we can and to make recommendations to Edmentum as we move forward.

ENROLLMENT SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

When are the virtual students going to choose their classes for next year?

Enrollment procedures for the following year will begin in late February to Mid-March.

Are the electives the same for second semester for middle school? When do we turn those in?

Elective courses are a year long in the virtual platform and were chosen from last year’s pre-enrollment. If a student was unable to select a course or they are missing an elective for second semester, a counselor will review their schedule and reach out to them.

Do students have to remain virtual for the entire year? Can they get out at the semester? Can elementary students leave at the trimester?

With the cost of licensing, we are asking that all students complete at least one semester before returning to their homesite. The district will provide dates that a decision must be made to remain virtual or move back to in-person learning. For this school year, families will need to notify their roster teacher and homesite counselor by December 11th if they want to return to in-person learning.

Will there be leniency this semester if we do not decide to leave by December 11th?

Because of staffing decisions, families will need to decide by December 11th if they intend to move back to their homesite. Enforcing the deadline prevents the need to move a roster teacher back to a brick and mortar classroom which minimizes the disruption for our virtual students.

TUTORING SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Before school started, it was said that the students would have the opportunity to come to the virtual campus (during school hours) to get assistance. I guess COVID has changed that thought-process, but is that an option that may happen still?

In person tutoring will continue to be made available at the virtual academy on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 4-7. Families also have the option to make appointments with their teacher for day time tutoring.

How can we communicate the help we need PRIOR to the “zoom session” or whatever means of communication? If there is a way we can provide a picture/image/screenshot to the tutor, that would greatly increase actual tutoring time.

As of now, we encourage the students to talk directly with their roster teacher if there are specific concerns or areas of need. We are currently reviewing ways to better communicate tutoring needs. There is not a program we have found to allow this option with the security features necessary to protect copyrighted content. When planning tutoring sessions we took this into consideration and scheduled them for 50 minutes to allow tutors to diagnose the learning need and address it appropriately.

Notify your roster teacher of the specific areas needed during tutoring sessions. The roster teacher can notify the administration at BAVA so that they are aware and can inform the tutor the specific areas where remediation is needed.

ROSTER TEACHER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Is there opportunity for one on one time with the roster teacher?

Absolutely! We encourage students to reach out to their roster teacher if one on one time is needed. If the roster teacher’s schedule does not allow one on one time due to not having any open slots, other arrangements can be made including night tutoring at the Virtual Academy. It would be a rare occurrence that the roster teacher is not available for one on one tutoring.

What do roster teachers do besides grade assignments?

Although roster teachers spend quite a bit of time grading, they do have many other responsibilities. They all have daily office hours so that they can be available to help both students and parents, they have also carved out time in their schedules for small group tutoring when requested by parents. Roster teachers also attend training, staff meetings, review student data, make phone calls and spend time emailing parents and students to also provide additional support. They also create loom videos for instructional and Chromebook problems and guide parents through technical problems and glitches.