You launched a new virtual school: Now what?
The pandemic presented a cascade of new enrollment challenges that has spurred a renewed interest in creating virtual schools as part of a district’s offerings. But now that districts are attracting new virtual students, how do they ensure the programs are effectively meeting their needs? Throughout this conversation, we explore how two districts are creating new learning options to support dynamic student needs, the challenges these programs present, as well as recommendations for other leaders who are considering adopting or expanding their own districtwide virtual programs.
Lessons Learned From Upscaling a Virtual School
Whether a district is launching, implementing or sustaining a virtual learning program, administrators and educators have the opportunity to think about how they can educate their students in a different way yet maintain the foundations of effective teaching and learning. Within a changing educational environment, school leaders can continue to improve and provide better programs that make a positive and lasting impact in their students’ lives. Join us for this session on a practitioner’s perspective and the lessons she learned when starting her program.
The Blueprint for Success with District-wide Virtual Learning
If there’s one word that continues to surface with educators and what’s required of them to lead effectively, it seems to be empathy. We have seen many districts display a powerful, empathic leadership style throughout the pandemic. This could not be more true for the two leaders we spoke with from Tucson Unified School District and how they have navigated the challenges and opportunities the pandemic has created for their district.
Dead Poets Society: Strategies for the Path Forward in Online Learning
In our latest podcast episode, we talk with Carl Hooker about his desire to see K-12 education become more like the 1989 movie Dead Poet’s Society. He believes we have the potential engage students to learn in unorthodox ways and to inspire them to pursue their dreams – now more than ever.
Streamlining District-wide Communication: Best Practices from Tucson Unified School District
In our latest podcast episode of Opportunity Thrives, we had a chance to chat with Leslie Lenhart, the Communications Director for Tucson Unified School District in Tucson, Arizona. Leslie shares the district’s strategies to be very intentional and responsive during the pandemic, including many practical tips that others can implement within their own districts.
Keep students in your district with effective learning options
It goes without saying that school looks much different this year. With all of the uncertainty and change, this is an opportunity for school districts to offer virtual programs that provide families with alternative options to keep students in their home district.
Lessons Learned During the Pandemic
Monica Burns believes that right now we have an opportunity to change education for the better, but first we must address the basics. In our latest podcast episode of Opportunity Thrives, Monica shares her perspective on the challenges and opportunities that digital learning brings to our schools and our communities.
Strategies to Circumvent COVID-19 Learning Loss
Without a doubt, district leaders anticipated learning loss when students returned to school this year –whether that was in person, virtually, or in a hybrid model. But it is still unclear just how substantial that learning loss will be long-term.
Keep Students Motivated in a Virtual Learning Environment
Adjusting to teaching and learning in a virtual environment is not easy as thousands of educators and students are experiencing right now. But when done well, online learning has the potential to increase student achievement.
What Should District Leaders Be Asking from Their Partners Right Now?
In our latest episode of Opportunity Thrives, we talk with two superintendents about how they are evaluating their partners and how their relationships with vendors has changed since the pandemic.
Apex Learning Announces Collaboration with PowerSchool to Streamline Digital Curriculum Integrations for Students and Educators
2020 —
“We recognize that seamless integration of digital tools within a district's ecosystem is critically important, especially in light of an increasing need for high-quality, distance learning and virtual programs,” said Chris Porter, CEO, Apex Learning. “This collaboration with PowerSchool will save educators time and deliver improved experiences for students, teachers and administrators.”
Is it possible to build meaningful relationships with students (from a distance)?
In our 17th episode of Opportunity Thrives, a podcast committed to better supporting the needs of today’s secondary students, we explore this very question.
We know that education leaders are doing all they can to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and staff for this fall. For many districts, that has meant starting off the year with fully virtual learning programs.
Online learning is not the same as learning in the classroom, but that’s okay
Online learning was never intended to replicate classroom learning. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be just as effective. Classroom learning is fundamentally built on the ability to interact with one another – student-to-teacher or student-to-student – in a face-to-face environment. And any effort to replicate the classroom experience online will likely overlook the benefits of using technology.
The Parent Perspective: New norms in education
In the latest episode of Opportunity Thrives, a podcast committed to better supporting the needs of today’s secondary students, parents share how remote learning has impacted their lives, the lives of their students and what they anticipate for the future.
A Virtual School Success Story: One district shares how to integrate a virtual program, including pitfalls to avoid, and strategies for getting it right the first time
We know that education leaders are doing all they can to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and staff for the start of school this fall. Many districts are also navigating numerous requests from families to offer a virtual program. Districts may have addressed these concerns in their reopening plans and are now finding that the current situation requires further action.
Back-to-School: Building relationships with students in a virtual setting
As school districts across the country are preparing for back-to-school using either all digital instruction or a hybrid model, one concern we continue to hear from educators is the question of how to effectively build relationships with students in a virtual setting.
4 Considerations for Launching an Effective Virtual School
Now that schools and districts have navigated their plans for how to provide online and hybrid learning options this fall, many are evaluating their next challenge. How can educators provide options for students and families who are anxious about returning to school, and still keep them within their home school districts?