At last weeks meeting, the Board of Education signed a contract with Fuel Education, aka FuelEd and formerly known as k12.com to offer a virtual/online school. It would be open to children in grades K-12 in Bleckley County as well as children of school employees living in other counties.
The board also stipulated that in order to proceed, they must have 12 students not currently enrolled in schools. Tuesday night, a small group of parents gathered to learn more at an informational meeting held in the Pre K Cafeteria. Attendance was likely affected by a called meeting to discuss the consolidation of city and county fire services.
Here are some notes from the meeting as outlined by Superintendent Steve Smith as well as listed in a Frequently Asked Questions handed out afterward.
There is no cost to Georgia residents.
Access to broadband Internet is recommended.
FuelEd would provide the curriculum. Its aligned with the Georgia Standards of Excellence, mandated for all school systems. FuelEds curriculum is also used by the Georgia Cyber Academy
Curriculum is accredited through Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, just like Bleckley County schools.
The program would be run through the Bleckley County Success Academy. According to the FAQ, the belief is that they could offer support needed without adding extra high school staff.
The first day of school is August 5, the same as traditional schools. It runs on the semester system and ends December 16. You would then re-enroll for spring semester.
Students in grades K-8 would get textbooks and other supplies after registering. All high school classes will be online only.
Classes taught by Georgia-certified teachers. Students would participate in classes & class discussion, have access to teachers during normal class hours. Many teachers check email regularly even after hours to address questions from students who may be working late.
Students would be eligible to try for any school athletic team or participate in any extracurricular activity. Same rules as traditional students (IE: making team, meeting qualifications to be in club.)
A senior eligible to graduate would have the option of participating in Success Academy graduation.
Enrolled students would still have to take Georgia Milestone. They would take it in small groups at Success Academy (located behind Bleckley County Middle School.) Testing assistance and accommodations would be offered to special needs students.
Parents would have access to Virtual School Program to monitor student progress. One is required to serve as Mentor and emails would be sent out should student fall behind, fail to log in. Parents would also have access to Power School.
July 18 is cutoff date for enrollment.
One question brought up in the meeting as well as asked in the FAQ is how parents would know about extracurricular activities (IE: after school meetings.) Smith said they would do their best to help keep parents informed but said their best bet was to rely on a friend/family member with a child involved in traditional school.
Some parents who had children enrolled in Georgia Cyber Academy were able to offer insight. When discussing technology needed, Mickey Harbin said it was her experience that many teachers needed students to have microphones as opposed to webcams.
An unofficial count of new students who might enroll was nine. Another meeting is scheduled for July 5 at 7 pm inside the Pre K Cafeteria.
For more information on the Virtual School, call Success Academy Principal Denise Warren, (478)934-1685, or Smith, (478)934-2821, Ext. 1100.
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