We are now entering the fourth semester for the Clovis Online School. We have come a long ways from the first seven (7) students who were enrolled grades 9 and 10 in August 2009. Our enrollment is now more than 75 students in grades 9-12 and more students are enrolling each day for the new semester. The increase in enrollment is thanks to the teachers, students and parents in the online school who are sharing about the school with others as well as the number of school counselors are sharing about the advantages of attending the online school. With each new student who enrolls in the online school, we learn more about how we can help student transition from face-to-face learning into online learning. In addition, students at the last leadership summit also offered their suggestions for ways to help students to be successful in the online school.
Effective with this semester (Jan 2011), there are some new procedures that are now in place to help students to be successful.
- First, all new students must complete a list of competencies during the first two-weeks of being enrolled in order to continue in the online school (click on this link to see the competencies).
- Second, there is now a parent verification form that students need to help their parents to complete.
- Third, any student who does not log in and complete assignments for more than two days will receive an automated phone call from COS. If the same student does not log in, there will be a follow up meeting with the principal and if the lack of work continues, then the student may be dismissed from the online school.
We have a variety of support systems in place in the school…and all of us are happy to help at any time. First, remember to email or Instant Message your teachers with any questions at any time. The computer lab is open Monday-Thursday from 8am-12 noon with our computer lab aide Mary Miranda. Online, you can always Instant Message with Chai who can help direct your questions. Kelli, our office manager can also answer your questions over the phone or via email as well. If your questions are not being answered or you’re not sure about something in the online school, you can always email or call Dr. Rob Darrow, the principal. Remember the “15-minute rule” – take 15 minutes to figure something out and then ask for help via email or in person and move on to a different assignment.
I subscribe to the “Positivity Blog” and the quote shared recently was: “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Maria Robinson. I thought this applied well for the start of our new semester!
I look forward to a great beginning of the second semester with all students completing assignments on time, logging in every day by noon and communicating with their teachers whenever something is confusing. Put your organization plan in place and stick to it and remember, your parents and other caring adults want you to be successful, too…and can help if you have questions. The links on the right side of this blog can help get you to the variety of resources available to you in the online school.
