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Virtual School Policies:
September 28, 2011
Virtual School UpdateWe have almost completed the review of applications for 2011-2012. As of today, Wednesday, September 28, 2011, we have 474 students accepted in grades K-9 with 30-40 additional applications to review. We review applications at least twice weekly since it is best if students begin this month.
Originally we thought our grade 8 students would not be able to continue. On September 27, 2011, however, the State Board of Education voted that our grade 8 students could continue in grade 9. In his message to the State Board, the Commissioner of Education wrote that he agreed that it "would be unnecessarily disruptive to require these students to transfer to another program while we <the state> take this year to evaluate how virtual schools will operate in the Commonwealth."
Another vote of the State Board of Education yesterday was to waiver their regulation relating to the admission of special education students to a virtual innovation school. The State Board of Education administrative rule required that the application process for students involved in special education require families to return to their school district and request a TEAM meeting to see if the TEAM concurred with the choice for virtual schooling. We can see now that this rule, originally well intended, created a barrier for admission of students with special education plans. At this time, our special education administrator is reviewing applications and directly making recommendations to our application committee. As much as possible we will still connect with the resident school district.
We have fewer than 30 spaces remaining. Each time the application committee reviews completed applications we return to the Greenfield School Committee's approved innovation school plan and the target groups specified within that plan. This detail is posted on the Greenfield Schools website.
We have new teachers and school staff this year—in part due to our growth from 300 to 500 students. We had always planned to have a full-time administrator who was expert in the actual course and management program our school uses. We have this person now—Ryan Clepper—who has transferred to Greenfield's virtual school from another state's virtual school using K12, Inc., curriculum and software products. New teachers this year include Pamela Graham from Greenfield and Judy Pena from the Springfield area. Our school personnel are distributed throughout the state, from Falmouth to Greenfield.
Starting the second year is surely less hectic than last year when we launched nine (9) days after Greenfield received state support for opening. Imagine having to advertise, hire staff, set up a school office, manage enrollment, and begin the first New England virtual school with such little advanced notice. It was quite an exciting year but now we are somewhat seasoned having experienced all phases of operations from admissions through MCAS testing to year-end graduations. Operations are running smoothly. Policies have been voted by Greenfield's School Committee. The State has changed guidelines for payment so that we can abandon the requirement to set up billing statewide. And overall, we look forward to a terrific year.
Of particular importance, we are beginning the 2011-2012 school year as a team of professionals with the common goal of increasing student achievement with vision, innovation, and current technology. We are still taking 2011-2012 applications for students in the target populations. If there is not a space available, we will waitlist students for an available opening. We do have a few students dropping out each week, primarily for personal reasons such as moving or the learning coach having to return to work. So we will be bringing in students from our wait list to fulfill empty seats.
School districts and families with questions are welcome to contact our unique virtual school.
July 12, 2011, Update:
The Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield is now accepting application for 2011-2012. For statewide students, we will be providing complete, grade-level programs to students in grades K to 8. The State Board of Education voted that the school could not serve students in grades 9-12 because the Department of Education only wanted to have charter school serve virtual school students in the future. Greenfield is talking with the Department of Education about the upward-moving grade 8 students who did so very well on preliminary MCAS testing to see if the decision about ousting these students can be reviewed given their achievement.
For Greenfield students, we will be providing complete, grade-level programs to students K-12. Beginning in January, we started to have referrals from school districts and it is gratifying to help school districts as well as parents.
For any parents or students considering an application to the virtual school, it is important to understand that the Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield is a public school operated under the Greenfield School Committee and all students participating must take the state MCAS testing, driving to the locations set up for virtual student state testing. We had 95-97% participation in the first year and appreciate all of the parents assuring their students participated.
Our school size for 2011-2012 will go up to 500. The school's office is in the school administration building in Greenfield at 141 Davis Street. Enrollment applications are accepted virtually. A parent could bring materials to Greenfield's Davis Street office and they will be accepted there. However, everything has to be entered into the online system so in some ways it is just as easy for parents to apply online no matter where they live. In this way the data is all complete from the outset.
With almost a year's experience, now, we have a better understanding of all the components of a complete virtual school that is not just courses and is not a hybrid of public school plus virtual courses. Our Virtual Academy is a complete school—it is where our students go to school for the year. In our second year of operation, we should have more of the planned events where students can meet each other face to face. We are planning to include virtual students in Greenfield's K-12 student film festival, which is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 6th and 7th, 2012.
We are also accepting applications now for teachers for students K-8, an advisor, a part-time special education teacher, and possibly a part-time K-4 principal. We are discussing enrollment and staffing needs for the 2011-2012 school year at this time. Contact superintendent@gpsk12.org
The Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield closed enrollments for the 2010-2011 year with 318 students enrolled and participating. Quite a few students who signed up withdrew after a short time—there were misconceptions about the school, e.g. that you could participate while also going to your neighborhood school or you could participate without seriously completing all the work. We had one parent give false information about a home residence but this was straightened out as soon as we were alerted by the home school district.
Beginning in January, we started to have referrals from school districts and it is gratifying to help school districts as well as parents.
The 2nd greatest challenge (other than opening K-8 and figuring out how to operate and manage a virtual school that starts with a few students and grows to 318) was setting up and managing statewide MCAS. This was a staggering amount of detail work and thanks to the cooperation of our families we had 97% participation, which is excellent. Five (5) test sites were set up throughout the state.
With almost a year’s experience, now, we have a better understanding of all the components of a complete virtual school that is not just courses and is not a hybrid of public school plus virtual courses. Our Virtual Academy is a complete school—it is where our students go to school for the year.
As of April, we are planning the first graduation of students in grade 8 and taking enrollment applications for 2011-2012, when we are opening our high school. We hope to prioritize grades 9 and 10. For grades 11 and 12 we have to be sure a student could have the courses necessary to be graduated on time.
We are also accepting applications now for teachers, a guidance counselor, and high school principal for 2011-2012. Contact superintendent@gpsk12.org
November 20, 2010: Greenfield’s Virtual Academy Update
As of November 19th, the Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield has had 622 applications with 285 students enrolled and 89 students in the pipeline, 20 of whom are students involved in special education. The virtual academy continues to have between 15 and 20 applications each week and 8 or 9 students per week are accepted and begin school weekly.
In Greenfield, our administrators and personnel are getting better with the new skill set requirements and tasks involved in launching this school. We are learning about our partner, K12, who provides virtual curriculum and virtual school management services, and how their intricate management systems work; K12 is also learning more about Greenfield schools. In many ways the public virtual school is the same as a traditional public school, but the virtual variation makes tasks quite different—attendance, grading, teacher supervision, IEP team meetings and services needed.
The most common questions from school district administrators this week are whether or not parents applying must go through the home school application process. Answer: No, they do not. The children might be home but they attend a state-regulated public school with state-regulated teachers overseeing their work. Students must attend to school work every day, with courses aligned to Massachusetts curriculum frameworks. Our students have state MCAS testing in a proctored environment. So parents applying do not need to go through a home schooling application because this is a virtual public school district school, authorized by the Greenfield School Committee.
As the surge in enrollments has leveled off to a predictable number of inquiries per week and month, we can give each parent and school system more attention. We are refining roles, responsibilities, and procedures of our two-agency launch team. The Greenfield Superintendent oversees the school and personally handles calls from school administrators with questions. The Greenfield Principal speaks with parents about enrolling and many other issues. The K12 Operations Manager is handling operations questions and details of every variety. The Greenfield special education office has a routine, now, for interfacing with school districts about special education services. We have reached a level where all categories of supervisors are working together.
With an operations manager, planning can take place in advance of the moment, and so outreach events are being planned for the future (there are at least monthly events to bring students together and create a school community). MCAS exam locations and proctors are being planned now. The Greenfield virtual school administrative office is now 90% set up in this 1900’s schoolhouse classroom (faxes, phones, copier, computers, work stations). On one bulletin board, we will have a large map of Massachusetts with push-pins identifying location and grade of each student. From this mapping, we’ll easily see where MCAS exam sites are needed. Our collective goal is having MCAS testing locations all over the state so no student has too far to drive.
Our goals right now are: 1) trying to expedite students in the waiting-for-admissions-decisions pool—approximately 85 students, 2) monitoring the success of all the students participating, 3) arranging an open house for our office in Greenfield, 4) refining procedures and gathering all the records still needed, and 5) continuing the process for setting up test sites across the state. Please note: any school district that would let us use a room for MCAS testing this spring—that would be very helpful and greatly appreciated. Contact us at the MA Virtual Academy at 413-475-3879.
We currently have students from 110 communities in Massachusetts--from Greenfield in the northwest corner to Cape Cod in the southeast corner. Approximately 85% of participating families have 1 student in the virtual school. Roughly 48% of students are male, 52% of students are female, and students are relatively evenly divided between the grades of K-8. We have 99 students on a wait list for high school.
Parents, school districts, and interested others are welcome to email or call. Our Massachusetts Virtual School @ Greenfield office can be reached by email virtualschool@gpsk12.org or phone:: 413.475.3879. The Superintendent’s office can be reached by email superintendent@gpsk12.org or phone: 413.772.1311.
As of October 7th, 2010, we have 230 fully enrolled in the Massachusetts Virtual Academy. It takes approximately one week for all the materials to be shipped and received. At this time we estimate 80% of these students are now participating and the remaining 20% are receiving materials and signing in online. We continue to receive approximately 20-25 applications per week and we still have approximately 15-17% of students choose not complete the application process for various reasons.
Building a sense of school community is a component of this virtual school. This is accomplished by gatherings of students where they can meet face-to-face periodically and these first events for students and families are being planned now in regions across the state. The school also plans to build a sense of community through online interactions between teachers, parents, and other students.
We are starting to have referrals for admission from school superintendents. As more school district officials understand Greenfield’s virtual school program and the options it provides, we anticipate more school districts using the virtual school. This is particularly true for students with unique health concerns that preclude regular attendance and students with significant emotional or social reasons complicating school attendance.
We now have clarification from DESE as to data entry for our virtual school students—all non-resident students are registered by Greenfield as 1310. Students whose districts continue to provide their special education services claim them under the "Not Enrolled But Receiving Services" category.
We are learning so very much about the lives of others. For example, we have one birth certificate that gives a “state” but no town. In speaking with the parent, there was no town for a very interesting reason. There are so many unusual circumstances of families trying to assure their children have an education—parents who are professional performers and move around for weeks from one place to another, parents whose children have immune disorders or frequent surgeries or health issues that prevent schooling, children who at young ages are profession actors and models, students with sleep disorders or seizure disorders that complicate the hours they are available to learn but who need a structured public school program.
We are taking the names of all the students being referred for grades 9-12. At the moment we are statewide grades K-8 but we are reviewing the 9-12 applications. We are serving area students K-12.
The office of the new virtual innovation school is in the current Superintendent’s office at 141 Davis Street, Greenfield. The Davis Street building is a 19th century school building—the oldest remaining school building in Greenfield. It is an intriguing and thought-provoking experience to be in an historic 19th-century school building and to be creating a 21st-century cyberschool in the old 2th-grade classroom where students once used slate boards to do assignments.
The Massachusetts Virtual Academy @ Greenfield officially launched August 18th, 2010 for students in grades K-8--a considerable undertaking. We are trying our best to organize all components of online registration, explanations of the program, and communication with districts and others as we proceed. We are taking information for grades 9-12 in preparation for next year.
As of September 8, 2010, we have 363+ applications. Gradually students are completing the process and are then enrolled. When enrollment is completed, the curriculum and all program materials are sent to the student’s residence; shipping takes approximately a week.
Greenfield's maximum virtual school enrollment allowed this year is 500 students. We anticipate gradually reaching this level as more school systems, physicians, and families learn about the new virtual school opportunity in Massachusetts.
The application process has component parts requiring documentation. We need to verify date of birth, legal guardianship, legal residence, and last grade of school completed. As a public school we also require immunization records. Document sharing to finalize enrollment can take a few days or weeks, depending how quickly the referring party provides necessary information. We will continue to enroll students while spaces are available.
Students involved in special education services are welcome to apply, but Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield cannot accept a special education student without the student’s IEP team concurring that “such a placement is educationally appropriate and consistent with federal and state special education laws and regulations.*” In a virtual school, minor adjustments to the IEP are often needed—those pertaining to small group instruction, for example. Classroom accommodations are generally not needed in the virtual environment.
We are opening statewide for grades K-8 this year. We are, however, also planning a small high school virtual program in Greenfield for students within driving distance. Our in-house, program will be a hybrid model where students have face time with staff in an off-campus location using virtual courses & curriculum. We will consider out-of-district students participating. This program will serve a variety of students including students returning from dropping out of school and those who work full time.
In the next week Greenfield will be sending out information statewide to Superintendents of Schools, explaining the new virtual public school. Districts can refer students. As of September 7, 2010, we anticipate approximately 150 spaces remaining for the 2010-2011 school year grades K-8 and are creating a wait list for grades 9-12.
Parents can apply directly through www.k12.com asking for MAVA@Greenfield or they can bring application paperwork to Greenfield Schools and enroll here. Complete school records will be kept in Greenfield.
Questions are welcome. Superintendent@gpsk12.org
*Massachusetts Administrative Rules for Virtual Innovation Schools
Message to Parents
(August 18, 2010)Greenfield Public Schools' virtual school (the Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield) is now launching. This new school is also a work in process. Since this will be the first school of its kind in Massachusetts, the process and paperwork is complicated. We have a capable and experienced virtual school partner--K12, Inc.--a company that powers over 20 virtual schools across the country. We are collaborating daily on the details of program, enrollment, special education, and faculty.
MAVA@Greenfield (the virtual academy nickname) is officially launched Wednesday, August 19, 2010. In addition, we are posting and sharing information as we create it and can make it available. We will be operational September 2010 and we are working as quickly as we can to make connections, create information, reach out to parents, and complete requirements.
The Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield will provide a quality, standards-based curriculum and program for students in grades K-8 during 2010-2011. For students within driving distance of Greenfield, we are considering arrangements for a small number of students grades 9-12.
Any school superintendent or Special Education/504 administrator seeking information is welcome to contact me at Superintendent@gpsk12.org. We will attempt to share questions and answers through an FAQ section on this webpage.
For information about the K12 curriculum and program, go to www.k12.com.
Susan Hollins, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Greenfield Public Schools
General Information on Virtual School Progress
Conversations have continued with our virtual school program partner—K12. We have worked out the intake process. All parents—whether in the area or outside the area of Greenfield—will initially register through K12 so we have the same type of data for each student. Then, area students from within driving distance of Greenfield will be referred to the Greenfield School system to work with our virtual school teachers.We are committed to studying reasons why parents and students choose a virtual school. After registering initially we will be conducting an interview with parents.
Presentations and Information Sessions:
We are arranging for presentations and information sessions in the following towns:Greenfield
Northampton
AmherstPlease check the website for dates & locations.
Contact Info:
Tim Wilson, Interim Principal
Massachusetts Virtual Academy @Greenfield
timwil1@gpsk12.org
Parents wanting to apply to the Massachusetts Virtual Academy at Greenfield (MAVA@Greenfield) can find information on this web site (http://www.gpsk12.org/virtualschool/virtualschool_home.html) and also http://www.k12.org/mava. Email Tim Wilson, Interim Principal, timwil1@gpsk12.org
We hope that this FAQ section will be helpful.
Please send any additional questions you have to: timwil1@gpsk12.org or superintendent@gpsk12.org
We will be updating this information periodically so please check back frequently.1. Is the Massachusetts Virtual Academy @Greenfield (MAVA@Greenfield) an Innovation School? And, if so, what is an Innovation School?
As of January 2010, new legislation in Massachusetts allows school districts to create “innovation schools.” These are schools based on a proposal and plan advanced through the school committee for authorization. The intent of the legislation was to stimulate innovation within school districts and find ways to increase student achievement.
A goal is for MAVA@Greenfield to be one of the state’s first innovation schools. Supported by the School Committee, MAVA@Greenfield will open in September 2010 as a statewide, public virtual innovation school.
2. Can students from other districts apply?
Yes. MAVA@Greenfield is designed as a statewide, public virtual school. We are providing this new opportunity to K-8 students anywhere in the state (or outside the state) who need to access a quality schooling experience and who otherwise cannot or will not attend a brick-and-mortar school for various reasons. Regardless of where a student lives in Massachusetts, attending MAVA@Greenfield is possible!
3. How do I apply for my child to attend the school?
Application materials will be posted on the MAVA@Greenfield web page soon. Once the virtual school is launched, all application intake will happen online through our curriculum provider, K12. Administrators from other school districts making referrals should contact Greenfield Schools directly (Tim Wilson, Interim Principal, timwil1@gpsk12.org).
4. How do parents decide about online learning?
Once parents understand that the online education program Greenfield is offering is a high quality program, then they need to consider if they have the time and commitment to support this online learning program for his or her student at home.
Parents also have to consider if the student’s needs and style of learning are a good match for online learning.
Parents must be committed to supporting the online learning program and serving as “coach.” Students must want to attend a virtual school and be motivated to succeed. When parents, students and teachers are supported and guided by a team of qualified teachers using an exceptional curriculum, it’s a winning formula for success!
5. Is the new virtual school for a particular type of student?
MAVA@Greenfield will be open to any student who might benefit from the school. In designing the school, Greenfield did identify certain types of students it particularly wanted to serve. While open to all students, priority will be given to students in the following categories:
- Students with medical conditions that interfere with attendance, e.g. cancer, Crohn’s, immune disorders,
- Students out of school due to pregnancy or parenting,
- Students with developmental, social-emotional, pedagogical, or unique individual learning needs well-served by the virtual school medium,
- Students who feel bullied or who are out of school due to other safety concerns,
- Students who seek an advanced course program not available in their assigned school,
- Students who have to work during the day to help support their families,
- Students who have dropped out of school or whose original high school class has since graduated,
- Students in training for competitive arts or sports,
- Other reasons of a compelling nature not identified above.
6. What curriculum will be used?
MAVA@Greenfield will be using the award-winning curriculum of K12 Inc. –a Virginia-based education provider that powers more than twenty virtual schools across the country. This mastery-based curriculum is embedded with assessments that help to guide and monitor the progress of each child and adjust the program’s pace to the student. The parent or another adult mentor is the learning coach and all students will be connected to and monitored by certified teachers.
The core elementary program includes English/ language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Middle school students will have a fifth course option in world language. Students who reside in Franklin or Hampshire County will have Greenfield teachers trained by K12 in online learning, will have opportunities to participate in special events or projects, and interact with other students if they wish. Students who live outside these counties will be connected with K12 teachers online.
7. Who are the teachers?
All students participating will have Massachusetts certified teachers working with them. Teachers will be hired in different regions of Massachusetts to make occasional meetings or gatherings easier.
8. Will there be a cost to parents?
Since MAVA@Greenfield is a Greenfield, Massachusetts public school, it is free to all participating Massachusetts students. Students enrolling from outside Massachusetts will need a source of tuition funding.
Do you have other questions?
Feel free to contact:
Susan Hollins, Superintendent: superintendent@gpsk12.org or
Tim Wilson, Interim Principal, timwil1@gpsk12.orgSuperintendent's Radio Talks about Greenfield's New Virtual School.
07/26/10 and 08/16/10
Superintendent Hollins appears as a regular guest on the Valley's Morning Show
with Jay Fidanza (radiojayfid@yahoo.com), WHAI FM (98.30)
Page last updated: October 3, 2011
For Web site queries and questions and to report Web site issues, please contact:
carhol1@gpsk12.org