SILOAM SPRINGS — School Board members passed four measures at March 11’s meeting that pave the way for Siloam Springs Virtual Academy to become a permanent fixture in the district.
The online academy was already in the works before the covid-19 pandemic began, but the district sped up the process to open the school for students in kindergarten through 12th grade last fall, with the goal of making it a permanent option.
School Board members voted to approve a digital learning plan, an application for an amendment to the high school’s conversion charter, a student policy addendum and an application for an Act 1240 waiver.
The Act 1240 waiver covers kindergarten through eighth grade, while the amendment to the high school’s conversion charter covers grades nine through 12, according to Assistant Superintendent Amy Carter. The digital learning plan, Act 1240 waiver and conversion charter amendment have almost the same content, she said.
The academy requires waivers for attendance, class size, teaching load, the six-hour instructional day, clock hours and recess, the learning plan states. In addition, it requires a waiver to allow kindergarten teachers to teach art and music outside of their licensed area, it states.
The purpose of the online academy is to provide students with a “robust, flexible and equitable virtual learning experience as an alternative to on-site instruction,” according to the digital learning plan.
Next year, enrollment will be capped at 180 students, Carter said. Open enrollment will continue through the end of March, she said.
Students will be taught by School District teachers using the Florida Virtual School curriculum, which will be modified to fit the district’s needs, Carter said.
Teachers will be housed in the buildings associated with the grade level they teach, Carter said. Teachers in kindergarten through sixth grade will be dedicated to online teaching, while teachers in grades seven through 12 will have dedicated online class periods, she said. Special education, English language learner, gifted and talented education and dyslexia services will be provided to virtual students, she said.
While many aspects of the online academy will stay the same, there will be several changes, Carter said. Families must apply to be a part of the academy and must meet minimum criteria, she said. The criteria includes a list of 11 characteristics of successful online students, such as being self-disciplined, self-motivated and have strong parental support. Applications will be reviewed by a committee and an appeal process will be put in place, Carter said.
In addition, families must make a year-long commitment to the academy, parents must complete orientation, student and parent contracts are required and a Chrome-book agreement form must be completed, Carter said.
District policies were updated to clarify attendance, discipline and grading in the online learning environment, according to Assistant Superintendent Shane Patrick.
Student attendance will be based on daily log in to a school-issued device between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., Carter said. Each day students fail to log in will be considered an absence and students will fall under all other district attendance policies, the new policy states.
While students are learning online, they will be considered on school grounds whether participating in the online classroom synchronously or asynchronously, the new policy states. Students will be held accountable for respecting and obeying all school policies outlined in the student handbook and will be expected to display appropriate behavior, it states.
The grading policy for online students will be consistent with on-site students, the policy states. Students attendance and grades will be monitored weekly and if a student’s grades drop below a 70 percent, they will be required to participate in a Zoom or Google Meet session with the teacher to receive intervention, Carter said.
If academic progress doesn’t improve, a meeting will be held with the student, parent and academy director and as a last resort, the student may be returned to the building for on-site instruction, learning plan states.
The digital learning plan, ACT 1040 Waiver and amendment to the conversion charter will require state approval.
In other business, the school board took the following actions:
• Approved a contract renewal for Rave Mobile Safety.
• Approved a facilities contractor agreement for the 2021-2022 school year.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with Northwest Arkansas Education Services Cooperative.
• Approved the renewal of administrator contracts for the 2021-2022 school year.
• Approved the resignation on seven licensed staff members.
• Approved hiring Kerri Brown for high school medical professions teacher.
• Approved emergency sick leave for one teacher.
• Approved the transfer of two students into the Siloam Springs School District.
• Approved the transfer of one student to the Gentry School District and one student to the Springdale School District.
• Approved allowing one teacher to work through their preparatory period.
Janelle Jessen may be reached by email at [email protected] .