DURANT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Duane Merideth, Superintendent 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 (580) 924-1276 Phone (580) 924-6019 Fax
Durant K-12 Virtual School
Policies and Procedures
Mission: Reaching every student, every day, every way.
Program Description
The Durant K-12 Virtual School is an online academic program that utilizes district approved courseware and teacher assistance from highly qualified teachers. Through this program, students are afforded access to fully accredited courses that fit their learning styles and paces. By monitoring student progress, teachers and coordinators ensure student mastery of content before continuing instruction.
Program Goals
To provide a rigorous online curriculum to full-time virtual students and blended virtual students. To provide access to online curriculum for credit recovery and credit accrual. To make certain students meet necessary requirements for graduation and completion of coursework. To improve student motivation and personal responsibility through mentorship. To ensure student success with online curriculum by providing progress monitoring. To provide daily support on regular school days.
www.durantisd.org DURANT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Duane Merideth, Superintendent 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 (580) 924-1276 Phone (580) 924-6019 Fax
Student Definitions
Full-time students: off-site students enrolled in Durant Schools in a fully online curriculum. Students receive all of their academic credits from the coursework done via the learning websites assigned to the student. Blended: students who attend on-site courses associated with extra-curricular activities or courses not offered through the district online websites, such as honors and Advance Placement (AP) courses. Students taking honors, AP, or first-time courses, such as PFL (Personnel Financial Literacy) must be approved by the school counselor or principal. Credit recovery: on-site students who have been unsuccessful in the traditional classroom and are recovering failed credits. These students must be approved by the school counselor or principal.
Student Admissions Policy
Any student in grades K-12 who is already enrolled with Durant Public Schools may apply for enrollment in the Durant K-12 Virtual School. All students must complete a student contract regarding online conduct, attendance, and behavior once their application has been approved. Application approval must include an intake assessment (interview) and an academic background check prior to acceptance into virtual school. Specific admissions requirements are outlined according to student definitions above. Students may not be enrolled in more than 7 courses during the school day, including virtual classes. Applications are to be returned to 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK, attention Virtual School applications.
www.durantisd.org DURANT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Duane Merideth, Superintendent 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 (580) 924-1276 Phone (580) 924-6019 Fax
Virtual Student Self-Assessment
Completion of the following questions will help students and/or parents determine if the child is a good candidate for virtual school. Determine whether each of the following statements should be answered yes or no, as it applies to the student.
1. I am self-motivated. 2. I am an independent learner needing little guidance or assurances from teacher(s). 3. I stay on task easily or will have a guardian keeping me on task each day. 4. I am able to monitor my own progress or my guardian will. 5. I am willing to devote at least 6 hours per day to school work, 5 days a week (30 hours per week). 6. I am able to comprehend written information without help. 7. I listen and follow directions well. 8. I realize online schoolwork may have more requirements than a traditional course. 9. I consider myself computer literate and am comfortable using technologies, both hardware and software. 10. I manage my time well. 11. I am willing to communicate with my teacher(s). 12. I am confident I can meet the deadlines set by my teacher(s) to successfully complete an online course. The majority of the above statements must be considered “yes” answers. If 4 or more were considered “no,” then online education may not be the best option for this student.
www.durantisd.org DURANT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Duane Merideth, Superintendent 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 (580) 924-1276 Phone (580) 924-6019 Fax
Access to Curriculum
Basic computer literacy skills are necessary to navigate through the learning websites, research instructional information and submit assignments. Such skills are:
Use an internet browser such as Google Chrome Navigate through a website Download and install browser plug-ins Modify browser settings related to security, pop-ups and firewall settings Create, modify, access and save electronic documents Upload and/or download electronic files Open and send emails Use the designated online messaging system for both sending and receiving messages Attach a file to an email and open a file from an email Take a screenshot of the computer screen
Curriculum is accessed by the student and must be read/viewed by the student (or guardian, if student cannot yet read). Teachers are curating coursework, grading assignments, answering academic questions, and offering instructional strategies or academic advice, but are not expected to present academic material or answer technical questions. Curriculum is delivered through the chosen online tools and a help desk is offered on the district’s website (www.durantisd.org).
Students may be assigned multiple online learning websites to meet all of their academic needs. It is the responsibility of the student/guardian to know these websites and be responsible for accessing them daily.
Students in grades K-6 are required to provide their own computer and internet access. District devices and/or hot spots may be provided, if available, if a student can demonstrate the need. Students in grade 7-12 may check out a district Chromebook to use, but are responsible for providing their own internet access unless a need is represented. Service for personal computers will not be provided by the school district. While attending weekly meetings (see attendance policy) students will be provided computer access. Elementary students may bring their own device and access the district’s Wi-Fi, if they want. When accessing district approved learning websites from home, please open them in a Chrome browser. These are the minimum
www.durantisd.org DURANT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT technology requirements for accessing learning sites and it is highly recommendedDuane Merideth, you update Superintendent 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 to the most recent versions available: (580) 924-1276 Phone (580) 924-6019 Fax
Technology Requirements o Any device capable of accessing the internet, and has audio and video capabilities, except a cell phone. o Installed browsers to use (the preferred browser is Chrome).
. Microsoft Edge . Mozilla Firefox® (Version 57 or higher) . Safari® (Version 9 or higher) . Chrome® (Version 64 or higher)
For users of Internet Explorer, the program must be operated in the Desktop version.
Student Academic Policy
All students will follow the Durant Public Schools academic calendar and appropriate procedures as outlined in the student handbooks for their grade level site. These handbooks may be found on the district website at www.durantisd.org and choosing the site at which the student is enrolled.
Strategies for Successful Online Learning
Focus on each subject each school day. Commit at least 45 minutes per day to each subject. More, if necessary to maintain proficiency. Designate the same time each day to school work. Have a designated area to do school work and collect needed materials prior to starting. Choose someone you know to keep you accountable. Report your daily academic accomplishments to a parent/guardian or another adult. See academic help as soon as you need it by messaging or emailing your teacher. This is to be done after you have viewed all of the academic resources provided to you. Online resources, other than those provided by the teacher, can be www.khanacademy.org,
www.durantisd.org DURANT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
www.youtube.com/education, and www.teachtube.com. Type theDuane specific Merideth, content Superintendent or subject in the search area for each of these websites. 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 (580) 924-1276 Phone
(580) 924-6019 Fax
Attendance Policy (Daily Attendance)
Students must be considered in attendance 90% of the time attendance is taken for the school days in the academic calendar to receive credit or be eligible to participate in extracurricular activities. Students are considered truant any time their attendance falls below 90% of the school-days in session.
Students in grade levels 7 through 12 will have attendance taken per course per day. Attendance is considered present if at least one assignment is submitted on or before its due date per week per subject. If at least one assignment is not received per subject by the week of the deadline, then an absence will be recorded for that day in that subject. For subjects that do not have 5 assignments per week, the proper ratio for attendance will be calculated.
Student in grade levels K-6 will have attendance taken in half-day intervals. A full-day absence will be recorded for students who do not complete at least one assignment per school day. Students who complete 50% or less of their coursework for the day will receive a half-day absence. Completion of at least one assignment per day per subject will result in full-day attendance.
Students are expected to complete coursework 5 days per week between Sunday through Saturday of the week assignments are due. Daily/period attendance in virtual school is defined as the submission of a minimum of one activity per school day per subject/course. This will not keep a student on track for completion of a course, but it will keep them in attendance. This means doing the minimum allowed for attendance every day will result in a failing grade for the course.
Students are required to meet with staff of Durant Schools once a week, and are to maintain regular progress online. Re-scheduling of a weekly meeting may not be possible, so please try to attend at the designated time. If you are unable to make your meeting due to sickness or quarantine, please email [email protected] or call 916-7004 on or before the day of the meeting. Virtual students will be required to wear a mask covering the nose and mouth while in weekly meetings.
www.durantisd.org DURANT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Duane Merideth, Superintendent 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 (580) 924-1276 Phone (580) 924-6019 Fax
Communication
All students in grades 7-12 enrolled in the program must use their school email address when corresponding with district staff. Students in grades K-6 must use a valid guardian email address that is checked regularly. Staff will respond to emails and messages during school hours on school work days. Students are expected to check their school email and the learning website’s messaging system daily. Failure to do so may result in missed assignments and a score of zero on an assignment, or an absence recorded. Students are expected to contact their assigned teacher(s) if they have questions regarding the district approved website. In communicating with others, please respect their right to privacy and use appropriate etiquette and language in communications, emails, and phone calls. Parents are also required to have a current email address that is checked regularly and a working phone number. Students are required to meet once a week with staff of Durant Schools. All unit tests and academic assessments will be taken at the site located for virtual school.
Academic Integrity
Students understand all coursework, including regular assignments, quizzes, tests, exams, essays, and journals are to be completed by the student ONLY. Violation of this rule will be viewed as plagiarism or fraud and may result in dismissal from the program.
www.durantisd.org DURANT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Duane Merideth, Superintendent 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 (580) 924-1276 Phone (580) 924-6019 Fax
Academic Progress
Students and guardians are expected to monitor student progress and keep up with required coursework. Work must be done each school day to progress through the curriculum adequately. The staff at Durant Schools will monitor student progress. Monitors will communicate weekly goals during the student’s weekly meetings. District eligibility standards apply to all virtual students. See procedures below. A student may determine the amount of notes needed per lesson, but notes must be handwritten, unless a students individualized education plan states otherwise. Notes must be organized by lesson with the unit name and lesson number on each page. The notes can be used when taking unit test and final exams.
Appropriate Use of Technology
All students and teachers are expected to comply with the district internet use agreement found on the district website.
Grading Procedures
Students who want to stay eligible for extracurricular activities must maintain a score of 60 or better for all courses by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday of each week. These scores will be used to determine eligibility in extracurricular activities for the following week.
Any assignments not completed during the week they are due will receive a grade of zero on the first school day following the week the assignments were due. Teachers may make special arrangements for extensions of assignments, if they deem necessary, but arrangements must be made prior to the due date of the assignment. Teachers may also reassign an assignment, so students must check past assignments for this.
www.durantisd.org DURANT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Duane Merideth, Superintendent 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 (580) 924-1276 Phone (580) 924-6019 Fax
Student Dismissal
The virtual school coordinator or district administrators may dismiss a student any time from Durant’s virtual school if the student has violated any of the following rules or policies:
Appropriate use of technology Academic integrity Attendance policy Failing 2 or more subjects/courses
Virtual School Daily Schedule
Students are expected to work on academics both online and offline for up to 6 hours per school day. For students in grade levels K-2, this may look more like play, but is should be structured play with an academic purpose in mind.
Teachers who require a virtual meeting with a student or students may choose to do this at a time not associated with the coursework schedule below, like during their conference period. Teachers will notify students via email or a message through the learning website if such a meeting is required. The teacher’s meeting takes precedence and subject schedules would need to be adjusted.
The following times are for focusing on specific academics. Lunchtime and breaks are schedule into the school day. The schedules are suggested orders for academic focus, but can be rearranged, if desired. They may also be delayed, if necessary, but should be followed daily. Make sure each subject has received focus each day.
www.durantisd.org DURANT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Duane Merideth, Superintendent 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 (580) 924-1276 Phone (580) 924-6019 Fax
Schedule for Students in K-5:
Time Activities and/or Assignments 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Coursework for math 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Coursework for science 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.(2-hour block) Course for reading or language arts 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Lunchtime 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Coursework for social studies 1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Coursework for 1st elective (art, music, PE, computer science/keyboarding) 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Coursework for additional elective
Schedule for Students in grades 6-12:
Time Assignments 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Coursework for math 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Coursework for science 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. 1st elective 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Course for English or language arts 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Lunchtime 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Coursework for social studies 1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Coursework for 2nd elective 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Coursework for 3rd elective or read for fun
www.durantisd.org DURANT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Duane Merideth, Superintendent 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 (580) 924-1276 Phone (580) 924-6019 Fax
Durant K-12 Virtual School Application Form
** Enrollment for virtual school is not considered done until an intake assessment has been completed. **
Mission: Reaching every student every day, every way.
Students allowed to successfully enroll in DISD K-12 Virtual School will be expected to stay enrolled as a virtual student an entire semester. Transportation to and from the location of the virtual school weekly meetings will not be provided by Durant Public Schools.
Personal Information:
Date of application: ______Student’s Name: ______(First, Middle, Last) Age: _____ Date of birth: ______Grade: _____ Race: ______Male or Female: ______Student’s address: ______Cell phone #: ______Parent/guardian’s name: (Please print.) ______Parent/guardian’s mailing address: ______Parent/guardian’s current email address: (Please print.) ______Parent/guardian’s cell phone #: ______Parent/guardian’s employment: ______Parent/guardian’s employment phone #: ______
Reason for Application: (Check all that apply.) COVID _____ Attendance _____ Health (not COVID related) _____ Transportation issue _____ Emotional/School adjustment _____ Other, please specify: ______
Student Academic Information:
Name of last school attended? ______
City: ______State ______
Date last attended? ______
Does the student have an IEP (Individualized Education Plan)? Yes_____ No_____
www.durantisd.org DURANT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Duane Merideth, Superintendent 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 (580) 924-1276 Phone (580) 924-6019 Fax
To be considered for virtual school, a student must have regular access of 6 hours a day to a computer (or 30 hours per week) that can support the software mentioned below.
Technology Requirements:
Any device capable of accessing the internet and has audio and video capabilities (a cell phone is not adequate). One of the following browsers must be installed. The preferred browser is Chrome.
Browsers: Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox® (Version57 or higher), Safari® Version 9 or higher), Chrome® (Version 64 or higher)
For users of Internet Explorer, the program must be operated in the Desktop version.
Parent/guardian’s signature ensures the student can access above mentioned technologies for the allotted time each week. Parents/guardians of student in grades K-6 must also be available to monitor student’s online work and provide guidance as needed.
Durant K-12 Virtual School would be appropriate for this student because:
I have read the Durant K-12 Virtual School Policies and Procedures and this application form and understand the expectations for my student and myself in providing necessary technologies and support.
Parent/guardian’s signature: ______(original signature required)
Return this completed and signed application to the mail-slot at 1323 Waco Street, Durant, OK 74701 attention Virtual School Application. Students currently enrolled at Durant Schools must return this application by November 6, 2020.
www.durantisd.org