2020-21 Council Bluffs Virtual Academy Brochure

Council Bluffs Virtual Academy

The Council Bluffs Community School District Virtual Academy will provide students with access to real-time and on-demand instruction in grades K-12. All courses will be taught by licensed teachers utilizing the Council Bluffs Community School District’s curriculum and the Iowa Academic Standards.

Students will have access to a broad range of both core content and elective courses utilizing the district's Google Classroom course management system and Google Meet for real-time and on-demand instruction.

All students will be issued a district-owned Chromebook which passes all activity through the district's internet filter. Additionally, in partnership with the Council Bluffs Wi-Fi Consortium, over 80% of residents in Council Bluffs have access to the largest free outdoor open wi-fi connection in the United States.

Those residents not in range are provided reduced fee internet access through a partnership with Cox Communications.

Virtual instruction may not be appropriate for all families. It requires that students are ready for an instructional experience where self-discipline and self-motivation are essential. Parents must be willing and able to be highly involved in the day-to-day routines of the learning process. Before deciding to enroll in the Virtual Academy, please take time to review the ​Virtual Academy Student Readiness Rubric​ to determine if virtual instruction is right for your family.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES ➔ All students, regardless of individual circumstances, deserve access to high-quality instruction provided by a high-qualified teacher. ➔ All students will be part of a classroom community, where purposeful interaction and collaboration are integral to the learning process. ➔ Virtual instruction demands a high degree of ongoing communication, parent involvement, student self-regulation and self-motivation, and teacher planning.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES All ​students​ and ​parents​ are required to submit the Virtual Academy Agreements. The agreements outline the expectations necessary for a successful virtual instruction experience.

Students are expected to adhere to the Council Bluffs Community School District Student Handbook, Code of Conduct, all Board Policies and Procedures, and applicable building-level student handbooks.

Parents & Guardians ➔ Maintain regular contact with teachers, administrators, and support staff to ensure student success. ➔ Communicate at least once per month with the student's classroom teacher (elementary) or advisor (secondary) to receive progress reports. ➔ Regularly access PowerSchool to review the student’s performance on coursework.

Council Bluffs Community School District Virtual Academy

➔ Ensure student participation in required testing (ISASP, MAP, etc) and provide transportation as needed. ➔ Update contact information (phone, address, email) as necessary. ➔ Review video tutorials for information on how to access Google Classroom and Google Meet. ➔ Assist the student in creating an appropriate workspace at home free from distractions to engage in school work.

Students Communicate daily with teachers and respond to teachers in a timely fashion.

Exercise self-regulation to maintain progress in all course work.

Virtually participate in live instruction as provided by the teacher.

Maintain necessary computer skills such as utilizing Google Classroom, Google Meet, Gmail, and basic keyboarding. ➔ Organize and plan time for learning each day that allows for academic progress in coursework. ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔

Teachers ➔ Maintain regular contact with students and parents. ➔ Provide meaningful opportunities for students to interact with classroom peers. ➔ Modify coursework as appropriate to align with the constraints and benefits of virtual instruction.

ENROLLMENT Resident Students ● ● ● ● ● ●

Students must complete the ​Virtual Academy Enrollment Form​ by August 7, 2020.

Students must commit to attending the Virtual Academy for an entire semester. Changes in enrollment will only be considered at the conclusion of each semester.

Students will be assigned to a teacher participating in the Virtual Academy. This may or may not be in the student’s currently assigned school.

Students may participate in extracurricular activities based on their school of enrollment.

Students and families will be invited to a Virtual Academy Orientation in mid-August.

Failure to make adequate progress in work completion, participation, attendance and credit attainment (high school) may result in dismissal from the Virtual Academy.

Non-Resident Students

Non-Resident Students must complete the ​Open Enrollment Application for Council Bluffs Virtual Academy​ - deadline July 15, 2020.

Open Enrollment Hardship Applications may be submitted at any time.

DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION Calendar & Schedule

Council Bluffs Community School District 300 W. Broadway, Suite 1600, Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-328-6446

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Council Bluffs Community School District Virtual Academy

Students will follow the Council Bluffs Community School District Academic Calendar and will follow the schedule of their assigned classroom (elementary) or daily schedule as provided by the school counselor (secondary).

K-12 Classrooms ● ● ●

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All students will access coursework in Google Classroom.

A combination of Google Meet to participate in “live” instruction and pre-recorded videos will be used to engage students in instruction.

All Google Meets will be recorded and posted to Google Classroom for access by students.

Teachers will have use of Owl video-conferencing cameras to assist in capturing interaction among students for those attending virtually.

Students may access course content in real-time or on-demand in Google Classroom.

Special Education Services

Students will receive specially designed instruction with input from the student’s IEP team appropriate for virtual instruction.

Additional Academic Supports ●

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Students eligible for additional academic support may be scheduled to receive direct or small-group instruction as scheduled in consultation with the building principal and teacher providing the instruction.

At this time, Reading Intervention services are not available in the Virtual Academy.

Materials

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All students will be issued a Chromebook and must complete user agreements prior to checkout.

Students will also be issued any necessary textbooks as dictated by the student’s course schedule.

Normal textbook and technology fees will be assessed for students attending the Virtual Academy. Fee waivers are available based on income.

Students must provide a stable and reliable internet connection in order to participate in the Virtual Academy.

Virtual orientation sessions for students and parents will be held in mid-August.

Assessment

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Students are required to participate in the following assessments: ○ NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (three times per year) ○ Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (spring annually) ○ English Language Proficiency Assessment 21 (English language learners only) ○ FAST Reading Progress Monitoring Assessments (elementary only) Some testing may be available only in the school building of the student’s teacher of record.

It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that students are transported to and from testing according to the assigned testing schedule.

Council Bluffs Community School District 300 W. Broadway, Suite 1600, Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-328-6446

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Council Bluffs Community School District Virtual Academy

COURSE OFFERINGS Elementary School Core ● ● ● ● ●

Reading Writing Mathematics Science Social Studies

Specials ● ● ●

Art Music Physical Education

Middle School Core ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

English Language Arts 6, 7, 8 Mathematics 6, 7, 8 Accelerated Mathematics 6, 7 Algebra 1 Science 6, 7, 8 Accelerated Science 6, 7 Earth & Space Science 8 Social Studies 6, 7, 8

Elective ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Computers 6, 7, 8 Spanish 6, 7, 8 Accelerated Spanish 6, 7, 8 Creative Communications 6, 7, 8 Genius Hour Music & Technology Art 6, 7, 8 Physical Education & Health 6, 7, 8

High School Please review the course descriptions and prerequisites in the P ​ rogram of Study​. Courses are subject to instructor availability and course capacity. Students may attend courses in person that are not available in the Virtual Academy. See counselor for details.

Core ●

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English Language Arts ○ English 9, 10, 11, 12 ○ Advanced English 9 ○ Advanced Placement Language & Composition ○ Advanced Placement Literature & Composition ○ Creative Writing ○ Novel Studies ○ Composition 1, 2 CE Mathematics ○ Algebra 1 ○ Geometry ○ Algebra 2 ○ Calculus 1, 2 CE ○ College Algebra CE ○ Statistics CE ○ Trigonometry CE Science ○ Earth & Space Science ○ Biology ○ Human Biology

Elective ●

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Business, Finance, & Marketing ○ Business & Consumer Law ○ Business Management ○ Entrepreneurship ○ Introduction to Business ○ Accounting 1, 2 ○ Banking & Credit ○ Introduction to Finance ○ Money Matters ○ Introduction to Marketing ○ Sales, Retailing, & Merchandising ○ Social Media Marketing & Communication College & Career Readiness & Development ○ ACT Prep ○ I-JAG ○ IWCC Ready (Pottawattamie Promise) ○ IWCC College & Career Exploration (Pottawattamie Promise) Communications & Audio/Visual Technology ○ Introduction to Journalism ○ Introduction to Web Design ○ C++

Council Bluffs Community School District 300 W. Broadway, Suite 1600, Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-328-6446

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Council Bluffs Community School District Virtual Academy

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○ Chemistry ○ Physics ○ Conceptual Chemistry ○ Conceptual Physics ○ Forensic Science Social Studies ○ World History ○ U.S. History ○ Government ○ Economics ○ American Government CE ○ Advanced Placement American Government & Politics ○ Contemporary Issues ○ Ethics & Philosophy ○ Geography & Culture ○ Advanced Placement Human Geography ○ Legal Studies Foundations & Applications ○ Advanced Placement Microeconomics ○ Advanced Placement Psychology ○ Psychology Foundations & Applications ○ Religions of the World ○ Sociology Foundations & Applications ○ Advanced Placement World History ○ Advanced Placement U.S. History

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○ Computer Science 1, 2, 3 ○ Computer Technology Applications ○ Cybersecurity Fundamentals ○ Java ○ Sports Statistics & Video Management Family & Human Services ○ Child Development Prenatal to Toddler ○ Child Development Preschool to Teen ○ Parenting Fine & Performing Arts ○ History of Rock & Roll ○ Advanced Placement Music Theory ○ Art Foundations ○ Drawing 1, 2 ○ Painting 1, 2 Health Care Sciences ○ Health Applications Industrial Technology ○ TradeWorks 1A Physical Education ○ Personal Health & Wellness ○ Independent Study PE ○ Personal Fitness ○ Driver Education (via StreetSmarts) World Languages ○ Spanish 1, 2, 3, 4 ○ French 1, 2, 3, 4 ○ Elementary Spanish 1, 2 CE ○ Intermediate Spanish 1, 2 CE

Council Bluffs Community School District 300 W. Broadway, Suite 1600, Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-328-6446

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Educational Service Center 300 West Broadway, Suite 1600 Council Bluffs, Iowa 51503 cb-schools.org (712) 328-6446