SUMMER 2012 KICKOFF ISSUE
OKVHS 2012-13
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The Student Services Department at Advanced Academics, which includes the Admissions, Registrar,
Kylie Morgan E Network Star
Counseling and Retention Departments are excited to bring you the Kickoff issue of the OKVHS Virtual
AAI+Districts = OKVHS 3
View newsletter. You will receive two summer newsletters that will give you lots of info you can use to make the most of your online education experience, as well as fun stories about what’s what in the
Learn from Athletes: Oklahomans & Olympics 4
virtual learning world. The Virtual View newsletters provide students and parents with information and
Counseling Department 5
resources to help students stay in school, be more motivated to complete courses, and to help plan for
The Parent Connection
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graduation and life after high school. It is important for online students to be surrounded by a
Student Achievement Coordinators
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FAQ’s, Contact Info, & Term Begin/End Dates
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community of people who will support them and be invested in their success. The Student Services Staff is committed to providing this for our students. We embrace the opportunity to work with you
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and help you achieve your dreams. We welcome you to OKVHS and wish you the best in 2012-13. Oklahoma Virtual High School senior student Kylie Morgan is a typical Oklahoma teenager in many ways, but on Saturday, July 9th she will be hitting national television on the E Network. Kylie will be the headliner on a new show From International Emmy® winning producer Nigel Lythgoe, called “Opening Act”. In “Opening Act”, Lythgoe and his A-List Artist Development Team – including Grammy® winning superstar Mary J. Blige and chart-topping producer Antonina Armato from Rock Mafia – comb the Internet to find the web’s most talented amateurs, then give them the once-in-a-lifetime chance to open for a top music superstar. Each band or solo act has only days to prepare after a surprise visit that presents them with an opportunity they never knew existed, and viewers follow them from obscurity to the big-time gig that could change their lives forever. “Opening Act” premieres July 9 at 10:00 pm ET/PT only on E. Each act will be teamed with a superstar headliner to open a show on their current world tours, including:
Learn some tips from Kylie about how to be a successful online student. Pg. 2
-Nicki Minaj – James L. Knight Center, Miami, Florida -Rod Stewart – Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada -LMFAO – Amway Center, Orlando, Florida (Part of the ‘Sorry for Party Rocking’ Tour presented by Redfoo and Cherrytree Records) -Brad Paisley -- Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, California -Jason Aldean – Oak Mountain Ampitheatre, Birmingham, Alabama (word has it this will be Kylie’s superstar match!) -Jason Mraz – Waikiki Shell, Honolulu, Hawaii -Gym Class Heroes – El Paso, Texas
Kylie was born July 3, l995 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the second of three children. She attended Newcastle High School where she served as freshman year class president. Kylie’s achievements include Newcastle’s Top Ten Achievement Award, Citizenship Award, Principal’s Honor Roll, reading achievement and the Oklahoma Explore Scholars award. She is an OKVHS student with Graham HS and maintains a 4.0 grade average. Kylie has won over l00 gymnastics medals. She also enjoys cheerleading. Her squad won numerous state and national titles, as well as the “All America Cheer” award. She attended Artworks Academy, landing several lead and supporting roles in local theatrical plays. “It’s where I discovered my love for singing and performing,” she says. The song “Phoebe” was inspired by teenager Phoebe Prince who took her life in 2009 because of bullying. “We wrote this song in honor of Phoebe. When I found out an estimated 160,000 children miss school every day because they are bullied, I wanted to do something to make a difference. I started my own bullying prevention awareness campaign,” says Kylie. She speaks publicly at events and educational facilities delivering the bullying prevention awareness message, “It Matters What We Do.” Kylie is a peer spokesperson for PACER.org’s National Bullying Prevention Center, which engages and educates communities nationwide to address bullying with a focus on teen-to-teen involvement. Kylie’s take on life: “I think you should pursue the things you love, and I want my fans to know it is OK to just be yourself!” Interview with Kylie on Pg. 2
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We asked Kylie to talk with us about her experience with Oklahoma Virtual High School. Before we talk about school, tell everyone what is going on in your life right now? Pretty exciting stuff we hear! I am very excited to share that I will be a part of a new television show on the E! network called, "Opening Act." Nigel Lythgoe, the producer of "American Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance," has chosen different acts that he and his team discovered on YouTube to open up for major artists. The show premiers on July 9th! You have been with Oklahoma Virtual High School for two years, what made you decide online education was a good option for you?
Kylie’s Record Label in Nashville
It Matters What We Do
When I started traveling for my singing career I was afraid I was going
Read more about Kylie’s journey with her “It Matters What We Do” message and listen to the song Phoebe at:
to get behind on my work in public school. Oklahoma Virtual High School allowed me to work on my own schedule and at my own pace. It was perfect for my situation. I would recommend it to anyone!
http://www.prweb.com/ How did you make the adjustment of going from a traditional school environment to a virtual one?
My favorite part of the program is the fact that you can make your own
At first making the adjustment from public school to virtual school was a
learning schedule and work at your own pace. I have been able to work
challenge. I definitely missed my friends and the feeling of being in an
ahead and I am on track to graduate a semester early. It's great because
actual classroom. But after about a month I got comfortable with the
teachers are almost always online in case you have any questions or
courses and all of the tools to help me complete my work and fell in love
concerns and you get to learn so much without having to get up and go
with the program.
physically sit in a classroom. Your classroom is in the comfort of your
What kind of changes in how you learn did you have to make?
own home - which I love!
You have been really successful for two years with online learning. What tips from your experience can you share with very difficult to get used too. I had to learn to understand the lessons on students ? Not having a teacher standing in front of me teaching the lesson was
my own and then IM a teacher if I had any questions. But after getting the hang of it I ended up liking it a lot. You make awesome grades, in fact you are a straight “A” student! How do you manage your time and strike a balance between performing and keeping up your school work?
I have loved my past two years of being a part of online learning. Though it's tough sometimes to be self-disciplined, you always have to keep striving to be better and never allow yourself to slack off. Bullying is something that is close to your heart and you have
School comes first no matter what in my family. My parents expect me to even written a couple of songs about it. Many students choose succeed not only in my singing career but academically as well. I want to online learning because they have been bullied at school. What keep my grades up so that I always have options for my future. Though,
positive messages can you give them and where can they learn
a lot of the time it can be difficult, I always seem to find time to study
more about dealing with being bullied?
and complete my work. I think we all have had our own experience with bullying, including me. There are lots of new students who will read this who have
The truth is, you are not alone. 160,000 kids refuse to go to school each
never experienced online education. What was it like for you
day because they are afraid of getting bullied. My bullying prevention
when you first started and what tips can you give someone new
campaign is centered on the message, "It Matters What We Do," a
to working online?
lyric from the song “Phoebe” which I co-wrote. For more information about dealing with bullying, go online to www.pacer.org and learn how
When I first started it was tough getting used to the transition from being in a classroom to sitting in front of a computer screen. It was definitely frustrating at first because I wasn't familiar with the program and how it worked, but just by completing a few of my lessons I understood everything so much better and got to focus on learning. What was your favorite part the actual learning experience in your courses? (The teachers? The courses? The flexibility of choosing what you wanted to do when you wanted to do it? Or something else?)
you can get involved. Thank you for talking with us about your career and about Oklahoma Virtual High School. What is next for you? I will be in my last semester of high school after the summer ends. My goals will be focusing on getting my diploma and furthering my music career the best I can. I am so excited to see what my future brings and virtual high school has played a large role in allowing me to live my dream while being a student. I am so thankful for this program and I wish the best of luck to all of you students who chose online learning.
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ADVANCED ACADEMICS + PARTNER SCHOOL DISTRICTS = OKLAHOMA VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL & MIDDLE SCHOOL Advanced Academics (AAI) partners with Oklahoma
Oklahoma Partner School Districts include
State Department of Education Accredited schools to
Graham HS, EPIC Charter School, Hanna HS, and
provide online education for Oklahoma students.
Stidham MS. Once a student is accepted they are
This partnership comes together in Oklahoma Virtual High School or OKVHS. It is important that parents and students understand that both Advanced Academics staff and partner school district staff provide educational services to students. Advanced Academics Staff provide the following services for OKVHS/MS students.
legally a student of the partner school district. The school provides all legal and academic documentation and performs official school functions for students including:
Transcripts
8th grade Reading Test Scores for driver’s license
High School Diplomas
The Admissions Department/Application to the program, selected parts of the transfer process, and final acceptance to the program when partner a district approves a transfer request.
The Registrar Department/Insures that all transcripts, available testing scores and credits are accu rately submitted to the partner school district.
The Counseling Department/ Provides academic guidance as well as traditional counseling services.
The Retention Department and Student Achievement Coordinators/Work with students to keep them on track in their courses.
The AAI Teachers/Teach the online courses and communicate with students via live chat, Classmail and phone.
Granting of credit for completed courses Work Release Permits Any other legal documentation that is provided by school districts for students Other academic decisions and school-based tasks
ADVANCED ACADEMICS + PARTNER SCHOOL DISTRICTS = OKLAHOMA VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL & MIDDLE SCHOOL
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Oklahoman’s Represent in 2012 Olympics ~Use strategies that athletes use to stay on top of school work~
Kevin Durant was left off the 2008 U.S. Olympic roster, but he is now a definite for the games. Russell Westbrook is also playing for the U.S. and James Harden is on the bubble with a definitive decision for the team coming soon. The 2012 Olympics are being held in London England and Durant, Westbrook, plus several other Oklahoma athletes are slated to perform. Check out Jonathan Horton, former OU Sooner gymnast talking
be able to engage in a top-notch high school edu-
about the Olympics after team training camp at :
cation.
http://www.nbcolympics.com/kfor/video/ gymnastics/checking-in-jonathan-horton.html. Jake Dalton from OU was named a member of the Olympic team and Alex Naddour was named
You can learn a lot from these athletes and other focused and goal oriented students. Most people think it is difficult for students involved in
a replacement athlete and will step up if any
competitive sports or other extracurricular activi-
Olympic Athlete is injured.
ties to keep up with their school work. In fact,
The Games of the XXX Olympiad from London will be televised across the networks of NBC Universal, beginning with preliminary-round soccer games on Wednesday, July 25, and concluding with the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, August 1.
most students in this situation do better during their season or when they are really busy, than they do when they have nothing to do or are out of season. The reason for this is because:
When athletes are busy and focused on their
What does the Olympics have to do with online
sport, they know they have to get things done
education you ask?
and make good grades in order to participate.
OKVHS, as well as other Advanced Academics
They set goals and have a schedule they must
online programs across the country, serve middle
stick with in order to get everything done. It
and high school athletes who are in training for
seems like more free time would give you
or have dreams of making an Olympic team.
more time to do your school work, but the
Hockey players, track athletes, snow skiers and
fact is that when you have to manage your
other Olympic hopefuls make use of the flexibility
time, you do!
that online education provides to enable them to travel and practice long hours every day and still
Russell Westbrook has been named to the US Olympic team and James Harden is on the bubble.
You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to make the most of an online education. Be flexible, stay busy, stay focused, set goals and make a schedule that keeps
So, stay busy, stay focused, set goals and
you on track.
stay on a schedule that keeps you on track.
Oklahoma University Sooner Gymnasts In the Olympics Jake Dalton
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Jonathan Horton
Alex Naddour
Meet the OKVHS Counseling Department COUNSELORS
We are pleased to introduce you to the OKVHS
Counselor looks forward to hearing from you to
Counseling Department Staff, Debbie Brown,
discuss your academic career.
Karen Plants and Counseling Assistant, Laura Griffin. The OKVHS Counselors’ philosophy
You will receive a Graduation Checklist via email
states that , “All students should have access to
that includes pre-enrollment courses for 2012-13,
a state-certified, professional school counselor to discuss their academic progress, to access information about occupational and educational planning, and to receive assistance in addressing Debbie Brown
their personal and social concerns.” Counselors accomplish these goals in several
as soon as your Counselor has all the information they need to select courses. The Graduation Checklist will be delivered to the parent and student email addresses provided when you applied to OKVHS. We ask that you be patient as these tasks are performed. Grades from
ways and are always searching for new methods previous schools and grades from the spring 2012 semester must be obtained before courses to work with online students. Make use of Counseling Department services by:
Karen Plants
COUNSELING
Call your Counselor to discuss your schedule,
When you receive your Graduation Check-
college and career plans, or any personal or
list, review it closely to insure that you
social growth and development questions or
agree with the courses and credits listed
concerns.
Make use of the Counseling Department website resources at: http://www.advancedacademics.com/ oklahoma-virtual-high-school/counselor/
can be chosen.
When school starts, visit your Counselor in
and that you are satisfied with your preenrollment course selections. If you wish to make changes or you have questions about the Graduation Checklist, there will be Counselor contact information included in your email.
live Chat sessions during regularly scheduled Office Hours.
Laura Griffin
Stay up-to-date on important dates and other Counseling Department and school infor-
STATE OF OKLAHOMA ACE GRADUATION CHECKLIST
mation by reading the Home page announce- Visit the Oklahoma State Department of Educa
Talk to your Counselor
ments when you login to your courses.
tion website to see the ACE (Achieving Classroom
Check out the Virtual View newsletter that is
Excellent) graduation requirements for students,
delivered to students each nine weeks via
including testing, college, and core curriculum
email.
http://www.advancedacademics.com/oklahoma-virtual
by calling toll free 1-866-235-3276 or locally 405-239-1900 and then select option 2.
requirements at:
Course Enrollment and
-high-school/counselor/ .
Graduation Checklist As soon as your Counselor has access to your Graduation Checklist which lists all of your academic career courses and credit, they will select courses for your enrollment. In general, students are required to take math, science, English and social studies courses that are mandatory by state law and by your school district. Counselors will assign the courses they believe fulfill these requirements and then fill in with Art and Elective courses. Course changes are allowed and your
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Visit www.okcollegestart.org to begin learning about and planning for life after high school.
The Parent Connection
What every parent needs to know... It would be a perfect world if all students could
Parent Portal
adjust easily and perform well in an online educa-
cont.: If a valid
tional environment. Some students will have no
parent email
problems, and they will acclimate easily into new
address is provided
learning circumstances. However, at Oklahoma
on the student
Virtual HS, our experience tells us that for many
application, parents
students the transition to online education is not
will receive an
always easy. We also know that there are many
email with login
misconceptions about how online education works,
information for the
what to expect from your student, and how to help
Parent Portal. Make sure to check your Junk or Spam mail
your student be successful.
as sometimes the email is delivered to the junk mail folder. If you do not receive a login to the Parent Portal, call a
It is important to grasp that even though there are
Student Achievement Coordinator at 866-235-3276,
teachers, teaching assistants, or tutors available
# 4.
most hours in the day, 7 days a week from whom your student can get help; the reality is that your
Provide a dedicated online school work environment for your student at home or wherever they will be completing their school work. It is risky to think that students can sit in front of the TV or at a different spot each day and believe that work will be completed. It is too easy for students to become distracted and be wooed off task.
Be involved in your student’s progress and check their school work daily. Do not assume or believe that because your student is sitting at the computer that they are doing their school work. Also, do not be deceived if you see your student is spending hours on the computer. Students can explain away time on the computer that is not really academic in nature. We have seen many parents who took their student’s word for it that they were working, only to find it was not school work on which they were spending time. Even good students who have always done what they are supContact a Student Achievement posed to, can find themselves Coordinator to discuss your stuprocrastinating and then get behind. They are then too scared to dent’s progress and if you need let parents know this has haphelp working out a plan to help pened. Stay on top of their them complete their courses . coursework. If you don’t login to the Parent Portal, go with your student to their computer, have them login and show you what they are doing, what work they have completed and have them show you their grades and their student calendar.
Keep your students motivated by instituting rewards, penalties, and set goals for completing their coursework on time. Make your expectations known up front and be specific about what you will require. It is very doable for students to finish their coursework on time and even early and to do so while making good grades. Give students an incentive to accomplish this by setting weekly goals and providing rewards if they accomplish them. Also, let your student know that you will be logging into the Parent Portal and tracking their progress.
Call any of your student’s teachers or Student Services staff members to help or give input. We are here to help if there are questions we can answer or concerns we can address. We look forward to assisting you.
student has a huge amount of responsibility on their shoulders. Your student has to login daily, organize their day, complete reading and daily assignments, study for tests, take tests, and more, all on their own. It is a completely different model than they are used to. The Roads system, in which your student’s courses are delivered, is intuitive and provides many tools to help your student accomplish these tasks. However, it cannot do the work for them nor can it reach out and communicate with teachers, Student Achievement Coordinators, or Counselors. Your Student must do these things themselves to stay on track and be successful in their courses. There are many things that parents can do though to help their student. Put these tips and ideas into action, and make sure your student knows their responsibilities for learning and succeeding. Parents should login to the Parent Portal daily to track their student’s progress. The Parent Portal is a password protected site where parents can see their student’s progress online. Parents can login anytime, anywhere there is an Internet connection. Parents can view:
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Course Assignments and Test Grades Student Calendar showing the assignments students should complete each day A Progress Report Attendance Reports showing time logged in to the system Internal emails sent to your student Plus more
Retention Department
Meet Your Student Achievement Coordinators
James Pendergrast
Taylor McCarty
Regina Loyd
Jason Riggs
The Retention Department and Your Student Achievement Coordinator (SAC) Student Achievement Coordinators are a source of support and motivation for Oklahoma Virtual High School & Middle School students. Student Achievement Coordinators play a major role in a student’s positive experience with OKVHS by providing the support necessary for successful completion of their courses and in attaining their high school diploma. Our Focus is Student Success To accomplish their goals for student success, Student Achievement Coordinators focus on high expectations, encouragement, and superior support for students. SAC’s focus on the following objectives to accomplish their goals:
Virtual high school and middle school students are more likely to persist and graduate when someone expects them to succeed.
High
expectations are a condition for student success because “no one rises to low expectations.” Unfortunately, many institutions do not expect enough of their students and demand too little toward student learning. OKVHS/MS Student Achievement Coordinators expect the students they work with to succeed, and they work hard to motivate them to reach their academic goals.
Virtual high school and middle students are more likely to persist and graduate when they can see how their current academic career relates to their future goals and dreams. SAC’s assist in providing clear and consistent information about requirements of the online program. They do this so that students know exactly what is expected of them in order to stay in the program and what they have to do on a daily basis to finish successfully. Student Achievement Coordinators also discuss future plans and encourage students to prepare for their future by succeeding in their courses now and they help students see the path they will take to reach their dreams
Virtual high school and middle school students are more likely to persist and graduate when they are valued personally by their school. The frequency and quality of contact with a student achievement coordinator is an important, independent predictor of student persistence. Every contact made with a student is focused on encouraging and motivating them to complete their academic goals.
Call the Retention Department at: 1-866-235-3276 then #4 or locally at 405-239-1900
A Student Achievement Coordinator will call you in the days leading up to the first day of school or soon after the school term begins. They will take you through a short orientation to Oklahoma Virtual High School. This is a time to get to know you and to provide information to help you start the semester strong and to finish successfully.
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POWERED BY ADVANCED ACADEMICS.
Frequently Asked Questions Do I need to do anything this summer while I wait for the first semester to start? If you are a new student, you will be enrolled — later in the summer - in a short online class called Introduction to Online Learning. You will receive login information to your courses via email when this introductory non-credit class is added, and you should complete this course before the school year begins. Preparing your at-home online school environment, making sure your computer and Internet are up to speed, and visiting the Counselor Website at: http://www.oklahomavirtualhighschool.com/counselor, to start career and college planning are also good things to get started on. Who will issue my high school diploma? The partner Oklahoma school district in which you are ultimately enrolled will issue your diploma. The diploma will be issued when you have fulfilled the graduation requirements for the school. Will I attend a graduation ceremony? In most cases, OKVHS seniors will graduate in a traditional ceremony with their fellow students from the actual brick and mortar school district. The school district will provide seniors with graduation information and can answer questions you might have. When do I begin my classes? Students will login and begin their coursework on the first day of class for the school district in which you are enrolled. If for some reason you are accepted to the program later in the summer, you may have to begin course work after the actual first day of school. Note that even if you must start your courses after the official start date of class, you must still
finish your courses by the last day of the semester. See Term Begin and End dates for schools on page 9 of this newsletter. Do I have to login to my courses every day? The student course calendar, (approximately 120 days IF the student is enrolled by the first day of the semester) is setup to show students what they must complete in their courses each day in order to finish by the end of the semester. Our experience tells us that students who login and work every day are more successful than students who do not. Students can work in their courses at their own pace but they must adhere to the Truancy policy of the school district. What is a Truancy Policy? Online students are required to “attend” class by logging in and completing work. If students do not login for a period of time, they are considered “absent” by the State Department of Education of Oklahoma and will be reported as truant. The Truancy Policy is set by the OKVHS districts. Retention Department Student Achievement Coordinators at AAI oversee student truancy issues. Students will be contacted via telephone and Class Mail when they are in danger of being considered truant. Students and parents were provided the Truancy Policy in the application documents. How quickly can I move through a course? You may move through courses at your own pace and finish them early. However, students may not begin second semester courses until it starts. Students are not allowed to work on second semester courses in the first semester. Who is my teacher? To offer students the greatest flexibility and availability to highly qualified teachers for the greatest number of hours a day students can solicit the help of any teacher in any subject area. There is not one specific teacher assigned to a student for any one course. Instead, students can engage and get help from any available teacher in a subject area. How do I communicate with my teachers? You can send instant messages throughout the day and evening to available teachers using our Talk to Teacher feature. This option provides a Whiteboard and other helpful elements to enhance this type of communication. You may also use the internal email system called Class Mail and teachers are also available via telephone.
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POWERED BY ADVANCED ACADEMICS.
OKLAHOMA VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL MORE FAQ’S
What materials are needed for my courses? Your courses are 100% online and there is very little need for any outside materials to complete them. There are some readings in English that require novels that are obtained by the student. If you take an AP Course, there is a physical textbook that is provided by OKVHS. What are the system requirements for my computer and my Internet connection? Click here to see the System Requirements on the OKVHS website for computer system requirements. It is highly suggested that you use a high speed Internet connection for your courses. Your courses can be completed using a dial-up connection, but it will take much longer to load pages and complete work. Who do I call if I have a question and don’t know who to ask? A listing of numbers you might need are found below. If this does not provide you with the information you need, you can call a Student Achievement Coordinator Toll Free at 1-866-235-3276 then #4 or locally at 405-239-1900.
SCHOOL TERM DATES AND CONTACT INFORMATION GRAHAM Fall Semester Dates:
GRAHAM Spring Semester Dates:
Begin: 08/08/2012 End: 12/19/2012
Begin: 01/03/2013 End: 05/10/2013
HANNA Fall Semester Dates:
HANNA Spring Semester Dates:
Begin: 08/13/2012
Begin: 01/03/2013
End:
End:
12/18/2012
05/17/2013
STIDHAM Fall Semester Dates:
STIDHAM Spring Semester Dates:
Begin: 08/22/2012
Begin: 01/03/2013
End:
End:
12/20/2012
05/10/2013
EPIC Fall Semester Dates:
EPIC Spring Semester Dates:
Begin: 09/04/2012
Begin: Pending
End:
End:
Pending
Pending
Advanced Academics/OKVHS Contacts
Main Number: Toll Free: 1-866-235-3276 Local: 405-239-1900
Then Press: #2 Counseling Department #3 Admissions Department #4 Retention Department (Student Achievement Coordinators) #0 Operator If you don’t know who to call, you may always speak to a Student Achievement Coordinator in the Retention Department. They will put you in touch with the best person to help you. OKVHS COUNSELORS School (Alpha Split) EPIC (N-Z), Hanna HS EPIC (A-M), Graham HS Stidham & EPIC MS
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Counselor Debbie Brown Karen Plants Laura Griffin (Asst.)
Phone 405-512-6441 405-512-6461 405-512-6488
Graham Public Schools: 918-652-8935 Mr. Dusty Chancey, Superintendent Wanda Mankin, Principal/Onsite Counselor Hanna Public Schools: 918-657-2523 Mrs. Pat Berry, Superintendent EPIC Charter School: 405-749-4550 Judith Kuczynski Onsite contact Stidham Public School: 918-689-5241 Mr. Bart Banfield, Superintendent Alicia Younger, Secretary