Hillsborough Virtual Flexibility and Access for Families!
By Laura Cross, Hillsborough County Public Schools
A lot of our families really loved eLearning. The f lexibility worked for them and their kids responded well to the more f luid way of work. These families may be a great candidate for Hillsborough Virtual School. Hillsborough Virtual is a school choice option that uses a web-based curriculum and highly-qualified teachers from Hillsborough County to provide our students with a world-class education. Clara Murrugarra is a mother of three students in Hillsborough County. She says Hillsborough Virtual works perfectly for them. She likes having her children learn in a warm, family environment. Her oldest daughter Franchesca is going into ninth grade. Franchesca says learning virtually has helped her improve her grades. “It’s right for me because I can work at home at my own pace and the teachers slow down so I can pay attention more and take the notes down to learn more.” But Hillsborough Virtual may not be for every learner. Virtual learning is a “f lipped classroom” environment. That means the student has access to the entire curriculum up front
and receives a weekly set of assignments. Students interact with the curriculum, complete the assignment, and the Hillsborough Virtual teacher provides individual feedback with any necessary follow-up instruction. Parents are considered the learning coach and will be there to facilitate the daily schedule. According to Matt Hoff, Director of Virtual Programs for Hillsborough County Public Schools, students who will be successful in a virtual learning environment need to be self-motivated, have good time management and be able to advocate for themselves for teacher assistance. They must also have a reliable learning coach at home to support them in these tasks. On average, elementary students require daily guidance from their parent or guardian, while middle and high school students need guidance on a weekly basis. What most families love about Hillsborough Virtual is the f lexibility. There’s no scheduled time that students must be learning during the day. They have a deadline on turning in assignments and tests, but how they get that work done is up to them and their family.
HERE ARE FIVE FAST FACTS ABOUT HILLSBOROUGH VIRTUAL: 1. Students have full access to their teachers for each subject and can talk to them via email, phone, instant message or virtual classroom. 2. Students are required to participate in all state/district mandated assessments. 3. Students still get to experience field trips for Hillsborough Virtual School, especially at the elementary level. Parents must provide transport to these field trips as no buses are available. 4. Students can take part in athletics at their zoned school. 5. Students can earn a Hillsborough County High School diploma and participate in a graduation ceremony with Hillsborough Virtual School. The application window for full-time enrollment for the 2020-21 school year is open through July 24, 2020.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG/VIRTUAL. 34
TampaBayParenting.com JULY 2020