Online Learning Program Underway at High School

More than 73 high school students have registered for the new online learning program so far, according to Principal James Handschuch.

“This week students should be logging on and rolling,” he said.

Students will be taking a wide range of courses—psychology, art history, micro/macro economics, Japanese, personal finance, Latin, Java programming and law and ethics are just some of the options.

“I think it’s a strong response by the student body,” he said.

Administrators and mentors attended a workshop to prepare for the start of the new program, which was announced at the August school board meeting.

Students of all different ages have registered for online classes, Handschuch said. The courses will cover AP and enrichment classes as well as credit recovery, which cover the basics such as English and history.

Students can still register, he said.

“That’s what’s nice about it. It’s all at your own page,” he said.

Approximately 90 hours are required for a full-year course. There are also half-year courses being offered. Credit recovery is 60 hours.

Handschuch added that it’s “time on task.” Time isn’t spent doing announcements or taking attendance. Students jump right into the lessons.

Students will be able to take two classes in one year, he said.

“We want to make sure they’re successful at this point. Then we’ll go from there,” he said, adding that they’re also limiting classes to keep the program from becoming a competition among those who are at the top of the class.

“It’s about enriching the students academically,” he said.

The program will prove to be most important to those in need of credit recovery, Handschuch said.

“It really helps for the students who realize they made a mistake. This gives them a second chance,” he said.

Students seeking credit recovery will be able to keep on level with the rest of their peers while also “picking up the pieces,” he said.

Three students who dropped out of the high school have returned, encouraged by the online learning opportunity, Handschuch said.

The program could potentially wipe out the district’s drop out rate, Handschuch said, which was 2.4 percent in 2011. 

At least 16 of the 73 students registered were for credit recovery or what Handschuch called “potential dropouts.”

“We do have to be careful it’s not used as a safety net,” Handshcuch said. “Work is involved. Students will either have to do the work now or later.”

Handschuch didn’t have a total figure for the program but he said that AP courses coast $300 per student. For credit recovery, the district purchased 30 seats, which cost $7,500. The one high school mentor will also be receiving a $4,500 stipend for a sixth period.