USD 308 is joining a groundbreaking initiative to offer a new virtual school program starting in the 2013-14 school year.
Through the virtual partnership program, the district will be able to enroll online students in grades K-12 to provide continuity of services and new learning opportunities.
Dr. Shelly Kiblinger, superintendent of Hutchinson Public Schools, said that students seeking online elementary, junior high or high school education have often turned to outside companies in the past, because few school districts have been able to offer their own online programs.
“This means that these students are going to be able to complete coursework from the district in which they reside as opposed to from a for-profit entity,” Dr. Kiblinger said.
For some students, virtual programs offer a form of high-tech homeschooling; for others, online classes are a way to finish high school education after a suspension or expulsion. Still others simply perform better in an online environment than in a traditional classroom.
“We will be able to provide online students with a quality education that is certified by the Kansas State Department of Education, that provides the same core curriculum initiatives, and that provides demonstration of student achievement as if they were in the classroom,” Dr. Kiblinger said.
Amy Reilly, longtime USD 308 educator, will be the USD 308 virtual program coordinator. Reilly also serves as curriculum and instruction technology specialist for the district.
Ronda Fincher, director of alternative education at the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center — Greenbush, said USD 308 is one of more than 40 districts that have joined the Greenbush Virtual Partnership Program. Each district that joins the Virtual Partnership will have its own full online program to complement traditional building-based offerings.
The Greenbush Virtual Partnership makes online programs feasible even for the smallest districts because certain infrastructure and staff members are shared across partnering schools.
“This program is needed by a variety of school districts – both large and small, rural and urban,” Kiblinger said.
In addition to standard core classes, starting a program through the Greenbush Virtual Partnership will also empower districts to offer advanced courses that they might otherwise be unable to provide, such as “Green Design and Technology.”
Every school that joins the Greenbush Virtual Partnership must apply to the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) to start a virtual program. These programs are audited and approved by KSDE just like any other school.
“Students will still take state assessments and their finals will be proctored,” Fincher said. “Even though this is a different method of delivery for course work the content is the same as in a regular school setting.”
Online courses are developed by content providers Edgenuity, Calvert, and Aventa.
The Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, nicknamed Greenbush after the tiny, unincorporated town in which it is based, works to provide equal educational opportunities for all students. The new Virtual Partnership is just one of dozens of programs offered by Greenbush. More information is available at www.greenbush.org.
For more information about the USD 308 virtual program, contact Reilly at (620) 615-4021 or email her at reillya@usd308.com.