Eagle Online Academy

Transcription

1 Eagle Online Academy Cyber-School Student Handbook Somerset Area School District 645 South Columbia Ave. Somerset, PA Eagle Online Academy Contact Numbers Academy Coordinator: Ms. Judy Maxwell (Phone: ; Academy Principal: Mr. Jeffrey Boyer (Phone: ; Guidance Counselor: Mrs. Tricia Betta (Phone: ; Guidance Counselor: Mr. John Gatto (Phone: ; Guidance Counselor: Mr. Bryan Coder (Phone ; School Nurse: Mrs. Susan Geary (Phone: ;

2 Calendar

3 Welcome The Eagle Online Academy is an educational learning environment designed to meet the needs of students who desire to pursue their education in a non traditional format. The Eagle Online Academy recognizes the value of distance learning; yet, continues to carry the belief that the interaction with professional educators truly extends learning to a higher level. The educational program offers a distance learning program that includes a variety of interactions with highly qualified professional educators and guidance counselors. Like the educational program of the Somerset Area School District s traditional brick and mortar system, the learning environment of the Cyber Academy is based on the National Common Core Standards and Pennsylvania Academic Standards. This standards-aligned curriculum emphasizes the students demonstration of mastering specific skills by engaging in an academic program that emphasizes proficiency in all curricular activities through distance learning. Students participating in the Eagle Online Academy demonstrate their proficiency in a variety of ways. These students will range academically from those who have a sound skill base in all areas to those who have been identified as having learning deficits. The Eagle Online Academy strives to engage students in a highly motivational, studentcentered educational program that relies on basic educational principles while utilizing the latest information and communications technology to promote student achievement in fostering higher order thinking and problem solving skills. Students have a chance to master essential content skills and a chance to build a strong foundation to compete in the workforce of today and tomorrow. Goals The goals of the Eagle Online Academy are to: Offer a blended learning environment to the students of the Somerset Area School District that is in line with the district s mission and vision statements. Provide students who desire a non traditional learning environment with opportunities to acquire the education necessary to earn a diploma from the Somerset Area School District. Provide students who select the Eagle Online Academy with balanced educational experiences, academic programs, and interactions with highly qualified professional educators. Establish individualized learning plans for participating students that are consistent with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and graduation requirements of the Somerset Area School District. Provide students with a sense of ownership and responsibility for their academics.

4 Admission Students who apply to attend the Eagle Online Academy will have their application reviewed by the Cyber Academy Coordinators in consultation with their assigned guidance counselor. It will be the responsibility of the coordinators to determine student eligibility in conjunction with guidance counselors and will determine admittance and/or removal from the program. Students who are admitted to the Eagle Online Academy must enroll for at least one nine week period of time unless otherwise determined by the coordinators. Other related student or parent educational requests will also be reviewed by the coordinators and guidance counselors. Registration/Orientation When registering with the Eagle Online Academy, students and families will meet with the Academy coordinators and guidance counselors and related staff who will work to determine what courses each student will take. It will be at this time that courses will be determined, passwords and other directions will be given, and guidance on how to trouble shoot for technical issues will be shown. (This information will also be shared during the Eagle Online Academy Student / Parent Orientation Meeting held each August.) Family Responsibilities 1. The family will maintain a home learning environment that supports academic progress. 2. All district property will be used for educational purposes ONLY. 3. The family will take steps to ensure Somerset Area School District property is being used EXCLUSIVELY by the student who has been issued the computer and related equipment. 4. The family will designate a primary contact for the purposes of communicating with Somerset Area School District Staff. 5. The family will monitor student performance and ensure the student contacts Somerset Area School District Staff for academic support and/or Eagle Online Academy Facilitator to report technical difficulties when progress appears to be stalled. 6. The family will refrain from attempting to make repairs to district property and will contact Eagle Online Academy Facilitator to report technology concerns. 7. When in attendance at school events and participating in online studies, students will abide by all District policies and adhere to the Somerset Area School District s Code of Student Conduct as outlined in the student handbook. 8. The student will handle district property responsibly and will return all district property when requested by Somerset Area School District.

5 District Responsibilities 1. Somerset Area School District will provide a contact person within the district to address any/all concerns within a reasonable amount of time. 2. The District will provide a computer and internet reimbursement as outlined in the Use of Property and Internet Reimbursement Policy to facilitate online studies. NOTE: The computer and other equipment issued remains the property of Somerset Area School District. Computers and equipment are collected at the end of each school year in order to perform basic maintenance and updates and redistributed at the start of the new school year. The student and parent/guardian are responsible for any lost or damaged equipment. 3. The District will provide textbooks as needed for courses in which the student is enrolled. Students who choose to enroll in The Eagle Online Academy will be issued a letter grade for each course completed upon verification of academic performance. Students are responsible for meeting all district graduation requirements. All students are expected to follow the SASD Use of Technology Resources. Orientation 1. All students along with their parent or guardian are required to attend an orientation meeting. The students will learn how to log on to the E2020 system, and/or Compass system at this meeting and will be taught how to trouble shoot for technical issues. 2. Students will be assigned their IDs and passwords at this time. They will receive any offline activity packets at this meeting. 3. The Eagle Online Academy Facilitator will discuss with students the program outline and requirements. Students may take this time to ask any questions they may have about the courses they have signed up for. Academic Expectations For students to stay in good standing Students must complete all required coursework in a timely manner as dictated by the course syllabus. A scheduled meeting with the Eagle Online Academy Principal will occur When assigned activities are not turned in for any two (2) week period. When students have not been making adequate academic weekly progress or falls behind course pacing guide. At this time an improvement plan will be discussed and implemented. Conditions to remove a student from the program Fails to meet improvement plan guidelines

6 Not attending a scheduled face-to-face meeting with the Eagle Online Academy Principal. Progress Monitoring Prior to the end of each nine week grading period, the guidance counselor and online academy principal will review the academic performance of the student. Upon completion of this review, it will be determined whether the student will continue in the Eagle Online Academy. Parents/Guardians may be requested to come to the school to participate in this process. All policies and procedures contained in this document will be reviewed. Please note that if a student is not meeting expectations, he/she may be removed prior to the end of the marking period. Grading Policy A B C D Below 60 F Graduation Requirements Seniors who wish to participate in the formal high school commencement exercises must have earned a minimum of 24 credits by the close of the second semester senior year. Graduation Requirements by Curriculum Area Total Course Credits = English, 4 History, 3 Mathematics, 3 Science, 2 Physical Ed.,.50 Health,.50 Highway Safety,.50 Computer Apps., 6.5 Elective Credits

7 Cheating/Plagiarism Cheating is defined as copying, falsifying or assisting in copying another s work; specifically, a student giving another student their work to copy; and submitting the same as your own without teacher authorization or author citation. This policy refers to tests, homework, reports, projects, library work, etc. You are required to complete and submit work done by you and only you. Participation in a cyber-program requires honesty and integrity. Failure to follow this policy may result in dismissal from the Cyber Program. The penalties for cheating are as follows: Students found cheating in class will receive a failing grade for the grading period in which the cheating occurred. A subsequent infraction will result in a failing grade for the course and possible dismissal from the Cyber Program. Attendance We understand that students work at different paces based on their academic ability. It is recommended that students spend a minimum of one hour on each subject per day, depending on their course load. The Eagle Online Academy principal and the Somerset Area School District will review student login time on a regular basis. Self reflection is an integral component of the monitoring process. Students will be challenged to consider the following: Pacing: Are you at pace, behind or ahead? Adjust your online time accordingly. Attendance: Are you working every day? Adjust your schedule to meet this goal. Performance: Are you passing or performing at the expected level? If need be, adjust to improve performance. Students who fail to meet the requirements set forth in the Eagle Online Academy can be dismissed from the program. Attendance is taken to ensure that students are working online. Due to the nature of the cyber school model, instructional time and progress can be entered on any day (eg. weekends, holidays, etc.) and at any time, 24 hours a day seven days a week. Attendance will be monitored on a weekly basis using weekly reports reviewed by the cyber school Principal and percentage of the course completed. If the principal deems that completion of work is not being met he/she may request a meeting with the student and his/her parents/guardians to determine an improvement plan.

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9 Somerset Area School District Student Acceptable Use Policy Guidelines: Use of the Internet by Students 1. Students shall not access inappropriate material on the Internet, including but not limited to, pornography, obscenity, child pornography, or other materials that may be harmful to minors. 2. Students shall use electronic mail for educational purposes only. 3. Students shall use other forms of direct electronic communications (such as newsgroups) for educational purposes only. 5. Students shall not engage in unauthorized access of computers, including but not limited to hacking. 6. Students shall not engage in unlawful activities. 7. Student s shall not disclose, use, or disseminate any personal identification information of themselves or others. 8. The provisions of this policy shall also apply to student use of the District s internet access through personal electronic devices, including cellular telephones, smart phones (iphone, Android, and similar devices), digital audio players (ipods or MP3 players), digital cameras, digital video recorders, electronic ing devices, laptop computers, tablet computers (ipads and similar devices), pagers, portable game players, ereaders (Nooks, Kindles, and other similar devices), or any device that provides a wireless connection to the internet. Use of Hardware and Software by Students 1. All computer equipment, including hardware and software, is owned by the school district and will be used for educational purposes only. 2. All copyright laws, including those of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, or any international conventions must be followed. 3. The accessing or acquiring of files, passwords, or data belonging to other users is prohibited. 4. Any attempt to disrupt or destroy any hardware, software, or the work of others, either physically or electronically, is prohibited.

10 5. Data disks carried to and from school must be scanned for viruses each time usage is to take place on any District-owned computer equipment. Consequences for Illegal or Inappropriate Use 1. The principal will decide whether inappropriate usage has taken place. The existing incident report form will be the vehicle by which notification of the inappropriate usage will be reported. 2. Failure to follow the rules and regulations outlined in this document may result in the loss of computer/network privileges or other appropriate disciplinary action. 3. Illegal activities while using the District s technology systems may be considered a violation of state and/or federal laws and subject to prosecution by the appropriate authorities. 4. Intentional deletion or damage to systems or personal files of programs or data on the networks will cause the violator to be banned from further usage. The violator will be held responsible for the costs incurred for such damages. 5. Copyright violations and/or theft of services are a violation of the law. Violators will be prosecuted and banned from further usage. Special Education The Somerset Area School District provides a Special Education Program in accordance with federal and state regulations and guidelines to ensure the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to all school age children in need of such services. Special Education services are available to students who have been identified by an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, based on recommendations in a multi disciplinary evaluation, to need Special Education. Special Education services are provided according to the primary educational needs of the child. Support is provided for students who need primary assistance with the acquisition of academic skills. However, other related services are available to the child to enhance participation in or access to his or her program of special education. Examples of related services are speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, etc. Special Education services will be provided to students who qualify under the Chapter 14 Regulations. The Directors of Special Education can be reached to assist with any further assistance.

11 Change of Name/Address/ Telephone Number Please report any change of name, address, or telephone number to the Eagle Online Academy Principal as soon as possible. Clubs / Activities / Organizations / Co-Curriculars As a member of The Eagle Online Academy students are eligible and are strongly encouraged to join in and participate with all clubs, organizations and co-curricular activities offered by the District. Students will need to meet eligibility requirements. Students enrolled in The Eagle Online Academy are permitted and encouraged to attend all school activities and functions. Please refer to the Somerset Area District Handbook for eligibility requirements and guidelines. The Eagle Online Academy students participating in extra curricular activities before public audiences or inter scholastically (i.e. sports, plays, competition band, extra choral presentations, musicals, forensics and academic competitions) will be held to same accountability standards as students that are attending the brick and mortar school. Please refer to the Student Handbook for policies and procedures concerning conduct, eligibility and drug and alcohol screening policies.

12 Somerset Area School District Agreement for USE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY and INTERNET REIMBURSEMENT for Eagle Online Academy This AGREEMENT is made this day of, 20, by and between the Somerset Area School District (The District) and who resides at ( Responsible Party ). WHEREAS, Responsible Party is the parent or legal guardian of: ( Student ). WHEREAS, Somerset Area School District has agreed to permit the student to use certain computer equipment to facilitate the Student s education during enrollment with Somerset Area School District. WHEREAS, Responsible Party is willing to accept responsibility for the Property set forth below, subject to the terms of this Agreement. NOW THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged by Responsible Party, the parties intending to be legally bound hereby agree to the following: 1. Use of Property. The District shall permit the Student and the Responsible Party to use the equipment listed on the attached Property Schedule (collectively the Property ) solely for the education of the Student while enrolled at the District and for no other purpose. 2. Term. This Agreement, unless extended in writing by all parties, shall expire upon the earlier of: (I) Student s termination of enrollment at the District or July 15, 20. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the District reserves the right to terminate this Agreement immediately and without prior notice. Responsible Party shall return all of the Property to the District within five (5) days of the termination date. 3. Legal Title to Property. Legal title to all of the Property shall at all times remain solely in the District or its designee. Neither the Responsible Party nor the Student shall have any right to the Property except under this Agreement 4. Condition of Property at Commencement of Term. Responsible Party agrees to complete, sign, and return this form to the District. This Form serves to acknowledge receipt of the Property and to affirm that the Property is in satisfactory operating condition upon receipt.

13 5. Responsibility for Property. Responsible Party will maintain the Property at the Responsible Party s residence set forth above. Responsible Party shall not move the Property from Responsible Party s residence without written approval from the District. In the event Responsible Party intends to move or change addresses during the term of this Agreement, Responsible Party agrees to provide thirty (30) days written notice and the new address to the District. Failure to provide the District advance notice of any movement of the Property from the Responsible Party s residence set forth above may result in the termination of this Agreement. Responsible Party shall be solely responsible for the Property until it is returned to the District, and shall take all reasonable precautions to protect the Property. Responsible Party agrees to inform the District of any loss or damage to the Property from any cause whatsoever, except normal wear and tear, within three (3) days of the loss or occurrence of damage. 6. Maintenance and Repair. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, Responsible Party shall deliver the Property to the District in the same condition, normal wear and tear excepted, as when delivered to Responsible Party. Responsible Party shall be liable for any and all damage caused by accident, negligence, fire, theft, the elements, or any other cause. Responsible Party will proactively follow all instructions for Property requiring repairs as directed by the District. 7. Use of Property. Responsible Party agrees that (1) all Property shall be used in accordance with the District rules and all usage of the Property shall be subject to the District rules and regulations regarding Policy for Use of Technology Resources, School Board Policy 254, any unacceptable usage of the Property and/or violation of the District rules and regulations regarding the Policy for Use of Technology Resources may result in the immediate termination of the Agreement. 8. Internet Reimbursement. Upon successful promotion to the next grade and satisfactory return of this equipment as specified in the Term agreement, Responsible Party will be reimbursed for Internet Services at the cost of $30/month, not to exceed a 12 month period from the signing of this Agreement. Responsible Party will not be reimbursed for internet usage if student terminates enrollment in the Eagle Online Academy, unless student returns to the District s brick and mortar school. 9. General Indemnity. You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless us, our employees, officers, directors, agents, assignees, and all affiliated companies and/or entities, from and against any and all claims, actions, suits, proceedings, costs, expenses (including, without limitation, courts costs, witness fees and attorneys fees), damages, obligations, judgments, orders, penalties, fines, injuries, liabilities, and losses, including, without limitation, actions based upon the District strict liability in tort ( claims ) arising directly or indirectly out of or in connection with any matter involving this Agreement. 10. Attorney s Fees. The Responsible Party agrees and acknowledges that he or she will be liable for any and all attorney s fees, costs of litigation, including court costs, and any other related fees incurred by District for the enforcement of any of the terms of this agreement.

14 11. Modification. This agreement represents the entire agreement between the parties, and shall not be modified except by written memorandum signed by the parties and/or their representatives. By signing their names hereto, the Responsible Party and the Student acknowledge and agree that they have READ and UNDERSTOOD this Agreement, in its entirety. IN WITNESS WHERE OF, each party has caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day, month, and year first above written. RESPONSIBLE PARTY: (Signature) STUDENT: (Signature) WITNESS: (Signature) (Somerset Area School District)