Floyd County Schools set to launch online academy
The academy is scheduled to begin at the start of the next school year.
Floyd County Schools plans to open an online academy at the start of next school year for students who may not be suited to the standard structure of a school day.
In addition to closing “the gap for children that don’t fit into the typical school day model,” parents also requested the school system looking into offering more extracurricular activities for home-schooled students, according to a Floyd County Schools news release.
John Parker, the system’s assistant superintendent and chief academic officer, and Craig Ellison, executive director of technology and media services, were tasked with looking into online learning opportunities.
“Homeschooled students can’t typically participate in athletics, the arts, and pathways at the College and Career Academy, so they come back to the traditional school environment to gain the exposure to those activities,” Parker said.
“This nontraditional school environment will allow FCS students the flexibility to progress through core content at their own pace while still affording them the opportunity to engage in extracurricular programs at little to no cost,” Parker continued.
By enrolling 30 new students, the cost of the new online academy is covered by funds from the state for Full-Time Equivalent students. The first year will be by application only and will be open to only 30 students in grades 6-12.
The application period opens May 1. An informational meeting will be scheduled during May for anyone interested in applying for OASIS —Organized Academic Structure for Individual Students.
Online academy students will be enrolled as FCS students at the designated school they live closest to. Like traditional high school students, they will be provided a Chromebook. They will complete core content work at home and will be able to participate in the system’s programs.
“This online learning academy is learning reimagined,” Ellison said. “We want to give them the rigorous and robust curriculum that our students need with the time flexibility that individual students may need to work for them.”
After taking their core classes at home in the morning, these students could participate in a college and career academy pathway in the afternoon. They could then take part in athletics or fine arts programs.
FCS is partnering with Odesseyware to provide the instructional core content.
Certified FCS teachers with the Online Teaching Endorsement will be paid a stipend to monitor student progress and proctor student exams.
“This unique opportunity for a blended education between home school and public school environments gives homeschooled students greater access to both courseware and extracurricular activities,” said Superintendent John Jackson. “It’s a creative way to offer more courses and open doors to have greater participation in our program offerings.”
Should demand increase for enrollment, the system could tap state funding to create more online educator positions, Jackson continued.