Crane online academy ready for students

Program allows for learning opportunities from comfort of home

Enroll your student in the CIA. Not that CIA, but Crane School District’s iL-earning Academy (CiLA) — though that isn’t to say the online school won’t produce future spymasters.

The online school got its official start last winter when the Arizona Department of Education reissued the school its state identification number allowing it to open Jan. 1, according to previous articles in the Yuma Sun.

The program finished its pilot semester last spring, said Crane spokeswoman Trina Siegfried, graduating two eighth-graders and is now open to any student in the state of Arizona.

That’s good news for students in the third through eighth grades whose families want non-traditional school options, the district said in its marketing materials for the program.

“There are many reasons a student may choose not to participate in a traditional school day. Some do not attend due to medical, religious, athletic, disciplinary, social, or emotional reasons, while other families choose to have a family-centered education.”

Arizona certified teachers help create a personalized learning solution for each student and his/her family. With direct parent involvement, the CiLA provides state-of-the-art educational opportunities in the comfort of a student’s home. Lessons are built around a gradual-release instructional model of explicit instruction, supported practice, independent practice, and assessment, the district said.

But students are required to have the skills and mindset to be able to learn on their own, the district said, including: the self-motivation to remain on track and engaged without constant teacher guidance; know how to navigate computer systems and web browsers; communicate with instruc-

tors; ability to self-pace and manage time wisely; willingness and ability to learn independently; and the selfreflection and ability to understand progress reports.

Students can work at their own pace, whether they are trying to “catch up” or move ahead, Siegfried said, and the courses are accessible all hours of the night or day, in case of travel or late night games. There are also electives to choose from that can be aligned with the student’s educational goals.

Families wishing to sign up for the CiLA need to have “quality internet services,” Siegfried said, in order for the online components to work properly. Parents/caregivers are required to furnish internet access at their own cost. Also, parents and students must certify hours attended on a weekly basis; and students must sit state standardized exams in person at a state-approved testing facility.

For more information, contact the Crane School District Office at 928-3733400.