Parent Handbook

Parent Handbook 2010-2011
Ohio Virtual Academy 1655 Holland Road, Suite F Maumee, OH 43537 PH: 419.482.0948 Toll free: 877.648.2512
OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011
The Ohio Virtual Academy is a community school established under Chapter 3314 of the Revised Code. The school is a public school and students enrolled in and attending the school are required to take diagnostic and achievement tests and other examinations prescribed by law. In addition, there may be other requirements for students at the school that are prescribed by law. Students who have been excused from the compulsory attendance law for the purpose of home education as defined by the Administrative Code shall no longer be excused for that purpose upon their enrollment in a community school. For more information on this matter, contact the school administration or the Ohio Department of Education.
Table of Contents
Ohio Virtual Academy 2010-11 School Calendar Welcome to OHVA Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA) The K12 Curriculum The OnLine School (OLS) Expectations Parent I Understand Statements Advanced Learner Program Attendance Child Find Computer Availability Policy Computer Use Policy Confidentiality Course Level Advancements Enrollment/Compliance Face-to Face Meetings Family Accountability Plan Family or Student Record Changes Fees Grade Placement (K-8) Grade Level Promotion/Retention Internet Service Provider (ISP) Reimbursement Materials and Equipment McKinney-Vento Homeless Act National Junior Honor Society OHVA /K Boosters OHVA Teacher I Understand Statements
12
5 6 6 6 6 7 7 9 10 11 12 12 13 13 13 14 14 15 16 16 16 16 17 18 19 20 20
Outings Parent Complaint Process Parent Information and Resource Center (PIRC) Parent Involvement Policy OHVA Parent Steering Committee Parent and Student Communication Personal Information Personalized Instruction Plan (PIP) Physical Education Progress Reporting Special Education Surrogate Parent Policy for Students with Disabilities Title I Support Services English as a Second Language Support Services Safety Glasses Scantron State and Standardized Testing Student Code of Conduct Student Records Study Island Achievement Assessment Preparation Teacher Assignments Truancy Withdrawal Process Appendix A- Supplemental Hours Appendix B- Study Island Appendix C- Elluminate Live Appendix D- Power Speak World Language Appendix E- Student Academic Awards Parent Handbook Agreement
22 22 22 23 27 28 29 32 32 33 34 34 35 35 35 35 36 36 50 51 52 52 53 54 55 57 58 65 67
Ohio Virtual Academy 2010 - 2011 School Calendar

First Day of School Labor Day Ohio Reading Achievement Test (OAT) Grade 3 Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) Grades 11-12 Thanksgiving Break Winter Break End of 1st Semester Martin Luther King Day President's Day Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) Grades 10 12 Spring Break Ohio Achievement Testing (OAA) Grades 3-8 Memorial Day Last Day of School Last Day to Log Student Attendance Middle School and High School Graduation Summer Administration of Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) Grades10 12 --------------------------------------------August 25, 2010 September 6, 2010 October 4 8, 2010 Oct. 25 Oct. 29, 2010 November 25 26, 2010 Dec. 22 Dec. 31, 2010 January 14, 2011 January 17, 2011 February 21, 2011 March 14 18, 2011 April 4 April 8, 2011 April 25 April 29, 2011 May 30, 2011 June 3, 2011 June 3, 2011 June 4, 2011 (tentative) June 13 17, 2011
Holiday - OHVA Office Closed
Welcome to OHVA
Welcome to Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA). The purpose of this parent handbook is to clarify mutual expectations. While OHVA is a public community school, it is also a virtual school, meaning for a good part of the time, we will work together remotely. One of the challenges of working together remotely is trust; and, trust comes from the sharing of critical information, good and regular communications, the setting of clear expectations, and then living up to our mutual commitments. This handbook has been compiled in the spirit of that first step toward building new friends and community trust.
Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA)

Ohio Virtual Academy was incorporated in the state of Ohio in May of 2002. OHVA operates as an Ohio public community school. It is a non-profit community (charter) school that is funded by state tax dollars and is governed by and subject to Ohio State charter-school laws, applicable federal laws and the terms of its contract with its charter sponsor. OHVA is currently chartered in Lucas County through a charter contract with the Ohio Council of Community Schools. The authority for operating OHVA is vested in its Board of Trustees (Governing Board). The OHVA Board of Trustees has secured the curriculum, technical, and management services of K12 Inc., a leader in providing virtual education to students throughout the United States and around the world. OHVAs school offices are located in Maumee, Ohio. OHVA teachers, all Ohio-licensed and Highly Qualified according to federal No Child Left Behind standards are located throughout the State of Ohio and teach students based on their areas of expertise and licensure.
The K12 Curriculum

OHVA incorporates the complete K12 Curriculum, a curriculum program developed by K12 Inc. of Herndon, Virginia. This curriculum program covers traditional subjects, with more than 700 lessons per grade. OHVA has chosen the K12 curriculum because it is designed to help your child exceed state, national and international standards. For an overview of the educational approach, please visit the Educational Approach section of K12s web site at: http://www.k12.com/what-is-k12/approach-to-learning/
The OnLine School (OLS)

The OLS is the engine that drives the Internet-based OHVA school program. Through the OLS, you receive the schools lessons, assessments, log student attendance, follow their progress, facilitate lesson planning and access teaching tools. The learning coachs and students 6
daily work centers around this OnLine School. Access to the OLS requires a connection to the Internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and a unique login for enrolled families. In the K-8 program, the parent login allows access to all aspects of the OLS, including access to all assessments, answer keys, attendance, and parent resource materials. The students login prevents access to the parental resources, answer keys, and attendance. Therefore, student logins are required for 7-8 grade students and recommended for students in grades 4-6. Parents should not give their students access or permission to use their parent login information.
Expectations
Teaching children at home is a full-time job. The schools program is challenging. Parents in Grades 1-8 can expect to guide instruction a minimum of 5 hours per day in addition to lesson planning to maintain a typical school years pace for accomplishing lessons associated with assigned grade levels. Kindergarteners who may be on a day schedule will have reduced expectations. High School students should expect to devote approximately 6-7 hours per day on their high school courses. Although high school students are expected to be more independent learners, parents are urged to stay actively involved in their high school students academic program. Parents should refer to the high school handbook for more detailed information on expectations at the high school level. The Online School and its curriculum allows for students to be challenged according to their mastery of skills. Most elementary school parent-teachers and students spend between 15 and 25% of their day online and the rest of their time working off line in workbooks, printed lessons, or other related activities. Middle school students and parents may spend between 20 and 30% of their time on their computers. High School students will spend between 75% and 85% online. OHVA students are required to participate in all state diagnostic, achievement, and standardized testing, as do all other public school children. Lesson planning, materials preparation, progress planning, teaching and the administration of your childs day-to-day education in the K-8 program is both exciting and challenging and requires parental commitment to the discipline and organization implicit in what it takes to manage a first-class education. It is a useful practice to cite some basic expectations and understandings with which all parents of OHVA should be acquainted. Please read the I Understand and Agree statements on the following page very carefully as these statements should reflect each your commitment as an OHVA parent to this educational model.
Parent I Understand Statements

The purpose of this I Understand section is to set expectations for OHVA parents. Student success is our primary goal. To achieve this success, it is important that, you the parent, understands, and agrees with, the following guiding statements. Even though a third-party Learning Coach may be designated to work with the student on a daily basis, you, the parent, are responsible for the following statements: 7
I believe that my student has the ability to achieve success. My role as parent is vital for my students academic achievement and is valued and respected among administrators and teachers at OHVA. I will supervise my student in using the K12 curriculum, utilizing available resources, teaching tools and teacher support to enhance my students academic achievement. Any other work accomplished by the student is supplemental to, and not in place of, the K12 curriculum lessons. OHVA strongly encourages parents not to leave a student home alone or unsupervised all day to do schooling in the K-8 program. I will become knowledgeable about implementing and adapting the K12 curriculum to meet the students learning needs and participate in opportunities, such as the Parent Training Academy, to help me grow as a Learning Coach. OHVA is a full-time public school program. My student may not be enrolled in any other full-time or part-time public, private or charter school while attending OHVA. I understand that my student is enrolled in a public school and must meet the attendance requirements. The state requirement is 920 hours a full school year, which equates to approximately 5 hours of schoolwork each day, based upon a traditional school year of 180 days (OHVAs kindergarten is a half day program, therefore the hour requirement is 460 hours). Poor attendance (insufficient hours recorded in the system over time) is a truancy issue and could result in my students removal from OHVA. I will maintain current and accurate attendance and progress records using the appropriate tools made available to me in the online school. Teachers will review progress, demonstrated student mastery, and other relevant academic factors, including my input, when making student course and grade level advancement decisions. Promotion is based on progress and demonstrated mastery, not simply attendance. I agree that my student will participate in all required state achievement and diagnostic testing and it is my responsibility to provide transportation to and from the test site(s). I understand as well that OHVA isnt in a position to provide transportation or make concessions on test participation. Testing dates are determined by the Ohio Department of Education and not by OHVA. My student will participate in Scantrons assessment series and in Study Island. Both computer-based tools allow OHVA teachers to make academic decisions and prepare my student for success on the state assessments.
I will remain actively engaged with OHVA teacher(s) by participating in conferences via telephone and/or ClassConnect and submitting portfolio samples in accordance with due dates. I will read and respond to my childs teachers and school administrations communications through K-Mail on a daily basis. I will comply with state regulations requiring me to bring my student to four events per academic year (preferably each quarter) in order to speak directly (face-to-face) with OHVA teachers or administrators. I will secure an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and make sure my student has continuous access to the Internet in order to participate in the school on a daily basis. I will conference with my childs teacher(s) on a regular basis. If I have designated another person to act as Learning Coach for my student, I will conference jointly with the Learning Coach and OHVA teacher(s). I will be knowledgeable of, implement, and abide by OHVAs policies and procedures outlined in the OHVA Parent Handbook.
Advanced Learner Program

Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA) attracts many gifted and advanced learners. The K12 curriculum is rigorous, broad, and offers optional extension activities in every lesson. OHVA provides support for advanced learners through the Advanced Learner Program. Information regarding student engagement opportunities and various parent support tools are provided through monthly newsletters. A student qualifies for the Advanced Learner Program (ALP) as indicated below. Student Qualifications: Students in grades K-3 will initially qualify: - If they have been previously identified as gifted Students in grades 4-8 will initially qualify: - If they have been previously identified as gifted - If they scored in the Advanced range in either Math, Reading or both on the Ohio Achievement Tests during the previous school year * Students may also be referred to the Advanced Learner Program by teachers or parents. If you believe your student qualifies please discuss your interest with your assigned teacher
Attendance
The Ohio Department of Education requires that OHVA offers at least 920 hours of learning opportunities to its students. Not only is there a direct correlation between attendance and student achievement, OHVA's operational funding is based on each students achievement of the required 920 hours of attendance. Required hours of attendance will be prorated for late enrollees. Funding is extremely critical to our operation as a public community school. OHVAs financials are constantly under review by the state department, our school board, and by our chartering agency, and we are striving to maintain a strict budget by using resources wisely. Students need to log at least 920 hours of schooling by the last day of our regular school year (June 3, 2011) in order for us to receive full funding for that student. A student receiving less than 920 hours by June 3 means a loss in operational funding for OHVA. It is important that parents remain diligent in recording instructional hours for regular and supplemental work. This is one way you can show tangible support to your school. Achieving 920 hours of school attendance for each of your OHVA students assures that OHVA receives maximum operational funding from the state. See the FAQs below and Appendix A for more information. Frequently Asked Questions About Attendance 1. When can I log attendance? You are able to log attendance from your first day of school, August 25 until June 3, 2011. 2. What constitutes earned attendance hours? Attendance hours are hours spent completing lessons within the K12 online school, studying, or practicing previously learned material, preparing for upcoming lessons, preparing for and taking assessments, completing homework assignments or projects online or offline, and taking part in extended lessons. Attendance hours may also be acquired by participating in supplemental activities. See Appendix A. 3. What if my child logs more than 920 hours? GREAT! Its not so great if the child doesnt achieve the required number of learning hours. In fact, the child who fails to log enough school hours has failed to maximize his/her learning opportunities and his/her fullest academic potential. Additionally, OHVA loses valuable school funding dollars needed to support the OHVA academic program. 4. Where do I need to log my childs attendance and how often? Student attendance hours need to be logged in the attendance screen on the OLS and should be entered on the day in which the work was performed. Select the courses for the lesson completed, adjust the k12 estimated lesson time, add any supplemental time, and click Submit to enter the attendance time. 5. Why should I log attendance on a daily basis? This serves as a formal record of the students daily academic engagement and accumulated attendance and progress for the school year. It documents attendance and provides evidence for OHVA to receive valuable school funding dollars. 10
6. What are supplemental hours? The Ohio Virtual Academy recognizes that families routinely offer to their children many valuable learning activities in addition to their K12 course work. Supplemental course work may be recorded in any subject that appears on the students OLS attendance screen under the appropriate subject. A child may receive attendance credit for up to 12 hours of supplemental course work per week with no tie to any particular subject except for physical education which has a maximum of 2 hours per week that can be logged. Total attendance hours completed by the student in a school year may exceed the 920-hour minimum requirement imposed by the State of Ohio. Supplemental course work is work the student completes in addition to the K12 curriculum assigned to the student. It should not replace the K12 curriculum. Supplemental course work should represent new learning for the student or should provide practice for work that is appropriate for his/her grade level. A students OHVA teacher can help to define appropriate attendance activities. While families are encouraged to record the supplemental work completed by the student, they must also realize that promotion decisions are based on progress in the K12 curriculum and not on the number of attendance hours completed by the student. Supplemental hours are an important piece of the overall earned attendance in a year. Please make sure that you understand all of the learning opportunities that are available to you by referencing the Supplemental Coursework section in Appendix A. 7. How much attendance may I log each day? You should log the actual number of K12 and supplemental work hours completed by the child, not to exceed 10 hours per day. 8. What should I do if I forgot to log my childs supplemental hours? You may go back and add hours at any time. If you have already entered hours for that day, and you click the Submit button, your teacher may need to add the hours for you. Contact your teacher and s/he will assist you in entering supplemental hours. 9. How many hours should my child log if s/he enrolled after August 25, 2010? Hours are calculated from the students individual school start date. Contact your teacher if you want to know the exact hours you need to log. See the section on Truancy for additional attendance information.
Child Find
The 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandate that every school district in the country develop a system to identify children with disabilities, birth through age 21, residing in the district. All K12 virtual academies will make a concerted effort to identify, locate, and evaluate children below 22 years of age, who enroll in the virtual academy and have a confirmed or suspected disability in accordance with all federal regulations and state 11
standards. In addition, it shall be the policy of the virtual academy that the child with a disability and his/her parent/guardian shall be provided with safeguards, as required by law, throughout the identification, evaluation, and placement process, and the provision of a free appropriate public education to the child. Any child that you suspect has a disability should be referred to the child's school Special Education Manager or At Risk Services Coordinator.
Computer Availability Policy

Each student enrolled in OHVA is entitled to a computer; however, families may elect to waive any or all of their OHVA provided computers. OHVA recommends the following student-tocomputer set-up: For students in grades K-6, we recommend one computer per family. Many families with children in these grades have found it easier to share time on one computer than to install and maintain multiple computers. For students in grades 7-12, we recommend one computer for each student. Parents are responsible for returning each computer in good working order as soon as his/her student is no longer enrolled in OHVA. Factors to consider with multiple computers in the house: If you have a dial-up modem Internet connection, an extra phone line is needed for each additional computer in order to access the OLS. OHVA does not cover the cost for the set up of phone lines. If you have a cable or DSL Internet connection, a router or other network device is needed to enable an Internet connection to all of the computers. OHVA does not cover the cost of the networking hardware nor the cost of setting up the network. Maintenance is required for each computer, including software upgrades and regular computer virus checks.
Computer Use Policy

Access to the Internet via computer equipment and resource networks provided to you as a result of your enrollment in the OHVA are intended to serve and pursue educational goals and purposes. Communications and Internet access should be conducted in a responsible and professional manner reflecting the schools commitment to honest, ethical, and nondiscriminatory practice. Therefore the following is prohibited: Any computer use that violates federal, state, or local law or regulation. Knowing or reckless interference with the normal operation of computers, peripherals, or networks. The use of OHVA Internet-related systems to access, transmit, store, display, or request inappropriate materials including the downloading or installation of photos, electronic images, games, online programs, or Internet-based music. 12
Confidentiality
Every effort is used in maintaining the confidentiality of students attending the Ohio Virtual Academy. Parents must give permission before a student's name or image can be displayed in a public manner. Before confidential student information is transferred over the Internet, it is password protected or encrypted, and can only be decrypted by another party employed or assigned by OHVA. The Ohio Virtual Academy has appointed a Records Officer in the interest of protecting the confidentiality of personally identifiable data regarding students with disabilities. Student files are accessible only to employees of OHVA who have an interest in the education of its students. Parents and students should be careful not to share their K12 Online School (OLS) username and password with any unauthorized individuals. In any case, where a parent or teacher believes the security of the OLS has been compromised, the parent should use the tools provided in the OLS to change their username and password.
Course Level Advancements

Course level advancements within the K12 curriculum may be made during the school year and are based on the individual students overall academic progress within all courses in the online school. Course-level advancements are subject to administrative approval. Portfolio samples and additional assessments will be the basis for administrative decisions to approve in-year promotions. Pre-ordering courses for summer preview and preparation is not a basis for course advancements and will not be approved.
Enrollment/Compliance
Before a student can be enrolled into the Ohio Virtual Academy, the parents or legal guardians must complete and return (electronically or hard copy) the following: enrollment form/ online enrollment copy of birth certificate proof of residence copy of immunizations release of school records form placement tests family income form achievement tests or other standardized test scores previous schools report card custodial paperwork, if applicable IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) for special education students, if one exists
13
Face-to-Face Meetings
State regulations require that students in eSchools have face-to-face contact with teachers. OHVA requires that students have this kind of contact with an OHVA teacher at least 4 times through the year. Students and teachers have numerous opportunities to meet face-to-face during the school year. Meaningful face-to-face opportunities include, but are not limited to: school-wide events, grade level activities, test sessions, meetings, and teacher-sponsored outings. These face-to-face contacts may be between your enrolled child and your childs teacher(s), other teachers, or with administrators of the school. It is the responsibility of parents to ensure that the required number of face-to-face contacts takes place. For information on face-to-face activities, visit the Online Calendar regularly: www.localendar.com/public/ohva. Report your students F2F Activities: After attending an OHVA face-to-face activity, report your students attendance at: http://www.rsvme.com/wsb.dll/4337/20100702130448484.htm or http://tinyurl.com/F2FReporting, in addition to entering attendance in the Online School.
Family Accountability Plan

Families who enroll their children in the Ohio Virtual Academy agree to the I Understand statements listed on page 8 of the OHVA Parent Handbook. These expectations represent the basic minimums to which parents and students must comply in order to experience success in the Ohio Virtual Academy. The vast majority of families who enroll with the Ohio Virtual Academy consistently and conscientiously comply with these expectations. However, as the school year progresses, some families may demonstrate the inability or unwillingness to fulfill one or more of the I Understand statements. In these cases, the Family Accountability Plan (below) will be initiated so that the school has a mechanism by which the responsible learning coach can be officially notified of behaviors that compromise the successful school experience of the student. Family Accountability Points (FAPs) will be allocated as necessary until one of two outcomes occurs: The family acknowledges their deficiencies and implements programmatic changes to address the issues, resulting in an improved school experience; or The family continues to earn FAPs until the limit of ten (10) FAPs is reached. If/when this occurs; the student will be withdrawn from the school. By law, OHVA will need to notify the district of residence since the student is no longer enrolled in the Ohio Virtual Academy. The chart below explains the possible deficiencies, points, and timelines that comprise the Family Accountability Plan:
14
Issue/I Understand Attendance
Point Value 1 FAP per month
Minimum Expectation 80-100 hours per month, or as specified by the teacher 8-10% per month, or as specified by the teacher Portfolio samples are either SENT or NOT SENT
When Recorded End of each month
Progress Portfolio Samples (K-6)
1 FAP per month 2 FAPs per required date
End of each month One week after samples are due
Work Samples (Middle School)
For Middle School students in grades 7-8, 1 FAP/month per assignment
For Middle School One week after students in grades 7-8, assignment due date the required number of monthly portfolio submissions are based on individual subject requirements According to schedule as specified by the teacher Within one week after the missed conference (to give time to reschedule) At the end of the testing window
Parent/Teacher Conference
1 FAP per missed conference
State testing
5 FAPs (also, student may not enroll the following year unless excused)
Student will take all required state achievement/diagnostic tests
The teacher will keep track of the FAPs accumulated by the parent/student. The teacher will keep the parent informed of the students FAP status through telephone conferences or by written communication. Students with IEPs may have additional parent contact and work sample requirements. All appeals will be directed first to the Academic Principal, who will interview the teacher and the parent/responsible adult, and examine the applicable documentation. The final decision will be made by the Head of School.
Family or Student Record Changes

Parents are required to notify their teacher if they have a change in their address, telephone number, email address, or the residential status of the student. Address changes require an updated proof of residency which can be verified with a utility bill, mortgage or rent statement or 15
voter registration card. Proof of residency must be provided within two weeks of your address change.
Fees
OHVA does not charge any specific fees for programs or services provided to families. Attendance at OHVA is tuition free. However, as with many school programs, certain expenses do fall within the responsibility of enrolled families. Printer cartridges and printer paper, art supplies, and the cost of transportation to and from OHVA sponsored events, are a few examples of these costs. Although OHVA pays a standard monthly fee to provide a dial-up connection service to each family, any extra expense incurred (such as a familys voluntary upgrade to highspeed access or unintended long-distance fees accidentally incurred by a family) is not the responsibility of OHVA. Please read OHVAs ISP policy described in this handbook.
Grade Placement (K-8)

The federally enacted No Child Left Behind Act mandates that students have access to gradelevel curriculum or above. For practical purposes, students must be prepared to meet the expectations for grade level testing as required by the state of Ohio. Our goal at OHVA is to place students as close to grade level as possible in order to achieve maximum academic progress.
Grade Level Promotion/Retention

Each student shall move forward in a continuous pattern of achievement and growth that is in harmony with his/her own development. Plans to do independent summer work will not be considered when making retention/promotion decisions at the end of the academic year. A child will be either promoted to the next grade level or retained in the current grade level based on the progress and content mastery demonstrated during the academic school year.
Internet Service Provider (ISP) Reimbursement

Dependable Internet access is a requirement for enrollment in the Ohio Virtual Academy. In order to help defray the costs associated with Internet access, The Ohio Virtual Academy provides a modest ISP reimbursement for students enrolled in our school. Internet access throughout our state is not equal. Even today, there remain population areas within our state where families have limited Internet options available to them. Internet accesses as well as the availability of connectivity with rapid download speeds are based on factors beyond the control of OHVA. Your students online learning experience will be influenced by your choice and access to enhanced Internet services. Whenever possible, families should always choose greater access speeds available through DSL or cable/High Speed Internet. This is especially true for students in our high school as high speed Internet access is a requirement.
16
Internet access via Satellite connectivity has proven, for some, to be both expensive and unreliable. Additionally, families with dial-up Internet access find that it takes significantly more time to accomplish the online components of the K12 curriculum due to slower download speeds. This tends to result in increased academic down time and student frustration. High speed Internet access is highly recommended for students in grades K-8. Families with students in Grades K-8 The Ohio Virtual Academy will reimburse a single-student family $9.95 per month towards the partial costs associated with their students Internet access. Families with multiple K-8 children schooling with OHVA will be reimbursed $19.90 per month. The reimbursement period is from September through May. Reimbursement payments are mailed twice each year. - After the last day of Semester 1 - After the last day of Semester 2 Late enrollment will result in pro-rated/partial reimbursement. Students must be enrolled through the end of the semester in order to be eligible for reimbursement for that semester. Families with at least one High School student or High School and any combination of Grades K-8 Ohio Virtual Academy will reimburse families with at least one enrolled high school student a maximum of $30 per month towards the partial costs associated with their students high speed Internet access. The reimbursement period is September through May. Additional students do not result in increased reimbursement. Reimbursement payments are mailed twice each year. - After the last day of Semester 1 - After the last day of Semester 2 Late enrollment will result in pro-rated/partial reimbursement. Students must be enrolled through the end of the semester in order to be eligible for reimbursement for that semester. Note: The maximum Internet reimbursement for any single family in either situation listed above is $30 per month.
Materials and Equipment

All instructional materials, including computer equipment and related hardware, are the property of the Ohio Virtual Academy. At the end of the school year, or upon the withdrawal of a student from OHVA, the school will notify families of the procedures for returning materials and equipment. Families should handle OHVA property with care and should ensure an accurate inventory of these materials is maintained in the home. Before the acceptance of a student in OHVA, the parent must return to the school a signed Agreement for Use of Instructional Property form. 17
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act- Statement of Policy

Title VII- B; Education for Homeless Children & Youth Program Definition: The Ohio Virtual Academy defines any homeless children and youth according to the Federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Definition; individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The term includesChildren and youth who are: - Sharing housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; - Living in emergency or transitional shelters; - Abandoned in hospitals or - Awaiting foster care placement; Children and youth who have a primary residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, pubic space, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above. Responsibilities of Ohio Virtual Academy: With regard to Homeless children and youth designated under paragraph (1)(J)(ii) in the Federal McKinney-Vento Act, Ohio Virtual Academy shall ensure thathomeless children and youth are identified by school personnel and through coordination activities with other entities and agencies; appoint a homeless student district liaison responsible for the coordination of services for such children; homeless students enrolled in Ohio Virtual Academy will have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in curriculum; homeless children and youth and their families will receive educational services for which such families, children, and youths are eligible, including Title I, Special Education and related services, and referrals to health care, mental health, dental, and other appropriate services; parents or guardians of homeless children and youth are informed of educational and related opportunities available to their children, and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children; parents and guardians and unaccompanied youth are fully informed of all transportation services; enrollment disputes will be mediated in accordance with the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Act; 18
public notice of educational rights of homeless students will be disseminated appropriately at the Ohio Virtual Academy enrollment office and provided to parents upon enrollment In meeting these responsibilities, Ohio Virtual Academy will coordinate with homeless families in the following activities: the immediate enrollment in school and accessing school services; services of a school counselor for assistance in obtaining immunizations, medical records, residency, guardianship, and other documents if needed; providing special attention to the ensuring of enrollment and attendance of special programs of homeless students and unaccompanied youth not currently attending school; informing parents, school personnel, and others regarding the rights of homeless children and youth through staff and parent development and by the dissemination of materials; working with school personnel to ensure that homeless children and youth are immediately enrolled in school pending resolution of disputes that might arise over school enrollment or placement; provide homeless children and youth with access to technology and proper materials to be successful in the adapted K-12 curriculum; helping to coordinate access to academic services for homeless children and youth; collaborating with State Coordinators for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth implementing educational services for which the child or youth meets the eligibility criteria, such as services provided under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, or similar State or local programs, educational programs for children with disabilities, and educational programs for students with limited English proficiency; determine the best interest of the child or youth by assisting in the enrollment or placement of their school of origin, by considering the views of such unaccompanied youth and providing them with notice on the right to appeal; provide professional development and awareness to Ohio Virtual Academy personnel and service providers on the effects of short-term stays in shelter and other challenges associated with homelessness;
Resources: McKinney Vento Resources: http://www.ode.state.oh.us./GD/Templates/Pages?ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?Page=3&Topic RelationID=1036&Content=15265 Brochure for posting: A Parents Guide to the Rights of Children & Youth Experiencing Homelessness McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C.S 11432(g)(3)(E) U.S. Department of Education McKinneyVento Homeless Assistance Act Non-regulatory Guidance (July 2004)(pages 17-18)
National Junior Honor Society

Seventh and eighth grade students can be selected for membership in the OHVA chapter when showing exemplary characteristics of the five nationally-determined criteria of NJHS: Scholarship, Leadership, Service, Citizenship, and Character. A Faculty Review Committee appointed by the Middle School administration will review each students eligibility in the 19
winter and those who meet minimum requirements will be given an opportunity to apply for membership consideration and subsequent induction. Selection for membership is an honor, not honorary, hence students remain members once inducted by continuing to excel in all areas by meeting and exceeding criteria set by National and local OHVA criteria. Minimum criteria for consideration for membership in Ohio Virtual Academys Cardinals Crest Chapter: Classification as a 7th or 8th grader in Ohio Virtual Academy for one semester or verification submitted showing previous active membership in another NJHS chapter (and meeting all current criteria as set by OHVA) Enrollment in Pre-Algebra A and English B or higher as a 7th grader; Pre-Algebra B and Literary Analysis and Composition or higher as an 8 th grader along with appropriate history, science, and art courses. On track for Mastery completion (100%) in all five courses Accelerated or advanced scores in all Ohio Achievement tests 100% participation in state and school mandated testing each year All Check Point assignments submitted on time as required by teachers On pace to reach required school attendance hours Student essay submitted on to-be-announced topic Once inducted, the student will be expected to show continuing excellence in scholarship, leadership, citizenship, character, and service as evidenced by a personal portfolio produced and submitted by the student and ongoing participation in chapter-sponsored requirements, meetings, projects, and initiatives. Portfolio submissions will be outlined by current NJHS Advisor.
OHVA/K12 Boosters
The K Booster Program is a volunteer parent organization dedicated to supporting the K Schools across the country. Booster parents provide countless opportunities for families to connect, share experiences, and commit to building a better school community. OHVA Boosters are involved at the state and local level to make OHVA a great place for our students and parents to connect and find support. Booster parents can give as little or as much time as they have available. They may host at test sites, start a club or co-op, support other parents as mentors, host a local activity, collect and trim Box Tops, support Teacher Appreciation, coordinate a Kindergarten Recognition, and/or share about OHVA with friends and family. New ideas are welcome, too. To get involved, visit www.k12.com/BoosterProgram/ohva/join.html and stop by our OHVA Booster community in the bigthinK at bigthinK@OHVA > Get Connected > OHVA Boosters. If you have questions about Boosters contact OHVA parent and Booster Team Leader Shelly Tidwell at momof3tidwell@aol.com or Susie Ebie at sebie@k12.com.
OHVA Teacher I Understand Statements

OHVA is proud of the talented group of licensed, Highly Qualified teachers on the staff. They are trained to help you and your student(s) to be successful in their educational program. Teachers have the following responsibilities to their OHVA families: 20
1. 2. 3.
I must have a belief that every student has the ability to achieve success. All students benefit from encouragement to maximize their academic potential. Strong academic achievement as measured by the Ohio Achievement Test/Ohio Graduation Test and progress within the K12 curriculum should be a common goal for teachers, students, and learning coaches. Providing academic support is my priority as an OHVA teacher. I will be an expert in my content area, the K12 curriculum, and relevant academic content standards for my grade level assignment and courses for which I am Highly Qualified. A strong and positive administrator, teacher, student, and learning coach relationship is fundamental to student achievement and student retention. I will be flexible, understanding, and supportive of students and learning coaches individual needs for teaching accommodations and programmatic or curricular modifications. Consistent, professional, and quality communication between the administrator, teacher, students and learning coaches is a critical practice that contributes to positive student achievement and increased parent satisfaction. I will provide direct academic support during school hours. I will answer student and learning coach communications (K-Mail and telephone) within 24-hours during the work week. I will remain actively engaged with my students and learning coaches so that I am able to respond to their individual learning needs. I will provide differentiated individualized instruction, engaging ClassConnect sessions, and alternative learning activities to increase student achievement and retention. I will provide meaningful, usable, and appropriate feedback on student performance to enhance student achievement. I will keep current and accurate documentation of student performance. I will utilize all available curriculum resources and teaching tools to enhance student academic achievement. 21
4. 5.
6.
7.
8.
9. 10.
11.
12.
13.
14. 15.
16.
I will develop a collaborative partnership with my grade level team, my students academic team, and with my colleagues throughout OHVA. I will support the maximization and adaptation of K12 lessons to meet individual student learning needs. I will be knowledgeable of, implement, and abide by OHVA policies and procedures in the OHVA Employee Handbook, OHVA Student/Parent Handbook and according to departmental practices. I will participate in regular and ongoing professional development opportunities to support the schools student academic improvement initiatives.
17.
18.
19.
Outings
OHVA families are invited to attend any OHVA grade level appropriate outings in the state. Outings will be posted on the OHVA Community Board and on the online OHVA calendar. Please contact your teacher for information about registering for attendance at any outing. It is our expectation that parents or learning coaches remain at the event site for the duration of the activity. Parents are to complete an Emergency Medical Authorization Form provided by OHVA for any event where the parent or leaning coach may be absent during any part of the event.
Parent Complaint Process

Parent satisfaction is an important goal for OHVA. This process is to ensure that all student/family grievances are considered expeditiously and fairly. The teacher is the first point of contact for an expression of complaint, informal or formally written. If the teacher is the subject of the complaint, it is hoped through parent/teacher communication the issue can be settled. If the subject of the complaint is another school employee and cannot be settled at the teacher level, the parent or legal guardian should escalate in writing the concern to the schools Academic Principal. The schools Academic Principal will make initial response to the parents written note of concern within 48 hours of receipt. If the issue or complaint is not resolved within 10 working days, the parent may escalate an issue or complaint to the Head of School. The Head of School will respond within 48 hours of initial parent or Principal notification of the complaint and investigate. If the matter cannot be settled satisfactorily, it may be brought before the Board of Directors of the school. All Board meetings are public. The board President will be notified prior to the meeting by the Head of School, and/or the parent.
Parent Information and Resource Center (PIRC)

At Ohio Virtual Academy we understand the parents vital role in their childs education. Parent Information and Resource Centers (PIRCs) are funded through a discretionary grant program of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Innovation and Improvement Parent Options. The U.S. Department of Education created the first PIRCs in 1995 to provide parents, schools, and 22
organizations working with families, training information, and technical assistance to understand how children develop and what they need to succeed. These organizations work closely with parents, educators, and community organizations to strengthen partnerships so that children can reach high academic standards. This resource is available to you free of charge. Simply visit www.ohiopirc.org Below you will find further information: PIRC Ohio Parent Information and Resource Center 5812 Madison Road, Suite 3 Cincinnati, OH 45227 (513) 272-0272 or (800) 686-1738
Parent Involvement Policy

Part I: General Expectations:
Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA) agrees to implement all of the following statutory requirements contained within the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) which are applicable to it: OHVA will put into operation programs, activities and procedures for the involvement of parents consistent with section 1118 of the ESEA. Those programs, activities and procedures will be planned and operated with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children. Consistent with Section 1118, OHVA will work to ensure that the required parental involvement policies meet the requirements of Section 1118(b) of the ESEA, and each include, as a component, a school parent compact consistent with Section 1118(d) of the ESEA. In carrying out the Title I, Part A parental involvement requirements, to the extent practicable, OHVA will provide full opportunities for the participation of parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, including providing information and school reports required under Section 1111 of the ESEA in an understandable and uniform format and, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language parents understand. If the Local Education Agency (LEA) plan for Title I, Part A, developed under Section 1112 of the ESEA, is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, OHVA will submit any parent comments with the plan when it submits the plan to the State Department of Education. OHVA will involve parents of children served in Title I, Part A in decisions about how the 1 percent of Title I, Part A funds reserved for parental involvement is spent, and will ensure that not less than 95 percent of the one percent reserved goes directly to the school. OHVA will be governed by the following statutory definition of parental involvement:
23
Parental involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring A. that parents play an integral role in assisting their childs learning;
B. that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their childs education at school; C. that parents are full partners in their childs education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; D. the carrying out of other activities, such as those described in Section 1118 of the ESEA.
Part II. Description of how OHVA will implement the required parental involvement policy components.
1. Ohio Virtual Academy will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development of its district wide parental involvement plan under Section 1112 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA): Involve Parent Steering Committee parents in the plans development Communicate the plan to parents Consider improvements to the plan on a ongoing basis based on parent feedback 2. Ohio Virtual Academy will take the following actions to involve parents in the process of school review and improvement under Section 1116 of the ESEA: Conduct formal surveys regarding parent/student satisfaction with the schools operations and academic and instructional programs Parents Mentoring Parents Ongoing Parent Steering Committee meetings for parent feedback on programs and practices Conduct ongoing communication at each academic level using print and digital communication formats: face-to-face and virtual meetings, newsletters, web pages, blogs, Annual Report, progress reports, and K-Mail. Request parental input from Parent Steering Committee members and OHVA families 3. Ohio Virtual Academy will provide the following necessary coordination, technical assistance, and other support to assist OHVA in planning and implementing effective parental involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance: 24
Conduct annual compact meeting in the fall and spring of each academic year- Title I Effective messaging at outings regarding upcoming surveys Communicate importance and understanding related to parent surveys Conduct parent orientations Conduct formal surveys regarding parent/student satisfaction with the schools operations and academic and instructional programs Review parent involvement policies yearly 4. The Ohio Virtual Academy will coordinate and integrate parental involvement strategies in Part A with parental involvement strategies under the following programs, when applicable: Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First, Even Start, Parents As Teachers, Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters, and State-operated preschool programs. 5. Ohio Virtual Academy will take the following actions to conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of this parental involvement policy in improving the quality of OHVA. The evaluation will include identifying barriers to greater participation by parents in parental involvement activities (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background). OHVA will use the findings of the evaluation about its parental involvement policy and activities to design strategies for more effective parental involvement, and to revise (if necessary and with the involvement of parents) its parental involvement policies. Conduct annual virtual compact meeting- Title I Provide informational sessions on Making the most of your childs education at OHVA and/or How to teach multiple children in a virtual environment Conduct formal online surveys regarding parent/student satisfaction with the schools operations and academic and instructional programs and the parent involvement policies and programs Provide Parent Involvement information using school communication tools and at various school activities when appropriate. Conduct virtual parent orientations to review program improvements 6. The Ohio Virtual Academy will build the schools and parents capacity for strong parental involvement, in order to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, through the following activities specifically described below: A. The Ohio Virtual Academy will provide assistance to parents of children served by OHVA in understanding topics such as the following, by undertaking the actions described in this paragraph. Using a series of virtual parent meetings, Ohio Virtual Academy staff will apprise and instruct parents on: 25
the states academic content standards the states student academic achievement standards the state and local academic assessment including alternate assessments the requirements of Part A how to monitor their childs progress, and how to work with educators B. Ohio Virtual Academy will provide materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve their childrens academic achievement, such as literacy training, and using technology, as appropriate, to foster parental involvement, by: Conducting Parent Training Academy sessions around pertinent educational/parenting topics for student achievement/development Providing Title I parents with copies of the Title I Parent Literacy Manual & resources in effective mathematics instruction Promoting the K12 Speaker Series Conducting face-to-face and virtual parent orientations Providing a forum for New Parent Connections- parents mentoring parents program Promoting parent networking through parent-moderated online Yahoo support groups, and other social networking tools Providing live web conferencing for parent support, instruction, and mentoring C. The Ohio Virtual Academy will educate its teachers, pupil services personnel, principals and other staff, in how to reach out to, communicate with and work with parents as equal partners, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to implement and coordinate parent programs and build ties between parents and schools, by: Conducting Parent Training Academy sessions around pertinent educational/parenting topics for student achievement/development Facilitating a parent steering committee (Parent Steering Committee) Promoting the K12 Speaker Series Conducting face-to-face and virtual parent orientations Providing a forum for New Parent Connections- parents mentoring parents program Promoting parent networking through parent-moderated online Yahoo support groups, and other social networking tools Providing live web conferencing for parent support, instruction, and mentoring D. The Ohio Virtual Academy will, to the extent applicable, feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parental involvement programs and activities with Head Start, Reading First, Early Reading First, Even Start, Home Instruction Programs for Preschool Youngsters, the Parent Training Academy, and public preschool and other programs, and
26
conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children. E. The Ohio Virtual Academy will take the following actions to ensure that information related to the school and parent programs, meeting and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand: Accommodations are provided accordingly with particular attention given to parents who are economically disadvantaged, disabled, limited English proficient, of limited literacy, migratory or of a racial or ethnic minority background.
OHVA Parent Steering Committee

The Ohio Virtual Academy values parent involvement in all aspects of its educational program. Our unique partnership with parents sets us apart from many schools. We understand the critical role parents fulfill in helping us to continually improve our schools academic and social mission. The OHVA Parent Steering Committee is a team of dedicated parent volunteers assembled to serve parents and school staff in fulfilling its important work. The OHVA Parent Steering Committees Mission Statement To serve Ohio Virtual Academy families as liaisons by communicating suggestions and needs to OHVA staff, and to build a unified school community through supporting and encouraging parent involvement in OHVA programs. The parents listed below have volunteered to serve on the OHVA Parent Steering Committee (PSC) for the 2010-2011 school year. These parents are involved in mentoring Learning Coaches, promoting school choice, and other goals listed below. They are listed by region, but are pleased and willing to support Learning Coaches from across the state. If you would like to offer your suggestions or participation in support of the Parent Steering Committees goals, you may contact any of them personally. If youd prefer to send an email to the entire group, please send your suggestions, ideas or concerns to parentsteeringcommittee@ohva.org. The Parent Steering Committees Goals for 2010-2011 can be found below as well. Elementary Kim Davidson Regina Lewis-Brown Jennifer McNeeley Tina Hendricks Missy Steiner Misti Money Cynthia Williams Maddie Davis Region NE NE NE NE NE/NC NE/NC NE NE County Stark Summit Cuyahoga Portage Wayne Holmes Cuyahoga Summit 27 Email kimberly-davidson@sbcglobal.net lewis_brown@ymail.com sahmomy@yahoo.com allstar_director@roadrunner.com 5reniets@embarqmail.com mistimoney@roadrunner.com vincinmon4@yahoo.com maddie12768@yahoo.com
Leesa Burkholder Dorothy Rufer Michelle Glass Billie Freeman Amanda Wiles Donna Cooley Patty Elwell
NW SE SE SC SC SW SW
Shelby Guernsey Carroll Ross Lawrence Hamilton Butler
leesadoug@hotmail.com cdrufer@comcast.net michel16@verizon.net ohva.mom.03@gmail.com wilesohva@zoominternet.net bunch63@cinci.rr.com pmccelwell@aol.com
To become Parent Steering Committee members, parents complete the OHVA Parent Training Academy (PTA) through the Advanced/Leadership level and receive a teacher recommendation. PSC members give a significant amount of time each year. OHVA extends many thanks for their role in supporting parent involvement in the school. For information on the PTA or serving as a PSC member, contact Susie Ebie via K-Mail or email at sebie@k12.com . 2010 - 2011 OHVA Parent Steering Committee Goals Parent Steering Committee (PSC) Awareness: To increase the overall awareness of OHVA parents, teachers, administrators and Board of Trustees of the OHVA PSC, its mission, goals, and membership. School Choice: To increase overall awareness of what OHVA parents can do to support school choice with their state and national legislators, to ensure OHVAs continued option as a community school in the state of Ohio. Parent Mentoring: To offer strategies to help Learning Coaches succeed in OHVA, and thus support student academic growth. Foster a School Culture for Parent Networking: With the cooperative effort of OHVA Boosters, to encourage and foster a culture for parent networking, interaction and support utilizing K12, OHVA, and parent tools and resources.
Parent and Student Communication

Communication between parents and teachers is vital. Teachers are a parents first point of contact when questions arise about the curriculum and/or their students progress. Teachers will assist parents with academic issues that arise. The teacher is also an important link of communication from the OHVA administrative office. Therefore, a line of communication must remain open between the parent and teacher. The following are required communications that must be maintained by parents: A regular conference between the parent and the teacher. Current contact information for the parent must be on record with OHVA and with the students teacher(s). Depending on the grade levels of the children, a regular conference with more than one teacher may 28
be required. If your child has an active IEP, a weekly conference will be conducted by an Intervention Specialist. Students who are only receiving a related service, such as speech therapy, are not assigned to an OHVA Intervention Specialist yet need frequent contact with their regular education teachers. The students teachers will want to speak directly with the student. Parents are encouraged to listen to these exchanges, but teachers will want to speak with the student about his/her school work and may ask the child to demonstrate such things as: read a selection from his/her reading materials, discuss his/her work samples, solve and explain math problems and their solutions, make predictions or analyze data, or discuss cause and effect. Teachers maintain regular office hours during the week. Each individual teacher will communicate his/her office hours maintained by that teacher. Parents may delegate some or all of the teaching responsibilities to another learning coach but the parent is required to participate in teacher conferences. If any demographic changes (address, phone, email, guardianship, change of local school district) are made, the parent must inform OHVA via the teacher. A sample of your students work will be required periodically. It will be the responsibility of parents to make sure work samples are sent to their students teacher(s). The teacher(s) will request specific samples of student work, provide you with information about expectations and supply meaningful feedback on students work. Electronic Communication via K-Mail is the primary electronic source of contact between teachers and parents; therefore parents must check their electronic K-Mail messages multiple times daily. Parents are required to update their contact information in the My Account section of the OLS whenever there is a change in email, phone, or address. Please ask your teacher for assistance, if needed. Communication is a key element to the success of the parent-teacher relationship. If teachers are having difficulty contacting the parent or learning coach, the teacher may request the Online School to be rendered unusable for the parent. This is done in order to prompt an immediate communication. If communication with the parent or learning coach continues to be a barrier to accountability or student achievement, the OHVA truancy policy may be enacted. Teachers maintain office hours that vary according to the day of the week and around specific events occurring in the school. Each individual teacher will communicate to his/her families the typical office hours that will be maintained by the teacher. When a parent initiates communication to a teacher, the teacher is expected to respond within 24 hours (excluding holidays and weekends).
Personal Information
The Head of School, who may delegate certain responsibilities to the school secretary or other administrators, is responsible for maintaining the personal information systems utilized by OHVA. Specifically, the Head of School is responsible for maintaining confidentiality of directory information, if the parents have requested, and other information in a students educational record. All OHVA personnel and administrators, who collect, maintain, use or 29
otherwise have access to student records must maintain such records in the manner prescribed by law and/or by OHVA and its Governing Board. The Head of School or designee shall prepare an annual notice to parents/eligible students which shall inform them of their rights to (1) inspect and review the students educational records; (2) request an amendment to the records if appropriate; (3) limit disclosure of personally identifiable information defined as directory information; (4) request a hearing if OHVA refuses to amend records believed to be misleading or inaccurate and to file a complaint with the Department of Education if dissatisfied with the results of the hearing; and (5) obtain a copy of OHVAs policy on student records. The notice may be found on-line and/or placed in the student handbook. The Head of School or designee shall maintain and post a current listing of employees and other persons who are authorized to access personally-identifiable information and provide public inspection of such listing. In addition, the Head of School shall prepare a listing of the types and locations of records collected, maintained or used by OHVA. This list shall be provided to parents/eligible students upon request. The Head of School or designee shall obtain written and detailed consent from parents/eligible students prior to disclosure of student records. Such consent shall consist of the records that may be disclosed, the purpose for which disclosure may be made, to whom disclosure may be made, and whether the parents/eligible student wishes to have a copy of the records disclosed. Prior consent will not be required if Board policy allows for disclosure without consent. Parents: Disclosure, Inspection, Review of Records The Head of School shall permit parents/eligible students, upon request, to retrieve information from and to inspect and review, records relating to the student's education and maintained by OHVA. The Head of School may place certain conditions on such access consistent with applicable laws, regulations and school policies. Third Party: Disclosure, Inspection/Review, and/or Copies of Records When authorized, the Head of School shall permit inspection and review of a student's educational records, disclose specified information, or provide copies of educational records only after the requesting party has agreed not to share the information with a third party unless the parents/eligible students have so consented or the particular circumstances meet the requirements of the Federal regulations on third-party disclosure. Amendment of Records The Head of School shall provide parents/eligible students with the opportunity to amend records when they believe that any of the information regarding their student is inaccurate, misleading, or violates the student's privacy. Upon receipt of a written request to amend records, the Head of School shall determine whether such record shall be amended and inform the parents/eligible student of such decision and their right to a hearing. If a hearing is requested, the President of the Governing Board shall select a hearing officer, who may be an official with the school who 30
does not have a direct interest in the outcome of the hearing. The hearing officer shall arrange a hearing within ten (10) business days at a mutually agreed time and place. The hearing officer shall inform the parent/eligible students that they may present evidence relevant to the issues and may be assisted or represented by individuals of their choice, including an attorney, at their own expense. The hearing officer shall be responsible for maintaining the students records during the appeal process so that no information is lost or destroyed. Within ten (10) business days following the conclusion of the hearing, the hearing officer shall provide a summary and findings to the President of the Board. Based upon a review of this report, the President of the Board shall send a letter, within ten (10) business days, to the parent/eligible student stating the decision and justification of the decision. If the parent/eligible student disagrees with the decision, they may submit a statement explaining why they disagree with the decision which shall be maintained with the contested record. If an amendment is made, then the Head of School shall send written confirmation that the amendments have taken place. Emergency Release The Head of School may release any personally-identifiable information (without parent's/eligible student's consent) to appropriate parties in connection with a health/safety emergency if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals. Upon receipt of a request for emergency information, the Head of School shall ascertain whether the request constitutes a health/safety emergency and, if so, provide the requested information immediately. Transfer of Records To Other Public and Private Schools and School Districts Student records, including disciplinary records regarding any current suspensions and expulsions, must be transferred within fourteen (14) days of request. Records shall not be withheld by the school for a student's failure to pay any fees, fines, or charges imposed by OHVA. The Head of School shall transfer a student's records to another school when requested by the private or public school or school district in which the student is enrolled, seeks or intends to enroll, or is instructed to enroll, on a full-time or part-time basis, provided the Head of School or designee makes a reasonable attempt to notify the parents of the transfer, informs the parents of their right to get a copy of the documents, and affords the parents an opportunity for a hearing to challenge the content of the record. A copy of the cover letter sent to the requesting school district shall be retained in the student's file. If parents/eligible students request a copy of the records being transferred, they shall be provided at the standard fee. If a student is under the care of a shelter for victims of domestic violence, release of information is limited by law. 31
Disclosure for Student Financial Aid The Head of School may release, without parents' consent, student information regarding financial aid for which a student has applied or which a student has received, provided that personally-identifiable information from the educational records of the student may be used only to determine the eligibility of the student for financial aid, to determine the amount of financial aid, to determine the conditions which will be imposed regarding the financial aid and/or to enforce the terms or conditions of the financial aid. Financial aid means a payment of funds provided to an individual (or a payment in kind of tangible or intangible property to the individual) that is conditioned on the individuals attendance at an educational agency or institution. Disclosure for Purposes of Marketing or Selling Information The Board shall not permit the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information collected from students for the purpose of marketing or for selling that information (or otherwise providing that information to others for that purpose). For purposes of this section, "personal information" means individually identifiable information including: (1) a student or parent's first and last name; (2) a home or other physical address (including street name and the name of the city or town); (3) a telephone number; or (4) a Social Security identification number.
Personalized Instruction Plan (PIP), an Individualized Learning Plan

According to research on how students learn, students who have clearly identified their academic goals (in writing) are more likely to achieve academic success than those who do not have a goal or who have not committed it in writing. The Ohio Virtual Academy utilizes a Personalized Instruction Plan (PIP) for each student in order to involve the parent, student, and OHVA teachers in the academic goal-setting process. The Personalized Instruction Plan is designed to assist with organizing the students academic workload and to articulate academic goals. The development of the PIP is a collaborative team process involving all parties the student, parent, and OHVA teacher. The PIP will help to communicate achievement test results, K12 course sequencing, Study Island progress, and other resources and academic planning that may assist the student in achieving his/her academic goals.
Physical Education
Physical education is a required course. Students are required to complete 36 attendance hours of physical education activities per year, up to a maximum of 72 hours per year. Physical Education activities eligible for attendance credit are to be structured, organized, and supervised (SOS). Examples: Participation in athletic classes or on sports teams do qualify as SOS activities, but riding a bicycle around the neighborhood does not. Participation in dance class qualifies; skateboarding in the park does not. 32
However, if riding the bike or skateboarding are part of a monitored program where goals are set and monitored, activities like these would qualify as SOS.
Progress Reporting
K-8 parents have daily access to information regarding their children's progress in the K12 system through the OnLine School (OLS) Planning and Progress screen. The OLS provides upto-date attendance information and details regarding the current progress in each individual course assigned to the student. Parents also have access to their child's teacher through electronic messaging and through telephone conferencing. In addition to the above, the Ohio Virtual Academy will provide a written progress report at the end of each semester. The progress report will include a letter-based indicator of progress such as Mastered, Complete, and Incomplete. The childs teacher also provides a short narrative report. Individual and group performance results on statewide achievement testing will be distributed to parents in a timely manner. The percentages below are used to determine marks on a students progress reports and are based on a students full-year enrollment. Teachers will use a prorated percentage for those students who enroll mid-year. In this case, the records/report card from the students previous school will also be used as a reference for promotional decisions. The following mastery-based letter grades, used on mid-year and/or final progress reports, are indicators of relative course completion: M C I = mastered = completed sufficient percentage for advancement = Incomplete (subject will carry over to the next school year if the student continues enrollment in OHVA) The following course completion percentages will be used to determine progress letter grades on end-of-year progress reports: Math and Language Arts (based on core lessons) 100% = M 90 to 99% = C 89% and below = I History and Science (based on core lessons) 100% = M 90 to 99% = C 89% and below = I Art and Music 100% = M 30 to 89% = P 33
90 to 99% = C 29% and below = I Special Note: Based upon an overall consistent progress in the OLS core subjects the determination will be made for advancement in Art & Music throughout the year at the discretion of administration & teacher. 30% completion will show on the child's progress report (P), but the course will continue in the child's online school for the following year. Any student who is behind in the critical content area(s) of language arts and/or mathematics may be put on an acceleration plan so that greater progress can be made in these subjects. Expectations for completion in art and/or music may be greatly reduced or even temporarily suspended so that the student can focus on critical content. In these cases, teachers and parents may negotiate on the final letter grade(s) in art and/or music.
Special Education
The Ohio Virtual Academy offers a full special education program for students who have been identified with special needs. A process has been established that is fully compliant with the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEIA) and the Ohio Revised Code to both identify and serve eligible children. General education teachers will work with the Special Education Manager and with the Intervention Specialist teachers to identify and children with disabilities. Disabilities in this case means such conditions as hearing impairments, speech or language impairments, specific learning disabilities, emotionally disturbed, multiple disabilities, cognitive disability, other health impairments, physical impairments, autism, and traumatic brain injury that significantly impacts the childs educational performance. If you have or know of a child who may have a disability, contact the Special Education Manager or At-Risk Coordinator for more information. Please refer to the Child Find section for more information.
Surrogate Parents for Children with Disabilities

A surrogate parent will be appointed if no parent can be identified, the parent cannot be located, the child is a ward of the state or the child is an unaccompanied homeless youth as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The appointment may either be made by a court or the Head of School in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) and the Operating Standards for Ohios Educational Agencies Serving Children with Disabilities. An individual who serves as a surrogate parent for a child with a disability is appointed to act in place of a parent to make educational decisions for the child, such as all matters relating to the childs identification, evaluation and educational placement and in the provision of a free appropriate public education. The Head of School may appoint an individual, as a surrogate parent, if all four conditions below apply. The appointed surrogate must:
34
Not be an employee of the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), OHVA or any other agency that is involved in the education or care of the child; o Have no personal or professional interest that conflicts with the interest of the child being represented; o Have knowledge and skills that ensure adequate representation of the child; and o Have successfully completed training prescribed by ODE prior to acting on behalf of the child. The Head of School may consult with OHVAs sponsor, Ohio Council of Community Schools, with assistance in determining whether a child needs a surrogate parent as well as appointing an appropriate surrogate parent for a child.
Title I Support Services

Ohio Virtual Academy offers supportive, remediation services for children who are identified as qualifying in the areas of reading and math. These services offer supplemental instruction using a variety of additional resources and strategies. If you have a concern about your child's progress in reading or math, please share these concerns with your assigned regular education teacher.
English as a Second Language Support Services

Ohio Virtual Academy also offers supportive services to those students having a primary language other than English. If you have or know of a child of limited English proficiency, please contact the Manager of Federal Title Programs for more information.
Safety Glasses
When participating in Science labs, students should always wear the personal protective equipment (safety glasses) that have been supplied by OHVA as part of each students Science kit. Safety glasses should be in place before any Science activities are started when liquid or other potentially harmful substances or objects may come in contact with the eyes. Safety glasses should remain in place until the activity is complete and the cleanup from the activity has been concluded.
Scantron
OHVA uses Scantron online assessments to assess where students are in their learning as well as a measure of growth from the beginning to the end of the school year. The assessments are administered in the homes of the student. The Scantron Performance Series assessment dates are included on the OHVA calendar so that parents/learning coaches can set aside time in their instructional schedules to allow students to complete them. The Performance Series assessments are computer adaptive. The questions begin below the students present grade level and continue to get more difficult as the student correctly answers questions during the assessment. Students are not expected to answer all questions correctly as the difficulty level increases above their present grade and ability levels. The student will automatically be notified on the computer 35
screen when the assessment session ends. Students are permitted to take breaks during the assessments and are not required to complete them in one sitting. The results of the assessments are shared with parents in both reports and discussions. All students in grades three through ten are expected to participate in the Scantron assessment sequence.
State and Standardized Testing

The Ohio Department of Education has established a plan to assess the academic proficiency of the public school students in the state. Since the Ohio Virtual Academy is a public community school, OHVAs students are required to participate in the state KRA-L, diagnostic, and achievement tests according to the parameters and schedule that have been established by the state. Most state tests are administered at regional testing sites, but in some circumstances tests may be administered to students at alternate locations. Parents must make arrangements for transportation to ensure their childs presence at all required state tests and are expected to help the school comply with OHVAs responsibility to fulfill the state testing requirements. Students who fail to take one or more of the required grade level tests for two consecutive years will be withdrawn from OHVA. More information regarding the state assessments, including an up-to-date test schedule, can be accessed by visiting the Ohio Department of Education web site at: www.ode.state.oh.us Testing & Assessments Achievement Tests
Student Code of Conduct

This code applies to student conduct on school property, on live web conferencing and while in the control or custody of the school, regardless of whether on or off school premises, or at a school-related activity, regardless of location. The types of conduct prohibited by this code are as follows: OHVA Student Code of Conduct and Acceptable Use Guidelines Discipline Code As an OHVA student, you are subject to the rules and restrictions implemented by your virtual academy AND the Student Code of Conduct and Acceptable Use Guidelines which is provided at the end of this handbook. Prior to the start date for each school year in which you are registered, your must read the Student Code of Conduct and Acceptable Use Guidelines and agree to abide by its terms.
36
This document describes the policies and guidelines for the use of the OHVA high school and exists to ensure that all OHVA students are aware of and understand their responsibilities when accessing and using OHVA resources. OHVA reserves the right to update or alter this agreement at any time. Such revisions may substantially alter access to OHVA instructional computing resources. OHVA instructional computing resources include any computer, software, or transmission system that is owned, operated, or leased by OHVA. As a student enrolled in OHVA, you should be aware of the following guidelines and expectations. Any activity that is not listed here, which violates local, state, or federal laws, is considered a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and Acceptable Use Guidelines. Failure to follow these guidelines could result in the: Removal of your access to OHVA instructional computing resources, which could result in your inability to complete learning activities. Your removal from the course. Involvement with law enforcement agencies and possible legal action. Student Conduct Respect for law and for those persons in authority shall be expected of all students. This includes conformity to school rules as well as general provisions of law affecting students. Respect for the rights of others, consideration of their privileges, and cooperative citizenship shall also be expected of all members of the school community. Respect for real and personal property; pride in one's work; achievement within the range of one's ability; and exemplary personal standards of courtesy, decency, and honesty shall be maintained in OHVA. Students may be subject to discipline for violation of the Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code even if that conduct occurs on property not owned or controlled by the school but that is connected to activities or incidents that have occurred on property owned or controlled by the school, or conduct that, regardless of where it occurs, is directed at a student, school official or employee, or the property of such student, school official or employee. Accountability Use only your own user name and password, and do not share these with anyone. Posting anonymous messages is not permitted unless authorized by the courses online teacher. Impersonating another person is also strictly prohibited. Do not interfere with other users ability to access OHVA or disclose anyones password to others or allow them to use another users account. You are responsible for all activity that is associated with your username and password. Do change your password(s) frequently, at least once per semester or course is encouraged. 37
Do not publicly post your personal contact information (address and phone number) or anyone elses. Do not publicly post any messages that were sent to you privately. Do not download, transmit or post material that is intended for personal gain or profit, nonOHVA commercial activities, non-OHVA product advertising, or political lobbying on an OHVA owned instructional computing resource. Do not use OHVA instructional computing resources to sell or purchase any illegal items or substances. Do not upload or post any software on OHVA instructional computing resources that are not specifically required and approved for your assignments. Do not post any MP3 files, compressed video, or other non-instructional files to any OHVA server. Inappropriate Behavior Inappropriate behavior includes: Insults or attacks of any kind against another person. Use of obscene, degrading, or profane language. Harassment (continually posting unwelcome messages to another person) or use of threads Posting material that is obscene or defamatory or which is intended to annoy, harass or intimidate another person. This includes distributing spam mail, chain e-mail, viruses, or other intentionally Destructive content. Use of Tobacco The Principal is committed to providing students, staff, and visitors with an indoor tobacco-free environment. The negative health effects of tobacco use for both the users and nonusers, particularly in connection with second hand smoke, are well established. Further, providing an indoor tobacco-free environment is consistent with the role-modeling responsibilities of teachers and staff to our students. For purposes of this policy, "use of tobacco" shall mean all uses of tobacco, including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, or any other matter or substances that contain tobacco, in addition to papers used to roll cigarettes. In order to protect students and staff who choose not to use tobacco from an environment noxious to them, the Principal prohibits the possession, consumption, purchase or attempt to purchase and/or use of tobacco products by students on school premises, in Principal-owned vehicles, within any indoor facility owned or leased or contracted for by the school, and used to provide education or library services to children, and at all school-sponsored events. Smoking clove cigarettes or other substances is also prohibited under the same rules. Drug Free Schools In accordance with Federal Law, the Ohio Virtual Academy prohibits the use, possession, concealment, or distribution of drugs by students on school grounds, in school or schoolapproved vehicles, or at any school-related activity. Drugs include any alcoholic beverage, 38
anabolic steroid, and dangerous controlled substance as defined by State statute or substance that could be considered a "look-a-like" controlled substance. Compliance with this policy is mandatory for all students. Any student who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, in accordance with due process and as specified in the student handbooks, up to and including expulsion from school. When required by State law, the District will also notify law enforcement officials. The District is concerned about any student who is a victim of alcohol or drug abuse and will facilitate the process by which s/he receives help through programs and services available in their local community. Students and their parents should contact the school Principal or counseling office whenever such help is needed. Harassment Reporting If you are being harassed within the school environment (K-Mail, Elluminate or ClassConnect, school outings, including testing), it is important to report it immediately to your teacher. Harassment comes in many forms including: spam (unsolicited e-mails not pertaining to the course) threatening communications offensive communications or any other kind of communication that makes you feel uncomfortable Confidentiality The Ohio Virtual Academy School will make reasonable efforts to maintain the confidentiality of the parties involved in a harassment investigation. Confidentiality, however, cannot be guaranteed. The Principal reserves the right to investigate and resolve a complaint or report of unlawful harassment regardless of whether the member of the OHVA School community or third party alleging the harassment pursues the complaint. Student Internet Safety Do not reveal on the Internet personal information about yourself or other persons. For example, you should not reveal your name, home address, telephone number, or display photographs of yourself or others to persons outside of the OHVA. Do not agree to meet in person anyone you have met only on the Internet and who is not affiliated with the OHVA. Network Etiquette As an OHVA student, you are expected to follow the rules of network etiquette or netiquette. The word "netiquette" refers to common-sense guidelines for conversing with others online. Please abide by these standards: Avoid sarcasm, jargon, and slang. Swear words are unacceptable. Never use derogatory comments, including those regarding race, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, political persuasion, body type, physical or mental health, or access issues. Focus your responses on the questions or issues being discussed, not on the individuals involved. 39
Be constructive with your criticism, not hurtful. Review your messages before sending them. Remove easily misinterpreted language and proofread for typos. Respect other peoples privacy. Don't broadcast online discussions, and never reveal other people's email addresses. Use of Copyrighted Materials All materials in the courses are copyrighted and provided for use exclusively by enrolled students. Enrolled students may print or photocopy material from the website for their own use by or distribution to others is prohibited unless expressly noted. Unauthorized copying or distribution may result in revoked access to course(s). Users shall not upload, download, transmit or post copyrighted software or copyrighted materials, materials protected by trade secrets or other protections using OHVA computer resources. This includes copyrighted graphics of cartoon characters or other materials that you found that may appear to be non-copyright protected. Academic Integrity All work submitted by a student is assumed to have been completed by the student. Students are responsible for observing the standards on plagiarism and properly crediting all sources relied on in the composition of their work. Failure to abide by these standards will be reported to the appropriate administrative authorities and may result in loss of credit and revoked access to course(s). Plagiarism Plagiarism is the act of submitting someone elses work as your own original, creative production. If you use another persons writing or original work, you must cite their words using an appropriate manuscript style in the Works Cited page, Endnotes, or in a Bibliography. The exact wording should be in quotation marks or paraphrased in the paper and referenced as such in the paragraph in which it appears. You may not copy and paste directly from the Internet without giving appropriate credit to the author. Plagiarism is a serious academic violation. Plagiarism will result in no credit and will also be considered as a disciplinary issue and may result in removal from OHVA. Source Citation Many courses require written work in which you will need to cite sources. Any direct quotations from your textbook can simply be cited as (Author, Page Number). Any quotations from outside sources require full citations, including author, title, publisher, date of publication, and page number. If you're citing information found on a Web site, provide the complete Web page or site title, URL, author if known, page number if applicable, and publication date of the site, if available. Testing State achievement testing (Ohio Achievement Testing, Ohio Graduation Test - OGT) or any other form of diagnostic or standardized testing is required for all students enrolled in OHVA. 40
Failure to test places OHVA at risk and will jeopardize the students continued enrollment in OHVA. Monitoring K-Mail, TheBigThink, Computer Downloads to OHVA Computers, and other Material OHVA reserves the right to review any material transmitted using OHVA instructional computing resources or posted to an OHVA instructional computing resource to determine the appropriateness of such material. OHVA may review this material at any time, with or without notice. K-Mail transmitted via OHVA instructional computing resources is not private and may be monitored. Student Discipline The schools Administration acknowledges that conduct is closely related to learning - an effective instructional program requires an orderly school environment and the effectiveness of the educational program is, in part, reflected in the behavior of students. The Administration believes that the best discipline is self-imposed and that students should learn to assume responsibility for their own behavior and the consequences of their actions. The Administration requires each student of this school to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code set forth by the Administration and to submit to such disciplinary measures as are appropriately assigned for infraction of those rules. Such rules shall require that students: A. conform to reasonable standards of socially-acceptable behavior; B. respect the person and property of others; C. preserve the degree of order necessary to the educational program in which they are engaged; D. respect the rights of others; E. obey constituted authority and respond to those who hold that authority. The Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code designates sanctions for the infractions of rules, excluding corporal punishment, which shall: A. relate in kind and degree to the infraction; B. help the student learn to take responsibility for his/her actions; C. be directed, where possible, to reduce the effects of any harm which may have been caused by the students misconduct. 41
Students may be prohibited by authorized school personnel from participating in all or part of cocurricular and/or extra-curricular activities without further notice, hearing or appeal rights. Due Process Rights A student cannot be suspended or expelled and thereby deprived of a free education provided in the public schools without due process. Due process requirements guarantee all students the right to fair notice, fair procedures, and a fair hearing. The student and his or her parents or guardians have the responsibility to follow the procedures set forth herein in a respectful and timely fashion. A student who is accused of misbehavior or a breach of this Code of Student Conduct will be presented to the Head of School or his/her designee by the person having knowledge of the violation or potential violation of the Code of Conduct. A. Written Referral: Violations shall be presented in written form and should be specific, indicating the breach of the Code of Student Conduct for which the referral is being issued. B. Student Notification: The student will be placed on notice of the violation by the Head of School or designee and afforded an opportunity to explain. C. Initial Conference: An initial conference (in person or by teleconference or other appropriate communications technology) shall be conducted by the Head of School or designee at each level of discipline. 1. Charges and Evidence: The Head of School or designee shall confer with the student, explain the charges and evidence against the student, and allow the student an opportunity to present his or her side of the story prior to taking disciplinary action. 2. Parental Assistance: A good faith effort shall be made by the Head of School or designee to employ parental assistance or other alternative measures prior to suspension, except in the case of emergency or disruptive conditions that require immediate suspension or in the case of a serious breach of conduct. D. Parental Notification: 1. By Telephone or Electronic Messaging: The Head of School or designee shall make a good faith effort to notify the parent by telephone or electronic messaging of the students misconduct and the proposed disciplinary action. By Written Notice: Regardless of whether there has been communication with the students parent by telephone, the Head of School or designee shall, within twenty-four (24) hours of taking disciplinary action, send written notice to the parent describing the disciplinary action imposed and the reasons
42
SUSPENSION, EXPULSION, AND PERMANENT EXCLUSION OF STUDENTS Violations Leading to Suspension "Suspension" shall be the temporary exclusion of a student for a period not to exceed ten (10) school days. Suspension may extend beyond the current school year, if at the time a suspension is imposed; fewer than ten (10) days remain in the school year. Violations which may lead to Suspension include: Abusive language or conduct Abusive conduct is when a student uses or engages in abusive, profane, obscene, or vulgar language or conduct in the presence of another person, whether in person or electronically. Cheating A student who participates in using, copying, or providing another student with any test answers or answer keys or another persons work, representing it to be their own work, is guilty of unacceptable conduct. In addition to this, it is considered cheating if a student uses his/her parents OLS account to log attendance, inappropriately access assessments or answer documents. Disruptive Behavior (including Use of Tobacco) and/or minor infractions: A student who engages in unacceptable behavior or conduct that is disruptive to the educational process, but is not considered a serious breach of conduct, or who violates school rules and policies determined by the Head of School to be minor in nature, is guilty of unacceptable conduct. Unauthorized access A student who enters part of the school website that has been denied to them by administrators will be in violation of the schools Technology Use Policy. Abusive language or conduct directed at a school employee or trustee A student who uses or engages in abusive, profane, obscene, or vulgar language or conduct directed at a school employee or trustee is guilty of a serious breach of conduct. False information A student who knowingly and intentionally reports or gives false or misleading information, either oral or written, which may injure another persons character or reputation or disrupt the orderly process of the school, is guilty of a serious breach of conduct. Interference with the education process (including Harassment (of any type) and Bullying) A student who is guilty of willful disobedience, open defiance of the authority of the Head of School or any member of the school staff, violence against persons or property, or any other act the substantially disrupts the orderly conduct of the school is guilty of a serious bread of conduct. 43
Vandalism A student who intentionally destroys, damages, or defaces records or property (whether physical or electronic) owned by or in the possession of the Board or other members of the district staff are guilty of a serious breach of conduct. Theft A student who takes from another person money or other property (whether physical or electronic) belonging to the other person with the intent to permanently deprive the victim of such property is guilty of a serious breach of conduct that may be reported to the proper law enforcement agency. Harassment Pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, "sexual harassment" is defined as: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when: 1. Submission to such conduct is made either implicitly or explicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment, or status in a class, educational program, or activity; 2. Submission or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment or educational decisions affecting such individual; 3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with the individual's work or educational performance; of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working, and/or learning environment; or of interfering with one's ability to participate in or benefit from a class or an educational program or activity. Sexual harassment may involve the behavior of a person of either gender against a person of the same or opposite gender. Prohibited acts that constitute sexual harassment may take a variety of forms. Examples of the kinds of conduct that may constitute sexual harassment include, but are not limited to: 1. Unwelcome sexual propositions, invitations, solicitations, and flirtations. 2. Physical assault. 3. Threats or insinuations that a person's academic grade, promotion, classroom work or assignments, academic status, participation in school-related activities may be adversely affected by not submitting to sexual advances. 44
4. Unwelcome verbal expressions of a sexual nature, including graphic sexual commentaries about a person's body, dress, appearance, or sexual activities; the unwelcome use of sexually degrading language, jokes or innuendoes; unwelcome suggestive or insulting sounds or whistles; obscene telephone calls. 5. Sexually suggestive objects, pictures, videotapes, audio recordings or literature, placed in the work or educational environment, which may embarrass or offend individuals. 6. Unwelcome and inappropriate touching, patting, or pinching; obscene gestures. 7. A pattern of conduct, which can be subtle in nature, that has sexual overtones and is intended to create or has the effect of creating discomfort and/or humiliation to another. 8. Remarks speculating about a person's sexual activities or sexual history, or remarks about one's own sexual activities or sexual history. 9. Consensual sexual relationships where such relationship leads to favoritism of a student with whom the teacher or superior is sexually involved and where such favoritism adversely affects other students. Not all behavior with sexual connotations constitutes unlawful sexual harassment. Conduct must be sufficiently severe, pervasive, and persistent such that it adversely affects an individuals education, or such that it creates a hostile or abusive educational environment. Race/Color Harassment Prohibited racial harassment occurs when unwelcome physical, verbal, or nonverbal conduct is based upon an individual's race or color and when the conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with the individual's educational performance; of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive learning environment; or of interfering with one's ability to participate in or benefit from a class or an educational program or activity. Such harassment may occur where conduct is directed at the characteristics of a person's race or color, such as racial slurs, nicknames implying stereotypes, epithets, and/or negative references relative to racial customs. National Origin Harassment Prohibited national origin harassment occurs when unwelcome physical, verbal, or nonverbal conduct is based upon an individual's national origin and when the conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with the individual's educational performance; of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive learning environment; or of interfering with one's ability to participate in or benefit from a class or an educational program or activity. Such harassment may occur where conduct is directed at the characteristics of a person's national origin, such as negative comments regarding customs, manner of speaking, language, surnames, or ethnic slurs. Disability Harassment Prohibited disability harassment occurs when unwelcome physical, verbal, or nonverbal conduct is based upon an individual's disability and when the conduct has the purpose or effect of 45
interfering with the individual's educational performance; of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive learning environment; or of interfering with one's ability to participate in or benefit from a class or an educational program or activity. Such harassment may occur where conduct is directed at the characteristics of a person's disabling condition, such as negative comments about speech patterns, movement, physical impairments or defects/appearances, or the like. Bullying Bullying is defined as a person willfully and repeatedly exercising power or control over another with hostile or malicious intent (i.e., repeated oppression, physical or psychological, of a less powerful individual by a more powerful individual or group). Bullying can be physical, verbal, and/or psychological. 1. Physical hitting, kicking, spitting, pushing, pulling, taking and/or damaging personal belongings or extorting money, blocking or impeding student movement, unwelcome physical contact. 2. Verbal taunting, making fun of, malicious teasing, insulting, name calling, making threats. 3. Psychological spreading rumors, manipulating social relationships, coercion, or engaging in social exclusion/shunning, extortion, or intimidation. Indecent exposure or conduct A student, who exposes or exhibits his or her sexual organs in the presence of others in a lewd, indecent, or obscene, either in person or on-line, is guilty of a serious breach of conduct that may be reported to the proper law enforcement agency. Burglary A student who enters or remains in a building or property owned or maintained by the Board with the intent to commit theft, vandalism, or some other criminal offense therein, is guilty of burglary unless the premises are at the time open to the public or the student is legally authorized to enter or remain. However, the fact that the premises may be open to the public or that the student may be authorized to enter or remain will not excuse any other offense, violation, or other breach of conduct committed by that student while therein. Burglary is a serious breach of conduct that may be reported to the proper law enforcement agency. Violations Leading to Expulsion "Expulsion" shall be the exclusion of a student from the schools of this District for a period not to exceed the greater of eighty (80) school days or the number of school days remaining in a semester or term in which the incident that gives rise to the expulsion takes place or for one (1) year. Violations which may lead to expulsion include: Firearm A firearm is defined as any weapon, including a starter gun which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile, the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any firearm 46
muffler or silencer, or any destructive device. A destructive device, includes, but is not limited to any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas, bomb, grenade, rocket having a propellant charge of more than four (4) ounces, missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than onequarter ounce, mine, or other similar device. A firearm is also defined as a "look-alike" weapon that is indistinguishable from a firearm to include b-b (pellet guns, paint ball guns, air pistol or air rifle). Knife or Club A knife is defined as any weapon or cutting instrument consisting of a blade fastened to a handle; a razor blade; or any similar device (including sharp, metal martial arts weapons such a ninja throwing stars) that is used for, or is readily capable of, causing death or serious bodily injury. A club includes any blunt instrument that may be used to threaten or harm an individual. Battery A student who intentionally strikes another person against the will of the other person or intentionally causes bodily harm to another person is guilty of a serious breach of conduct that may be reported to the proper law enforcement agency. Substance abuse A student who uses illegal substances while on an official school campus, at a school-sponsored activity, or on other property owned or maintained by the Board is guilty of a serious breach of conduct. Bomb and explosive A student who is in possession of a bomb, explosive device, or substance while at a schoolsponsored activity away from home, on property owned or maintained by the Board for school related purposes, or a chartered bus (unless the material or device is being used as part of a legitimate school-related activity or science project conducted under the supervision of an instructor with the knowledge and consent of the Head of School) is guilty of a serious breach of conduct. Arson A student who willfully, by fire or explosion, damages or attempts to damage any building, structure, vehicle, or other property owned or maintained by the Board for school-related purposes is guilty of a serious breach of conduct that may be reported to the proper law enforcement agency. Threat A student who intentionally threatens, by work or act, to strike or cause bodily harm to another person, has the apparent ability to carry out such threat, and causes the other person to have a well-founded fear that he or she is about to be struck or about to suffer such bodily harm is guilty of a serious breach of conduct that may be reported to the proper law enforcement agency. Menacing Menacing includes, but is not limited to, any threat or act intended to place a student, school employee, or third party in fear of imminent serious physical injury. 47
Intimidation Intimidation includes, but is not limited to, any threat or act intended to tamper with, substantially damage or interfere with anothers property, cause substantial inconvenience, subject another to offensive physical contact or inflict serious physical injury on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or sexual orientation. Violations leading to Expulsion The following violations will lead to expulsion, following the due process procedures noted above. Weapons: A student who displays or is in possession of an object normally considered a weapon (other than a firearm), such as a knife or club, while attending a school-sponsored activity away from home is guilty of a serious breach of conduct. Firearms: A firearm is any weapon (including a starter gun, pellet gun, B-B gun, air rifle, or air pistol) that will, or is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the actions of an explosive or compressed or forced air. It is the expressed policy of the Board that, with the exception of law enforcement officers, no person shall have in his or her possession any firearm of any nature, including a firearm used for recreational activities, while on an official school campus, at a school-sponsored activity away from home, or on other property owned or maintained by the Board. Violations Leading to Permanent Exclusion of Regular Education (non-disabled) Students In accordance with the law, the Head of School may seek to permanently exclude a student, sixteen (16) years of age or older, who has been convicted of or adjudicated delinquent for the reason of the following offenses: A. carrying a concealed weapon or conveying or possessing a deadly weapon or dangerous ordinance on property owned or controlled by the Board or at an activity held under the auspices of this Board B. possessing, selling, or offering to sell controlled substances on property owned or controlled by a Board or at an activity under the auspices of this Board C. complicity to commit any of the above offenses, regardless of where the complicity occurred In accordance with law, any student, sixteen (16) years of age or older, who has been convicted or adjudicated delinquent for committing the following offenses may be subject to permanent exclusion: A. rape, gross sexual imposition or felonious sexual penetration 48
B. murder, manslaughter, felonious or aggravated assault C. complicity to commit offenses described in paragraphs A and B, regardless of where the complicity occurs The above statement of policy on permanent exclusion is to be posted in a central location in each school and placed in the Student/Parent Handbook. Prohibition from Extra-Curricular Activities Participation in school-sponsored extra-curricular activities is a privilege and not a right. Therefore, the Head of School authorizes the Principal and assistant principals and other authorized personnel employed by the District to supervise a student activity program, to prohibit a student from participating in any particular or all extra-curricular activities of the District for offenses or violations of the Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code for a period not to exceed the remainder of the school year in which the offense or violation of the Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code took place. Students prohibited from participation in all or part of any extra-curricular activity are not entitled to further notice, hearing, or appeal rights. School Sponsored Publications and Productions The School may sponsor student publications and productions as means by which students can learn, under adult direction, the skills required for such activities, as well as the rights and responsibilities of public expression in a free society. For purposes of this policy, "publications" shall include any audio, visual, or written materials such as tapes, banners, films, pamphlets, notices, newspapers, books, or other like materials. "Productions" shall include theatrical performances as well as speeches, skits, and impromptu dramatic presentations. In sponsoring a student publication or production, the Administration is mindful of the fact that it may be heard, viewed, or received by students of varying ages and maturities, and must accordingly be suitable for those students who are likely to be exposed to such publication or production, either directly or indirectly. Opposing points of view on topics of general interest may be presented in a responsible manner, which will ordinarily require that equal opportunity for expression be given to each viewpoint. As with all publications and productions, expressions of opinion must be made in a manner which does not violate prevailing community standards. The Administration reserves the right to exercise editorial control over school-sponsored publications or productions, or to prohibit such publications or productions in their entirety if deemed necessary.
49
Student Records
In order to provide appropriate educational services and programming, OHVA must collect, retain, and use information about individual students. In order to safeguard students privacy, OHVA restricts access to students personally identifiable information. Student records shall be available only to students, and their parents, eligible students, designated school officials, and designated school personnel, who have a legitimate educational interest in the information, and to other individuals or organizations as permitted by law. The term "parents" includes legal guardians or other persons standing in loco parentis (such as a grandparent or stepparent with whom the child lives, or a person who is legally responsible for the welfare of the child). The term "eligible student" refers to a student who is eighteen (18) years of age or older, or a student of any age who is enrolled in a postsecondary institution. Both parents shall have equal access to student records unless stipulated otherwise by court order or law. Parents of eligible students may be allowed access to the students records without the student's consent, provided the student is considered a dependent under section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code. "Legitimate educational interest" shall be defined as a "direct or delegated responsibility for helping the student achieve one or more of the educational goals of the District" or if the record is necessary in order for the school official to perform an administrative, supervisory, or instructional task or to perform a service or benefit for the student or the student's family. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords parents and eligible students certain rights with respect to the student's education records. These rights are: (1) The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the School receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the Head of School a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Head of School will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. (2) The right to request an amendment of the students education records that the parent or eligible student believes is inaccurate. Parents or eligible students may ask the School to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the Head of School clearly identifying the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If the School decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the School will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing. (3) The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is 50
disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the School as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the Governing Board; a person or company with whom the School has contracted to perform a special task (such as an administration, attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the School may disclose education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. OHVA will make a reasonable attempt to notify the parent or student of the records requested unless it states in its annual notification that it intends to forward records on request. (4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by OHVA to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are: Family Policy Compliance Office U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202-5901 The Governing Board hereby authorizes the administration to: 1. provide personally-identifiable information to appropriate parties in connection with an emergency if such knowledge is necessary to protect the health and safety of the student or other individuals; 2. request each person or party requesting access to a students record to abide by federal and state laws concerning the disclosure of such information; 3. report a crime committed by a child with a disability to appropriate authorities and to transmit copies of the students special education and disciplinary records to the authorities for their consideration; 4. forward student records, including disciplinary records with respect to any current suspension and expulsion, upon request to a private or public school or school
Study Island - Achievement Assessment Preparation

OHVA K-8 students have access to a computer-based Internet test preparation program called Study Island. Study Island is designed to help your child master Ohios Academic Content Standards specific to your childs grade. Study Islands focus on the standards enables students to improve their performance in all skill areas tested on Ohios achievement tests, which leads to improved performance. Students in grades 2-8 are expected to work consistently in Study Island. It is optional for students in kindergarten and grade 1. Your childs participation in Study Island 51
is reviewed weekly by your childs teacher. Study Island appears as an attendance only course on the OHVA Online School. Please see Appendix B for more information on Study Island.
Teacher Assignments
Each student enrolled in OHVA is assigned one teacher of record. If a student needs supplemental services, additional teachers may work with him/her as an intervention specialist or Title I teacher. Occasionally, class lists must be adjusted to accommodate various factors in our ever-changing school environment. At any time during the school year, it may be necessary to reassign students to a different teacher among the OHVA staff. Every attempt will be made to minimize the number of teacher reassignments experienced by students. OHVA attracts and employs Ohios best available teachers. Parent requests for specific teachers are not solicited, nor parent requests encouraged. Teacher assignments are complicated and based on a number of factors including teacher licensure, experience, and the schools current staffing and academic needs. Parents who have concerns with their teacher(s) are requested to make a good faith effort to resolve the difficulties by discussing them with the teacher. If the concern continues to be unresolved, parents should contact the grade level academic Principal.
Truancy
The state of Ohio, by law, requires school attendance for all children between the ages of 6 and 18 years of age. Attendance applies to Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA) students in the form of regular, logged in participation in the educational activities of OHVAs Online School (OLS). Such participation is documented by the attendance component of the OHVA Online School. The Ohio Virtual Academy has the responsibility to enforce Ohio Compulsory Educational Laws. The responsibility of student compliance with the law belongs with the parents. An OHVA student will be considered truant if he or she fails to log/record any attendance hours on the OLS for one week (25 hours). Continued truancy of a period of 30 days without logged attendance will lead to truancy withdrawal. Habitual truancy over the course of the year can also lead to truancy withdrawal. Ohio Virtual Academy curriculum is available 24 hours per day and 7 days per week via the Online School. A missed day of work during the week can be made up on the weekend or spread out over the course of the next week. In order to avoid potential truancy situations, please communicate with your teacher regarding any planned vacations or illness issues that could be misinterpreted as truancy.
52
Withdrawal Process
Parents who decide to withdraw their student from OHVA are required by the State of Ohio to communicate their intentions to their assigned teacher prior to the withdrawal from OHVA. OHVA is required to report the school option to which the student is moving. The supplied computer hardware and materials must be returned in a timely manner. OHVA will send pre-paid shipping labels to help expedite the return shipments.
53
Appendix A Supplemental Hours

What Counts for Supplemental Hours
1. Teachable moments (whenever you are teaching a child a skill for the first time) Examples: Working in the garden learning to weed, plant, fertilize Cooking learning to read a recipe, follow directions, measure Setting the table learning one to one correspondence, following directions Sorting laundry learning the skill Bedtime stories Helping parent complete a project such as building a birdhouse Repetitive tasks are not countable. Examples: Working in the garden every day Cooking dinner every night Setting the table after it is mastered 2. Sports, health, and music activities beyond the curriculum Examples: Piano lessons Soccer team Safety or first-aid classes 3. Learning activities shared by siblings all involved in activities meant for one Examples: Reading stories Art projects Science experiments Reading History screens Activities in which no new skills are mastered are not countable Examples: seventh grader sitting in on first grade literature lesson repeating lessons that have already been mastered with younger sibling rolling coins for paper route each week 4. Games which support skill development, provide new knowledge, or higher level thinking skills Examples: Monopoly Jr. money skills Sim Ant life science knowledge BrainQuest Cranium Games that do not provide sound educational outcomes, or only utilize skills already fully mastered are not countable. Examples: Card games such as War or Snap after basic matching skills are mastered.
54
Appendix B Study Island
Study Island is designed to help your child master Ohios Academic Content Standards specific to your childs grade. Study Islands focus on the standards enables students to improve their performance in all skill areas tested on Ohios tests, which leads to improved performance. For Study Island Tech Support Phone: 800-419-3191 or Email: support@studyisland.com Do Not Call K12 Tech Support for Assistance with Study Island! FAST FACTS Every student has his own username and password. The program is divided into sections based on subject. Ohio Virtual Academy students will have access to those subject areas in which they will be assessed. Each section is made up of topics, each of which corresponds to an Ohio Academic Content Standard. Each topic contains lessons, practice questions, and explanations. Most topics are accompanied by a lesson which includes some brief information about the material covered by the questions in the topic. Although not necessary, it is helpful for students to view the lesson before beginning the topic. EXTRA INFORMATION Study Island records all student activity and makes this information available in the form of reports. These reports can be accessed by clicking one of the report links located in the menu bar on the left hand side of the screen. There is a Game Mode that may be accessed in Session Options. The default setting is the Test Mode, so in order to play games; the Game Mode must be selected from the list. In Session Option, you can also print worksheets for extra practice.
55
A warning icon beside a topic means the student had problems mastering this section and needs additional help. A dropdown icon under a topic means the student had problems and there is a remedial lesson available. GETTING STARTED You can access Study Island from any computer with an Internet connection and a standard web browser. Because it is a low frills website, it works equally well with both dial-up and high speed connections. STUDY ISLANDS WEB ADDRESS IS: www.studyisland.com Your students login name is in the following format: student ID#@ohva Example: 123456@ohva The initial password is: ohva Once you are logged in, it will ask your student to change the password. Please write down the new password and put it in a safe place. Now, enjoy spending time on Study Island! IVE SIGNED IN, NOW WHAT?
After signing in on Study Islands home page, select a subject area by clicking on the appropriate subject tab. Click Pretest in order to begin the pretest for your section. You must complete 10 pretest questions before moving on to other topics. Once you complete the pretest you may work through the remainder of the topics in any order you like. You must pass all topics before taking the Post Test. To pass a topic, you must satisfy the topics passing requirements which are based on a minimum number of questions answered and a minimum percentage correct. A blue ribbon is displayed next to all passed topics. Once you have passed all the topics in the subject, you have to pass the Post Test for that subject. [You can ignore this step if the subject doesnt have a Post Test listed.]
56
Appendix C ClassConnect Using ELLUMINATE LIVE!

Elluminate Live! is a rich collaborative environment for online meetings. Teachers will use this tool throughout the year with students and parents. This will provide real-time, remote one-onone, small group, or large group teaching or training. While students are engaged in live web conferencing sessions, such as with Elluminate, the Ohio Virtual Academy Student Code of Conduct is in effect. Abusive language, profanity, harassment, racial, religious or ethnic slurs, cheating, disruptive behavior, unauthorized access, false information, or threats constitute a violation of the student code and are subject to disciplinary action including suspension and expulsion. To get the maximum benefit from Elluminate Live!, all users should have speakers attached and turned on. A microphone can be used by participants, but it certainly is not necessary to have a microphone. Elluminate Live! can be accessed with dial-up or high-speed Internet access. Tips for Participating in an Elluminate Live! Session Preparation Find a comfortable place with no distractions. Prior to joining a session, you must configure your computer for use with Elluminate. You can do this at any time prior to the session, even days in advance, but do not wait until the last minute. The pre-configuration process can take up to 30 minutes with an older computer on a dial-up connection. This information and more is available from Elluminates Support Web Page at http://www.elluminate.com/support/. To find out more about Elluminate, you may view the 5-minute introduction by visiting the Elluminate Support Web Page and clicking on Online Orientation. In Session Be sure to join the session 5-10 minutes prior to the start. Students should log in using first name, last initial/homeroom teacher (example: John S/Miller). Parents should log in using first and last name. Use the Audio Setup Wizard to test out your microphone and speakers. This can be found on the Elluminate Support Web Page and clicking on Configuration Room. Participate in the session by responding to polls and providing feedback to the moderator. Remember to raise your hand when you have a question or comment when using your microphone. Use Direct Messaging to send messages to other participants and the moderator during the session. Remember that running other applications on your computer (such as Internet browser) can slow your connection to Elluminate Live!
57
Appendix D Power Speak World Language

The Power Speak world language series is intended to be a world language exploration opportunity for OHVA students. These courses are self supporting in that the curriculum is delivered without OHVA teacher support. World language courses are ungraded and should be looked at as supplemental to the core curriculum. There is no expectation for progress and attendance for World Language courses. However, if progress and attendance isnt demonstrated within the school year consideration should be given to course registration for the following year. Academic progress and attendance should always be given to the academic core- math, science, social studies, language arts, and reading. powerspeaK12 Reference Sheet for Ohio Virtual Academy Families No OHVA Teacher Support The powerspeaK12 world language courses make available to OHVA students are the no teacher support versions. OHVA teachers do not monitor student progress in the courses, they do not grade any work, and they are not equipped to answer questions related to content. If you need technical assistance, please call or email powerspeaK12 at: 1.800.596.0910 services@powerspeak.com Placement Based on Grade Level Elementary powerspeaK12 courses are not specific to a school grade level, but reflect the students depth of experience with the language being studied. We recommend that most students and families begin considering them in grade 3. Elementary courses can be offered in grades K-2, but we recommend them only for exceptional students with very strong reading comprehension and strong adult support. Placement Based on Previous Language Experience If your student has had no encounter with the language before, or if your student has been exposed, but has never been asked to speak in the language before, we recommend that you place the student in Elementary Year 1. Don't worry if it seems too easy at first, it will ramp up! Students who have both been exposed to the new language and who have had some experience in speaking rudimentary sentences aloud should be placed in Elementary Year 2. Placement in High School with Teachers after Taking Without-Teacher Versions in Elementary and Middle School Because of the course design, students can move easily from the without-teacher versions of the courses at lower grades to the with-teacher versions at the high school grades. This will always be easiest for students who have worked most diligently in the without-teacher versions, of 58
course. Students who, working on their own, have been least persistent in practicing speaking out loud will have to work especially hard in oral production when they encounter the withteacher versions in upper grades. But this is a self-discipline and human nature question, not one of course design. The design itself allows for an easy transition. Recommended Browser We recommend that you use powerspeaK12 in the Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 browser. It also works well with Mozilla Firefox, but we view Internet Explorer 6 as the approved default browser. Materials No materials are shipped for the elementary and middle school courses. All audio and textual samples are embedded in the course online. General Help/Support for Elementary and Middle School Courses Call or email powerspeaK12 at 1.800.596.0910 services@powerspeak.com For any support questions related to their elementary or middle school courses. Their customer service via email will take longer than a phone call. Accessing powerspeaK 12 To access powerspeaK12, families must first login to the OLS with a student account user name and password. To create a student account, parents must: 1. Login to the OLS with the learning coach user name and password. 2. Select My Account in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
3. On the My Account page, parents are able to create a student account by selecting the blue Edit button in the Student Accounts box. 4. Once the student user name and password has been created, parents will want to navigate back to the OLS Home page and select New Log-In for a new login screen to appear. Once the new screen appears, the family will be able to enter the student user name and 59
password that will take them to the student view of the OLS were they will be able to access the world language course. Once logged into the OLS via the student account, students/families will then want to select powerspeaK12 on the side of the screen to access their world language if enrolled in a world language course.
Basic Features of powerspeaK 12 Calendar Page Where students access lessons and see assignments. The K12 default time for students to spend per day per lesson in other subject areas is 60 minutes, but often in powerspeaK12 the amount of time will be much shorter than that. Students should expect to spend 20-40 minutes a day doing their world language lesson. You can see that there is a great variation in the amount of text per day on each calendar square. Fear not! These lines just convey the step by step process as students move through the sequence of instructions and activities. More text on a given day in the calendar is not necessarily proportional to a heavier workload on that day.
60
Info students/parents can watch a tutorial about what the site has to offer.
This little animation on the first day will help familiarize anyone with the structure of the powerspeaK12 courses. Its useful both for those students and families using the courses with a teacher, and those using the courses without a teacher. Because it must serve all audiences, youll hear references to the presence of a teacher in it from time to time. Students, families, and schools who are using the without-teacher versions of the courses should simply disregard these references. In the without-teacher versions, all grading is done by the computer, or teacher-graded activities are converted to practice and reinforcement activities with no teacher input needed.
61
Announcements feature will most likely go unused at this time.
Grades feature allows students and parents to view progress.
PowerspeaK12 Frequently Asked Questions 1. Will parents and teachers be able to access powerspeaK12 through their own accounts? Answer: It is something K12 and powerspeaK12 are still working on. See related info in #4 below. 2. Whenever I login to powerspeaK12, I receive an error that states "credentials mismatch". What I am I supposed to do? Answer: The "Credentials mismatch" error occurs because your enrollment has not been linked to a powerspeaK12 account. You should contact your enrollment officer to place you in a powerspeaK12 course. NOTE: You cannot use your OLS username and password to log into the powerspeaK12 system. You must connect from the OLS. 3. Clicking on some links results in a "Permission Denied" error message. What is happening? Answer: If you receive a "permission denied" error, you are trying to access a page that your account is not authorized to view. For example, you may be logged in as a learning coach, and are trying to take a quiz reserved only for students. 62
4. Whenever I login to powerspeaK12, I see "You are logged in as a coach" or a similar message. Answer: This happens when a parent is logging in to the OLS with their LC account and is then selecting the powerspeaK12 button on the OLS home page. A coach's powerspeaK12 account functions differently than a student account. When the Learning Coach accesses powerspeaK12, they are able to access the LMS and do lessons, but the progress will not be kept once they log out. Only a student has the ability to save progress made in the course. This is working as designed by powerspeaK12. We understand this is an inconvenience for those families who are using the Learning Coaches account only. Work is being done on this, but heres our current workaround, with special thanks to Dave Phelps and our Arizona colleagues for putting it together. To access powerspeaK12, families must first login to the OLS with a student account user name and password. To create a student account, parents must: 1. Login to the OLS with the learning coach user name and password. 2. Select My Account in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. 3. On the My Account page, parents are able to create a student account by selecting the blue Edit button in the Student Accounts box. 4. Once the student user name and password has been created, parents will want to navigate back to the OLS Home page and select New Log-In for a new login screen to appear. When the new screen appears, the family will be able to enter the student user name and password that will take them to the student view of the OLS were they will be able to access the world language course. Once logged into the OLS via the student account, students/families will then want to select powerspeaK12 on the side of the screen to access their world language if enrolled in a world language course. 5. I cannot see the lessons on the powerspeaK12 site. What is wrong? Answer: Do you have all of the necessary programs to run powerspeaK12 on your computer? Select and the system will run a check for the programs you will need to have on your computer. If you are missing anything, select the hyper-linked program title and follow the instructions. The most common problem is the web browser not being compatible. We recommend you download Mozilla Firefox if you are unable to access the courses in your version of Internet Explorer. 63
6. Can we reset quizzes? Answer: Yes, but we recommend that you not do it. If absolutely necessary, you (the teacher) can email powerspeaK12 or call them directly with the name of the quiz as well as with the first initial and last name of the student. K12 recommends that you not engage in this process, and that you discourage parents from asking for it. Heres why: in a without-teacher version of the coursethe version all our K8 schools except Minnesota and South Carolina are usingthe grade is not an "official" part of the students' record, so parents should not be concerned about the grade enough to take the step of asking teachers to reset it. The grade is just a symbolic, "how's it going" value, and resembles the value one would get from an automatic software evaluation if one bought a self-evaluating educational software product off the shelf in a store. Our world language courses are being offered based on that premise, so we should avoid doing anything that misleads our families about that premise. 7. My student took five quizzes and received a zero on all of them. But she says that he got them all correct. What do I do? Answer: Call or email powerspeaK12 directly to see what the issue is. 8. Is there a way for the parents to see teacher guides and answer keys? Answer: Right now, the site is set up for student usage and does not include all of the extra features of the OLS. There are no teacher guides or answer keys for these courses. 9. My student is in kindergarten and doesnt have a student account, how am I supposed to access powerspeaK12 lessons for her? Answer: Create an OLS student account for her even though she will only use it to access powerspeaK12. (See question 4 above for instructions on creating a student account) 10. Will the world language courses show up through Reference Course Access through the Curriculum Tab on the teacher OLS? Answer: No, not yet. Were considering a way of doing this but dont have a solution yet.
64
Appendix E OHVA Student Academic Achievement Awards Program

Ohio Virtual Academy is pleased to honor students with Head of School Honor Awards. The criteria for receiving awards are listed below. HOS Honor Awards are printable certificates sent via K-Mail. OHVA students in grades 6 and 8 may also be eligible for the Presidents Education Award, listed below. Students in grades K 8 are eligible to receive one HOS Award, depending on criteria met. OHVA HOS Honor Awards Academic Excellence: reward students with certificates based on: 100% Participation in state assessments Test Scores proficient or above Perfect Attendance (all required attendance hours submitted) 100% or above in OLS core lessons progress for math, language arts, history and science 100% Portfolio submission or Checkpoint Participation, dependent on grade level or teacher requirements
Academic Achievement: reward students with certificates based on: 100% Participation in state assessments Test Scores proficient or above Perfect Attendance (all required attendance hours submitted) 90% - 99% in OLS core lessons progress for math, language arts, history and science 100% Portfolio submission or Checkpoint Participation, dependent on grade level or teacher requirements
Academic Improvement: reward students with certificates based on: 100% Participation in state assessments Perfect Attendance (all required attendance hours submitted) Test Scores demonstrate improvement (possible test score sources may include achievement, diagnostic, and/or Scantron assessments) And/or significant OLS progress increase in math and/or reading demonstrating improvement (if no test scores are available) 100% Portfolio submission or Checkpoint Participation, dependent on grade level or teacher requirements Teacher Referral May be eligible for improvement in one subject area or overall. Ex: Student began the year a grade level below in math, but is now on grade level and on track.
65
Presidents Education Awards Program (PEAP) Presidential pins and certificates are awarded when a student exits one academic program and moves on to another. Students completing grades 6 and 8 are eligible if they also qualify for a HOS Honor Award and score in the Advanced or Accelerated range on the Ohio Achievement Assessments.
66
Parent Handbook Agreement 2010-2011

Students Name: ________________________________________Grade:______ Parents/Guardians Name ____________________________________________________
We have read and understand all the information contained in this handbook. We agree to abide by and support the Academys policies and regulations as outlined in the Parent handbook.
Agreed to by: Students signature Parents signature This Agreement will be placed in the students file Please mail this agreement to your home room teacher
Date Date
67

Parent Handbook

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Descrizione originale:

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Parent Handbook

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Parent Handbook 2010-2011

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Ohio Virtual Academy 2010 - 2011 School Calendar

Holiday - OHVA Office Closed

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA)

The K12 Curriculum

The OnLine School (OLS)

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Parent I Understand Statements

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Advanced Learner Program

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Computer Availability Policy

Computer Use Policy

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Course Level Advancements

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Family Accountability Plan

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Issue/I Understand Attendance

Point Value 1 FAP per month

When Recorded End of each month

Progress Portfolio Samples (K-6)

1 FAP per month 2 FAPs per required date

End of each month One week after samples are due

Work Samples (Middle School)

For Middle School students in grades 7-8, 1 FAP/month per assignment

1 FAP per missed conference

Student will take all required state achievement/diagnostic tests

Family or Student Record Changes

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Grade Placement (K-8)

Grade Level Promotion/Retention

Internet Service Provider (ISP) Reimbursement

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Materials and Equipment

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act- Statement of Policy

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

National Junior Honor Society

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

OHVA Teacher I Understand Statements

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Parent Complaint Process

Parent Information and Resource Center (PIRC)

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Parent Involvement Policy

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

OHVA Parent Steering Committee

OHVA Parent Handbook 2010 2011

Shelby Guernsey Carroll Ross Lawrence Hamilton Butler

leesadoug@hotmail.com cdrufer@comcast.net michel16@verizon.net ohva.mom.03@gmail.com wilesohva@zoominternet.net bunch63@cinci.rr.com pmccelwell@aol.com

Parent and Student Communication