Cartersville K-5 Virtual Academy FAQs

What is the K-5 Cartersville Virtual Academy Option? How is it different from CVA during the 2020-21 school year?

The K-5 Virtual Academy is a fully online alternative for Cartersville students. This option is not a separate entity or school, but rather an extension of each school site. If you are a second-grade student in the virtual academy you are still a member of the primary school and more importantly you are still a CANE! Participating students will engage in remote instruction that mirrors the classroom experience to a certain degree. The online delivery of courses will be very similar to last year's CVA program. The primary difference is that students are required to apply for enrollment. Teachers will post assignments for students to complete independently (asynchronous learning). These assignments will support high-quality instruction by addressing essential skills, knowledge, and content mastery. There will also be some opportunities for students to visit the classroom and participate in a more traditional instructional setting. 

What is the parent's role? 

The parent’s role is critical to the success of the learning experience for elementary students. Parents serve as the “learning coach” and sit alongside the students as they learn to navigate the virtual classroom. During the early weeks of the school year, students will need full-time support. As the year progresses and learners become more capable of self-management and self-direction, parental involvement may be diminished to 25%-50% support time. Please keep in mind that younger students unfamiliar with technology and not yet proficient with reading may require a higher level of support and may need the learning coach to assist as much as 4 to 5 hours a day.

Parents must work with online teachers to;

• Support learning involvement and engagement. You will need to make sure your student stays on track and completes all assessments and assignments.
• Know when to honor the productive struggle and independent learning, while balancing support with appropriate redirection and encouragement.
• Allow the student to direct the learning as much as possible; be mindful of the learning goals, but keep the student in the driver's seat.
• Refrain from providing help and guidance with assessments, allowing the teacher to accurately ascertain what has been learned and what skills or knowledge need to be revisited.
• Become familiar with and support the child in using district platforms/software.
• Support the child in making connections and building relationships with peers and teachers. Monitor class meetings, small group sessions, and 1:1 conferences.
• Partner and routinely communicate with teachers, collaborating on how best to meet the student’s needs.

For more information on content, delivery click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9FG8csyBrQ&feature=youtu.be

Do we need to sign up for the entire school year?

No. You may sign up for just the first semester of school.  Students may continue in the virtual academy or change to the traditional school for the remainder of the school year after the first semester. Students must declare their intent to stay in the virtual academy or switch to a traditional school by December 14, 2023.

What will the virtual option learning schedule look like?

A daily time commitment, Monday through Friday, will be expected for all students. Schedules may vary, depending on the school, the grade level, and/or the teacher; however, all students will be expected to engage in learning for approximately 3-5 hours each day. Students will have Cartersville teachers assigned to all of their virtual classes. Instructional time will be provided for the four core content areas of Reading/Writing, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Virtual content delivery definitions:

Synchronous - Teacher, and student(s) meet digitally for instruction and feedback at an assigned time. The synchronous window means your child’s teacher MAY schedule a virtual meeting with your child during this time frame. In all cases, teachers will provide a schedule for specific times.

Asynchronous - Students work through content already posted by the teacher. They will work through content at their own pace.

SAMPLE DAILY SCHEDULE

8:10-8:30 Morning Meeting / Activities / Goal Setting

8:30-10:30 ELA (asynchronous for content delivery. Reading and writing conferences will occur synchronously at this time either individually or in small groups. Students will confer with a teacher approximately once every 10 days. Schedules for conferences will be provided.)

10:30 - 10:50 Brain Break / Mental Health (Parents select an option best suited to their child’s needs.)

10:50-12:00 Math (asynchronous and synchronous depending on student need)

12:00-1:00 Lunch/Recess

1:00-1:45 Science / Social Studies Block (typically asynchronous)

2:15-3:00 Closure 

Will students be required to sit in front of a computer all day?

No! CCS believes that screen time for young learners should be limited and that high-quality and engaging instruction should be offered in a variety of ways throughout the school day. To achieve this learning coaches/parents will present face-to-face lessons (synchronous learning) as well as activities that can be completed independently throughout the day and/or week (asynchronous learning). Independent activities will be intentionally designed to include a healthy balance between offline learning experiences and relevant online options.

If my child becomes sick, should I sign him/her up for the elementary virtual option?

No. Whether participating in a CVA option or the on-site classroom, students who become sick will be able to receive and complete any missed assignments without penalty, therefore there is no need to change their learning environment.

Will services such as Early Intervention Program (EIP), Gifted, ESOL, and Special Education services be provided through the CVA?

Yes. The district will make every effort to provide EIP, Gifted, ESOL, 504, and Special Education services. Your child’s IEP team or 504 team will meet to review and identify individual services and supports that will be necessary to meet your child’s unique needs. However, the delivery models may be adjusted to accommodate the virtual learning environment. In some cases, students may be required to meet with special services providers at one of our buildings to receive services. Students who are currently served on an IEP will be contacted to participate in an IEP amendment meeting to discuss any needed updates to your child's individualized educational plan regarding online learning.  

Is there a cost to participate in CVA?

There is no fee to attend CVA. However, families are responsible for providing regular school supplies.

Do students receive grades and report cards?

Yes. Grading and reporting will be the same as our traditional on-site schools. Teachers will regularly communicate with parents regarding student progress.