HAZLETON AREA VIRTUAL ACADEMY

ONLINE HANDBOOK

Hazleton Area Virtual Academy: (570)459-3247

E-mail:

Curriculum:Website:

Shortcut Link: Virtual Academy

CONTACT INFORMATION

Hazleton Area Virtual AcademyMichele Medek(570)459-3247

Coordinator

GuidanceJohn Samoyedny (570)459-3221

9thgrade A-F X81517

Randy Teter

10th grade A-ZX81522

Angela Turse

11th grade A-LX81521

Olga Papa

11th Grade M-ZX81520

Lisa Stetz

12th Grade A-LX81518

Megan Taylor

12th M-ZX81519

Career Center GuidancePat CapeceX82516

Mary Jo ShalanskyX82517

Technology SupportTechnology Help Desk(570)459-3111x 4357

What is the Hazleton Area Virtual Academy?

The Hazleton Area School District believes that student learning is not confined to the classroom or the school day. Opportunities for learning today’s technologically connected world should be available at all times in many ways. The District also understands the desire of some students and parents to pursue an educational route that could be considered non-traditional but is becoming more prevalent as technology provides more learning opportunities. In an effort to create a culture of educational opportunity within the legal entitlement of a public school education, the Hazleton Area School District has created a variety of learning opportunities for students. Many of these courses take place in an on-line forum and can be accessed from any internet connection. It is the intention of the District to offer these on-line options for students while ensuring the quality and integrity of curriculum that has exemplified the tradition of excellence our students have enjoyed. Ideally, every student living in the Hazleton Area School District will find an opportunity to complete a rigorous and relevant education within the relationship that community school provides.

To that end, the District has developed the following guidelines to assure that both the individual education of each student and the academic and financial integrity of the District are maintained in this exciting time of change in education. Since the never ending march of technology makes it nearly impossible to anticipate every situation, the District maintains the latitude to make decisions on an individual student basis within the philosophy and guidelines of the District and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Primary Provider

The Hazleton Area School District is a member of Blendedschools.net. This is a consortium of over 100 schools and colleges that provides a huge network of available coursework and the technology to deliver the curriculum. Since the District has access to all of the content on that network, these courses will be the primary on-line curriculum of the District. The District will not provide financially for other on-line courses.

Goals of Cyber Learning

  • Expand the educational opportunities for the Hazleton Area School District students and residents in a financially responsible manner through synchronous and asynchronous Cyber Learning.
  • Enhance Hazleton Area School District’s curricular and non-credit course offerings by providing courses which are part of the regular course schedule. These courses may require teaching expertise not found in the Hazleton Area School District or appeal to a limited audience.
  • Provide prerequisite courses for programs for populations too small to justify regular course offerings.
  • Provide access to college courses through alternative delivery methods in order to offer educational opportunities to students unable to meet a regular class schedule.
  • Provide educational opportunities to extended homebound, expelled*, or health impaired students.
  • Provide professional development opportunities to faculty and staff.

All Cyber Learning activities must be in accordance with Pennsylvania laws and Hazleton Area School District guidelines.

* Exclusive of extra curricular activities.

Attendance

Regular attendance in any learning environment is vital to school success. Students who do not participate in their on-line course regularly will diminish their learning experience. The insistence on good attendance serves a clear and constant reminder of the importance of good instruction, enabling the student to:

  • Learn subject matter and earn good grades
  • Develop responsible work and study habits

1)Attendance (students are subject to the same attendance rules and laws as students attending regular public school)

  1. Sign-on daily attendance will be based on successful completion of the following two requirements
  1. Students must log in each course daily and actively work a minimum of one and a quarter hours (1.25) per day or until daily assignment has been completed for each one (1) credit course.
  2. Complete daily assignments per instructor’s direction.
  1. Students who do not satisfy the above requirements will be marked absent for that course for that day. For daily attendance purposes, unexcused absence from more than one (1) course each day will equate to one (1) full day absence.
  2. If a teacher assigns course work over an extended period of time and the student does not complete the assignment by the due date, the student will be marked absent for those consecutive days.
  3. Should a student miss more than seven (7) unexcused days in a marking period, his/her class participation will not exceed a 50% as per the Hazleton Area School District attendance policy.
  4. Attendance will be tracked on a course by course basis. If absences occur for ten (10) or more consecutive days in any course, the student forfeits enrollment in that course effective on the 11th day. If ten (10) or more consecutive absences occur in two (2) or more courses, the student will be dropped from the Hazleton Area Virtual Academy at the end of the quarter.
  5. It is the responsibility of the parent to re-enroll in the student back into the brick and mortar school should the student be dropped for any reason. Compulsory school attendance procedures will be initiated if the student is not re-enrolled and truancy hearings before the local magistrate will be scheduled.
  6. Students must attend online tutoring sessions (one 1 hour session per week per course, time of live instruction will be determined by the course instructor)
  7. Students are not required to attend classes on those days that the brick and mortar students are not required to attend. These would include snow days, Act 80 days or holidays approve by the Hazleton Area School district.
  8. If a student is 17 years of age or older and is absent for ten (10) or more consecutive days and the absence occurs in two (2) or more of these courses, that student will be dropped from all Hazleton Area Virtual Academy courses effective on the 11th day and the Hazleton Area School District as per school policy.
  9. Upon dropping, parents are responsible for returning the school issued laptop, printer as well as any books or materials received. Failure to return these items within three (3) days will result in a complaint filed with the local magistrate’s office.
  10. Failure to attend cyber classes based on the standards above, subject Hazleton Area Virtual Academy students to the same attendance rules and laws as students enrolled in Hazleton Area School District.
  11. Absence notes are required to be submitted within three (3) days of any absence for the absence to be considered excused. Attendance rules and requirements for the building of attendance jurisdiction will be utilized to determine process and procedure for the maintenance of attendance. Those notes must be sent to the Online Primary Contact (OPC) of the Hazleton Area Virtual Academy.
  12. Should extenuating circumstance arise such as illness or connectivity issues students must obtain approval of teacher and On-line Primary Contact to turn in late assignments.

2)Hazleton Area Virtual Academy cyber education will not be considered a break in education from the resident school.

Computer and Computer Issues

  • If you opt for a school district computer, the computer and related equipment remain the property of Hazleton Area School District. All equipment is collected at the end of each school year in order to perform basic maintenance and updates. The equipment will be redistributed at the start of the new school year. The student and parent/guardian are responsible for any lostor damaged equipment
  • If a student is having computer problems, they must inform the coordinator immediately.Problems with a home computer will NOT be an acceptable excuse for failure to complete workon time. If the student has problems at home, they must make alternative arrangements. If problems occur with school computers, please alert the Coordinator as well as the Help Desk immediately.
  • If the student does not meet the above requirements and is full time virtual, truancy fines will be assessed. If the student is enrolled in the traditional program and is taking a course in addition to the regular classroom, failure to meet the attendance requirements will result in a class cut report. In some instances, the district may choose to remove a student from a course for failure to meet the above requirements.

Student Participation

  • Student participation in on-line cyber instruction will be based on the individual student’s needs and is subject to the approval of the guidance counselor, school principal and On-line Primary Contact. Typical examples of the students who may qualify for on-line instruction would include students unable to attend school for medical or medical related problems, students requiring an alternative educational setting, students enrolled in an existing on-line program, extended home-school students or students wishing to leave the brick and mortar school setting to participate in on-line instruction.
  • Students will be required to participate in all state mandated testing and will meet all graduation requirements including a senior project for receipt of a Hazleton Area High School diploma.
  • Students who wish to participate in after school sports are subject to the teams qualifying rules. Students may try out for sports within their home school boundary lines.
  • Secondary students will be permitted to attend his/her senior prom.
  • Student’s on-line studies will follow the school district calendar and schedule of marking periods for completion of coursework.
  • Students are required to turn in class assignments according to due dates which are set by the course instructors. No late work will be accepted unless the student was absent and a written excuse has been submitted within three days. The written excuse must be turned into the On-Line Primary Contact (OPC).
  • Student participation in on-line instruction in the home or at school is a privilege that may be withdrawn if circumstances warrant at anytime.
  • On-line home instruction students will have access to school resources such as the library and guidance counseling per appointment only. Students who are expelled are not permitted on school property will have to use the public library.
  • The identification of on-line courses that must follow the diploma sequence is based on guidance review and administrative approval.
  • The on-line curriculum is standards based. The average full credit course takes approximately 90 days to complete at the high school level and 1 full year for middle school.
  • Any confirmed cases of cyber bullying, cyber stalking or cyber harassment will result in immediate dismissal from the Hazleton Area Virtual Academy

SPECIAL EDUCATION

The Hazleton Area School District Virtual Academy provides special education services in accordance with federal and state regulations and guidelines to insure the provision of a free appropriate public education to all school-age children in need of such services.

For students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Hazleton Area Virtual Academy provides a continuum of virtual special education services that range from consultation to curriculum accommodation and modification, to meet the needs of the child, at no cost to the parent, guardian or student.

The Hazleton Area School District utilizes the self-paced PLATO learning environment coursework program to supplement and/ or surplant general education course offerings. This program reveals the specific strengths and learning needs of an individual and begins instruction at this point.

A highly qualified special education teacher will be assigned to the student.Services provided by special education teachers:

• Assist with assignments;

• Modify and present assignments in a different mode to ensure understanding and success;

• Correspond (via phone, chat room, email) with students on a weekly, daily, or as-needed basis;

• Provide one-on-one instruction time with students when credit recovery sessions are in progress;

• Conduct IEP meetings annually and reconvene IEP meetings as needed;

• Provide quarterly IEP Progress Reports to parents indicating the student’s progress toward achieving IEP goals and objectives; and

• Collaborate with regular education teachers to discuss how to most effectively meet the needs of each individual student.

*Students utilizing this program will abide by all policies and regulations found in the Hazleton Area Virtual Academy Online Handbook.

Parent/Guardian Role in Your Child’s Education

Hazleton Area Virtual Academy is pleased to partner with you to provide your child with a quality education. While we supply the computer (at request), curriculum and professional support, you provide the supervision, management and encouragement. Your child’s success truly depends upon your consistent involvement. Hazleton Area Virtual Academy Parents/Guardians are expected to:

  • supervise their child’s work,
  • provide support and encouragement,
  • maintain communication with instructors,
  • monitor progress through the online grade book,
  • hold their child responsible for completing coursework,
  • oversee the care of school materials,
  • make sure child attends online tutoring sessions (one 1 hour session per week per course, time of live instruction will be determined by the course instructor)

Internet Reimbursement

The Hazleton Area School District will reimburse you for your internet bill up to $20.00 per month. The District will reimburse for the months of September-June. A copy of your internet bills (with parent’s name visible on bill) should be turned in twice a year in December and June to the On-line Primary Contact at the Hazleton Area High School. A W-9 form must be completed in order to receive payment.

Physical Education Requirements

Students are required to complete two physical education credits at the high school level. Students will enroll in the on-line health course provided by Hazleton Area Virtual Academy to receive one of the two required credits. Students have three options in order to receive the second credit. Students can enroll in the Physical Education course supplied by Hazleton Area Virtual Academy. Students can enroll in a team sport. The third option is the student is permitted to enroll in an organized class, team sport or student membership in an approved exercise facility paid for at the expense of the student.

Research Tools

Students will have access to the POWER Library, (The Pennsylvania Online World Electronic Resources)The POWER Library is offered as a service of Pennsylvania's public libraries, school libraries and the State Library. The POWER Library allows you to access full text magazine articles, photographs, pictures, charts, maps, reference materials. You will need a library card which is free through any library to access the POWER Library.

Copyrights

All employees and students must fully comply with the Hazleton Area Virtual Academy Copyright Policy. The Academy shall provide informational material to professional employees, students and other staff members that accurately describe, and promote compliance with, the laws of the United States relating to copyrights, and provides notice to students that materials used in connection with the course may be subject to copyright protection; and in the case of digital transmissions:

  1. Applies technological measures that, in the ordinary sense of their operations, prevent retention of the work in accessible form by recipients of the transmission from the transmitting body or institution for longer than the class session; and unauthorized further dissemination of the work in accessible form by such recipients to others.
  2. Does not engage in conduct that could reasonably be expected to interfere with technological measures used by copyright owners to prevent such retention or unauthorized further dissemination.

Privacy

The Hazleton Area Virtual Academy will respect the privacy of its users, unless it is required to disclose information by law, or if in good faith, the Academy believes that the action necessary to conform to the law or legal process to protect and defend the rights or property of the Hazleton Area Virtual Academy, or to act under exigent circumstances to protect the personal safety of the users or the public.

Acceptable Use Policy

Access to the technology utilized by HAVA courses imposes responsibilities and obligations upon users. Appropriate use is:

  • Characterized by ethical and honest behavior
  • Demonstrated by respect for physical and intellectual property
  • Responsive to system security protocols
  • Respectful of individual rights to privacy and to freedom from intimidation, harassment and unwarranted annoyance

HAVA has established the following expectations for student behavior in order to inform disciplinary action as required.

  1. Exercise responsible, ethical behavior.

The Internet is a global network of information. The information available ranges from being useful and scholarly to being incorrect, possibly plagiarized and offensive. There are no gatekeepers or systems of censorship in place on the Internet. The student bears responsibility for the conduct while engaged in HAVA course, both in terms of how they interact with others and in how they demonstrate mastery of course objectives.

  1. Respect individuals’ freedom from harassment.

Students will protect the privacy of classmates. Students will not publish any names, passwords, e-mail addresses, or other information pertaining to other students. Students understand that the HAVA courses require use of discussion boards as a means of communication and learning; therefore, respect these technologies as a means of instruction. Students will not use these or other forms of communication as a means to harass people via the Internet, including administrators, teachers, and other students.