LAPEL — The Frankton-Lapel Community School Board recently approved a new online academy for high schoolers.
Superintendent Bobby Fields proposed the creation of the academy, which is designed to serve students of all abilities and learning styles.
“We are also hoping to offer a blended schedule, where students may be part of the day in the traditional school setting and part of the day taking online courses,” Fields said.
The program was approved in time for the 2018-19 school year.
Fields said the hope is the online academy will attract students who are leaving the district to enroll in virtual schools.
The online academy is designed to be a virtual learning environment, where instruction is entirely computer-based, meaning students can work from anywhere there is an internet connection.
Students will be expected to work on their online courses daily; progress will be monitored, and there will be attendance conditions.
Students also will be required to meet with their online coordinator on specific days to make sure they are on target and completing work.
In the case of unsatisfactory progress, online off-campus permission may be revoked.
The district plans to hire an online academy teacher to run the program.
District leaders said the program is in the pilot phase and can be changed or dismantled if deemed not fruitful for students.
It’s not known how many students will take part in the online program initially, but Fields said he’s confident the numbers will grow because online studies are prevalent in education.
Students currently enrolled in the district can schedule a meeting with their counselor to see if an online learning environment is right for them.
The district already offers online courses for students at its alternative school, which has been in existence for several years. The alternative school is an option for students who might otherwise be facing expulsion or are behind in credits needed to graduate.
In other news:
• School will be in session Friday, May 11, and Tuesday, May 29, to make up for snow days this year. If any more days are missed, the days will be made up at the end of the school year.
• Graduation at Lapel High School has been set for 7 p.m. Saturday, June 2.
• The school board accepted the resignation of Jody Wilson, a first-grade teacher at Lapel Elementary School, after eight years of service.
