PENDLETON — A new era of virtual education is expected to start this summer for local high school students.
The South Madison Community School Corp. board approved a virtual education academy at Pendleton Heights during its Feb. 22 meeting.
Mark Hall, assistant superintendent for secondary curriculum, instruction and college and career readiness, recommended to the board at its Feb. 7 meeting to make virtual education, an online format replacing conventional methods of education, available to students.
The option will gives a student the opportunity to earn credits on a laptop or other computer while at home or another location.
“I think it’s important because it services some of the students in our school system that we have not been able to service before,” Hall said. “We were keeping data that showed a certain population of students were leaving, and we want to try to educate them in our school system.”
Algebra I, Biology I, Health and Fitness, and possibly physical education are on the list of potential subjects available in the program’s initial run this summer.
Hall said the subjects offered will be based on enrollment.
“The board has been really supportive in adding programming that meets the needs of our students,” Hall said. “We have a strong alternative ed program. We have a strong special education program. We have strong vocational programs here and strong performing arts and fine arts. What I was looking for was just another avenue to meet the needs of our students.”
Intro to ILEARN
Jill Mohr, an instructional coach for Maple Ridge and Pendleton elementary schools, gave a report to the board introducing it to the ILEARN assessment testing model.
ILEARN is a replacement for ISTEP (Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress) for third through eighth grades. The initial run of the new statewide system will come in April.
One change from the previous testing system is questions given will adjust according to how students answer. If a student answers a question correctly, he or she will receive more difficult questions. If a response is incorrect, the next question will be an easier one.
“I think it is going to be more helpful and more diagnostic, and we can figure out where kids are at,” said Hall, who is overseeing the technical side as the test coordinator. “That is what we’re hoping. We haven’t done it yet. The first run will be at the end of April; then we will wait and see.”
In personnel matters, the board approved the certified staff recommendation for Jennifer Godbey, long-term substitute teacher at Maple Ridge.
It also accepted the resignation of Vanessa Heinzelman, a special education instructional assistant at Pendleton Elementary School Primary, as well as the recommendation to hire Dustin Ritz for the same position.
In financial business, contracts were approved for RY (Reconnecting Youth) and CAST (Coping And Support Training) Program, CAST Student Notebooks, MenuLogic, Food Services and Tall Cop Says Stop, a program that helps detect and prevent drug and alcohol abuse.
It also approved a lease rental agreement to farm the corporation’s 80 acres located at the intersection of Pendleton Avenue and County Road 600 South. The lease period begins March 1 and ends Dec. 31.