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Online classroom targets bullied students as clients

April 23, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

A new advertisement is billing the New Mexico Virtual Academy as a “bully free” alternative to the traditional classroom.

Jennifer Ward said she is considering taking her sixth-grader out of the classroom, and going online.

“I guess the amount of bullying that is out there, it just reminds us of why home-schooling would be an option,” Ward said. “It’s also that one-to-one ratio. There is nothing better than having that one-on-one.”
Home-schooling certainly isn’t a new concept. Previously, home-schooling has been sold based on its education benefits, not the social interaction. Action 7 News has profiled a rash of bullying cases over the past year that have changed the educational landscape.

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‘Virtual’ high school part of CHS curriculum

April 21, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

CARLSBAD — A statewide online high school is in the works for students interested in getting out of the traditional classroom. A project of the Farmington Municipal Schools, the N.M. Virtual Academy is set to begin offering classes next year.

But there’s no need for Carlsbad High School students to sign up, officials said, because the district already offers a virtual high school.

Kelly Barta, Carlsbad Municipal Schools director of secondary instruction, said the school district implemented its virtual high school as a pilot program this year and opened it to a handful of students. The 2012-13 school year will allow more students to participate.

Unlike Carlsbad’s virtual school, the N.M. Virtual Academy will offer individualized programs to students in grades six through 11 next year. The school will expand to offer 12th grade the following year.

“Our virtual education program allows our students to walk across the stage with the graduating class to receive their diploma. They will continue to be Carlsbad High School students,” Barta said.

“Farmington is using the K-12 online program. Our virtual program is the E20-20, an online curriculum that coincides and goes along with our classroom teachers’ instruction. We did not fully implement the virtual high school this year because we wanted to try it out and see how it goes.”

Barta said the pilot program was implemented by the school district to keep students

in school and increase the district’s graduation rate.
“We want to become a 21st century school system to educate and support our 21st century students,” Barta said.

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New Mexico Virtual Academy Goes Online Next School Year

April 18, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

New Mexico Virtual Academy (NMVA), a statewide online public charter school, is set to begin offering classes next school year, providing families with an exciting new public school choice. The school, authorized by the Farmington Municipal School District, will offer its individualized education programs to students in grades 6-11 next year. The school will expand to offer twelfth grade the following year.

Students who reside anywhere in the state are eligible to enroll in this new public school.

Using innovative technology, NMVA provides students access to multiple core and elective courses, assessments and instruction from state-certified teachers – all without geographic barriers. NMVA offers flexible and personalized learning programs that work for all types of learners.

The school will also host a learning center in Farmington combining online and face-to-face instruction. The school’s blended learning center will feature computer labs and onsite teacher instruction and support, providing students additional enrichment and remediation opportunities.

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Traditional School vs. Virtual School

February 1, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

But about 250,000 American students attended virtual schools last year. They saw their teachers on their computer screens rather than in person. They didn’t have to wait for the bus or get locked out of their lockers or have the excuse that they left their homework at home. But they also didn’t get to see all of their friends, have a class discussion in the same way, give a report to their class or interact with a smart board.

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Morning Bell: Top 10 Education Stories of 2011

December 27, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

7. House Education and the Workforce Committee moves to reduce federal role in education. This year, the House Education and the Workforce Committee put forward some major proposals to begin the important work of reducing the federal role in education. Two important proposals were introduced: one, by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), would trim the number of programs under NCLB from around 80 down to 43. Another by Chairman John Kline (R-MN), would allow states more flexibility to spend federal education dollars in a way that best meets the needs of local students. Both are good first steps to returning more power to state and local leaders, and reducing Washington’s bloated role in education.

6. Online learning growth accelerates. In 2011, a growing number of families decided to take advantage of the online learning options now available for K-12 students across the country. According to Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning, there are now 30 states with full-time online learning schools, open to students from districts across the state. Forty states offer state-run virtual schools, online charter schools are proliferating, and many more families are taking advantage of private online learning providers. Across the country, students are taking millions of courses online, customizing their educational experiences.

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Filed Under: Home Page, Online High Schools Tagged With: online charter schools, Online learning, virtual schools

School of Dreams teaches students more than the basics

October 29, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

The School of Dreams Academy is giving students and parents choices.

That’s what SODA’s Principal Michael Ogas stresses most about Valencia County’s only state authorized charter school in Los Lunas.

The school, which is home to 15 teachers, 280 students and six computer labs, utilizes a cutting-edge software, or “courseware” program, called Education2020, which provides students with a virtual classroom setting on their computers that teaches them their core classes at their own pace.

The courseware creates a one-on-one experience for students, and since work is completed at a student’s own pace, a student is able to advance to the next grade level if they are able, as well as work on their assignments at home.

And of course, in addition to E2020, each class has a teacher to instruct and help students in person. The courseware is not only aligned to state standards, but national standards as well, meaning SODA students are being educated at a national academic level.

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Virtual school is a cloudy vision

August 13, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

FARMINGTON — The Farmington Municipal school board of education saw too many “grey areas” surrounding a proposed virtual charter school during the school’s public hearing Thursday afternoon.

The New Mexico Virtual Academy went before the board and about 20 members of the public in an attempt to persuade the community that the academy would offer a new alternative within public school education. It would be the first virtual charter school in the state if approved.

“It’s not for every kid,” said Mary Gifford, senior vice president of K12 Inc., the company which would oversee curricula for the academy.

Though aimed primarily toward local students who do not fit into the traditional public school system, it would cater statewide to students with special needs; students who have fallen behind in school; students who want to move at a faster pace; or students looking to finish their high school education without having to physically return., said academy board member Larry Palmer.

Students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade could enroll. Local students would be the primary demographic, though students could enroll statewide.

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Reintroducing the trustworthy banker

August 7, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

O’Leary began his banking career at The Bank of New York in 1964, and worked at banks in Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. He served as a faculty member and thesis advisor at ABA’s Stonier Graduate School of Banking for more than two decades, and served as long as a faculty member for ABA’s undergraduate and graduate commercial lending schools.

Today he works as a consultant and expert witness, and serves as instructor for ABA e-learning courses and has been a frequent speaker in ABA’s Bank Director Telephone Briefing series. You can hear free audio interviews with Ed about workouts here.

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Their View: Fulfilling promise, avoiding pitfalls, of virtual learning in New Mexico

August 3, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Expanding virtual learning opportunities is a critically important step for New Mexico. Virtual schooling was a critical component of the “Florida Model” for education reform, which helped transform achievement across student sub-groups there from nearly worst to first within a decade. The Florida Reform model has since been adopted by Gov. Susana Martinez — with good reason.

Per-pupil education spending has increased 54 percent faster than the rate of inflation since 1991-92. With a $400 million budget deficit, such performance is no longer tenable — and state policymakers know it.

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We Can Be Leaders in E-Learning

July 31, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Expanding virtual learning opportunities is a critically important step for New Mexico. Virtual schooling was a critical component of the “Florida Model” for education reform, which helped transform achievement across student subgroups there from nearly worst to first within a decade. The Florida reform model has since been adopted by Gov. Susana Martinez – with good reason.

Academic outcomes indicate the state’s traditional schooling system is not up to the task. New Mexico ranks 49th in fourth-grade reading proficiency; 48th in eighth-grade math proficiency; and 50th in graduation rates. Poor funding does not explain such poor performance. Per-pupil education spending has increased 54 percent faster than the rate of inflation since 1991-92. With a $400 million budget deficit, such performance is no longer tenable – and state policymakers know it.

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