District Administration - February 2011 - (Page 58)

Virtually Possible The staff of the Seminole County Virtual School includes Diane Lewis (seated,right), who runs the school; Dominique Ballacchino, a full-time clerk (seated,left); Kathy Rhodus, an instructional technology specialist; and James Presley, the assistant principal. Lewis’ Tips for Starting Your Own Virtual School 1. Check your state law for restrictions. Be sure you understand what is allowed, and how funding could be or will be generated. Two virtual school students are thrilled to receive their textbooks and other school materials, for the school year. 2. Be clear about your purpose. Do you want to run a full-time school or offer only select courses? Are you trying to attract home-schooled students or only those enrolled in your district already? 3. Choose your curriculum carefully. Look for curriculum that is aligned to your standards and is engaging for students. Avoid curriculum that is just text online with little to no interaction. 4. Be sure the person you choose to lead the virtual school is passionate about its value. Then discuss whether you want to hire and manage your own teachers, or outsource. Hiring your own teachers provides more quality control but may require more financial commitment. 5. Be sure to hire a data clerk who can keep meticulous records. All funding comes back to record keeping. 6. Don’t expect to break even financially in your first year. Growing your school large enough to cover all expenses may take a couple of years. cornerstone of his leadership. Lewis is a key player. “She is truly a visionary,” says Vogel, who tapped Lewis to lead the district’s visioning committee in 2007. The group’s charge was to prepare for the changing landscape of public education. “Part of what bubbled up,” Lewis says, “was an interest and a need for the district to move into virtual education.” What Worksheets? Lewis then launched a two-year process to start a pair of virtual schools. The state had mandated a full-time program, but Lewis and her colleagues believed in giving students more flexibility, so they created a second virtual program that operates more as a buffet of courses. This part-time virtual option is particularly popular with home-schooled students. The other main difference in the programs is staffing. For the full-time school, called the Seminole County Virtual Instruction Program, the company that provides the curriculum, K12, hires and employs the teachers. In the part-time program, dubbed the Seminole County Virtual School, Lewis hires the teachers; the district partners with Florida Virtual School for the curriculum. “I prefer the teachers work for me,” Lewis says. “It’s a better situation for management.” When choosing teachers, Lewis says she looks for those who will have a passion for helping every student. Although they aren’t face to face with the children, they interact daily—on the phone, over e-mail or in a Webinar. “I think that is one of the biggest myths—that students won’t know their teachers,” Lewis says. 58 February 2011 “Every one of my teachers will tell you that they know their students better than when they taught face to face. They know their parents. They know their dogs’ names.” Another myth: Virtual school is only for certain types of students. Lewis says advanced and struggling students can both do well, no matter what grade they are in; the state-mandated District Administration

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - February 2011

District Administration - February 2011
Contents
Going Out of Print
From the Editor
News Update
Technology Update
Safety & Security
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Successful Strategies for English Language Learners
Mobile Goes Mainstream
Virtually Possible
Problem/Solution
New Products
Product Focus
Superintendent’s Insights
Crisis Response
Student Counsel

District Administration - February 2011