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PA Cyber graduate appointed to USMA West Point

May 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

SCRANTON, Pa., May 7, 2012 Her college ROTC commander said the U.S. Military Academy at West Point would be making a big mistake if it didn’t offer an appointment to Hannah Tuffy of Scot Township near Scranton.

West Point got the point. Hannah Tuffy will be a member of the incoming corps of cadets this fall.

Dr. Nick Trombetta, PA Cyber’s CEO, said she is the first graduate of the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School to win appointment to the Academy.

Lt. Col. Thomas, commander of the ROTC program at Cedarville (Ohio) University, wrote in his nomination: “She is smart, physically strong and mentally tough.  . . I would be remiss if I do not comment on her personal strength and peer leadership.  She has been a cadet in my ROTC Battalion for this one semester and has accomplished more in that one semester than most of the juniors . . . The United States Military Academy will be making a mistake if they do not accept this cadet.  The Army deserves future officers like her.”

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Parish plans virtual school, targeting home schoolers

May 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

LAFAYETTE — The St. Mary Parish school system plans to open a new virtual school in August as a way to draw home schoolers back into the school system.

The virtual school would enroll students in grades 6-12 and is open to any student in the parish. However, the school system is targeting students who currently receive educational services through home schooling or online charter schools, said Monica Mancuso, supervisor of middle and high schools for St. Mary Parish.

The school system has budgeted about $25,000 for the needed software to launch the virtual program, she said.

Students who enroll in the virtual education program will be assigned to a base school — whichever school they’re zoned to attend — and will receive online services and assistance from certified St. Mary Parish teachers, Mancuso said.

For the rest of the article, go to Parish plans virtual school, targeting home schoolers

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Charter school coming to Indy blends technology and traditional teaching

May 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

However, Bennett said he shares Ogston’s belief that schools making intelligent use of technology are able to operate successfully with fewer teachers.

“Many people in the education-reform community see blended delivery as a great model to bridge total virtual instruction and total direct instruction,” Bennett said.

“What they use is very much a breakthrough as it pertains to technology. Namely, it’s the ability to access data from technology — they utilize student data generated from virtual instruction — and from that, they group students according to their needs to meet with students in small groups.”

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Virtual charter school seeks state response

May 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

With more than 200,000 students enrolled nationwide, online public schools are becoming a legitimate alternative to the brick-and-mortar schools where most present-day adults grew up.

That number will continue to grow if the N.C. State Board of Education grants approval to the N.C. Virtual Charter Academy’s application. But a delay in that process has drawn a lawsuit against the state board.

The virtual school, to which the Cabarrus County Board of Education granted preliminary approval in January, would be based in Cabarrus County but would enroll eligible students across the state.

The school would provide full-time public school services online, using curriculum and services from the for-profit company K12 Inc. It could mean job opportunities for state-certified teachers.

For the rest of the article, go to Virtual charter school seeks state response

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Commonwealth Connections Academy Team Becomes First Cyber School Finalist at National Engineering Challenge

May 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Commonwealth Connections Academy’s state-winning Real World Design Challenge team placed second in the country at the 2012 National Real World Design Challenge, topping 28 other teams.

Commonwealth Connections Academy is a leading virtual public charter school that serves students in grades K-12 from across Pennsylvania. Commonwealth Connections Academy was the sole virtual school to qualify and participate in this year’s National Competition, and is also the only virtual school to place within the top three nationally in the four-year history of the Real World Design Challenge.

An annual and nationally recognized program, the Real World Design Competition is sponsored by a public-private partnership (including partners such as Cessna Aircraft and NASA Langley Research Center) with the goal of increasing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and providing students access to real world engineering experiences. This year, 45 total states, independent states, and territories participated in the Challenge, while 30 total teams moved on or participated in the National Competition.

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Union-linked group calls for reconsideration of ‘cyber’ charter vote, targets GOP representative

May 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

LANSING, MI – An union-affiliated group is calling for state House members to reconsider their vote to raise the cap on “cyber” charter schools, and is targeting an Ida representative who the group said changed his vote at the last minute.

But state Rep. Dale Zorn, R-Ida, said he has no intention of changing his vote, saying late compromises will help traditional school districts with their own online programs.

House leaders said Democrats have asked for a reconsideration of the 56-54 vote, but even allowing the move would require a floor vote in the Republican-dominated chamber.

For the rest of the article, go to Union-linked group calls for reconsideration of ‘cyber’ charter vote, targets GOP representative

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JEDI virtual school growing in Whitewater

April 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

WHITEWATER — From its first long-distance education class in 1996, the Jefferson and Eastern Dane Interactive Network has grown in to a virtual school, based in Whitewater, and is doing well, according to a story in the Daily Jefferson County Union.

A non-for-profit charter school, JEDI is overseen by a consortium of school districts in Jefferson and Dane counties, including Whitewater.

The school’s online classes are open to elementary, middle and high school students, who can earn a diploma from their resident high school by meeting appropriate graduation requirements.

For the rest of the article, go to JEDI virtual school growing in Whitewater

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How They Voted

April 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Cyberschools

Members on Thursday approved, 56-54, a bill that would allow more online charter schools in Michigan.

The bill now goes back to the Senate where it originated because of changes made in the House version. It raises the cap on the number of cyber charter schools allowed in the state, which is now set at two.

For the rest of the article, go to How They Voted

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Shenandoah Valley superintendent says running school district can’t be business as usual

April 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

SHENANDOAH – As state and federal dollars for education remain stagnant or on the decline, school districts must change how they operate, says Shenandoah Valley Superintendent Stanley G. Rakowsky.

Facing a $1.6 million deficit for the 2012-13 school year, the Shenandoah Valley school board voted Wednesday to approve its tentative budget that includes a 4-mill increase in real-estate taxes. Layoffs and program cuts are also being considered, although the board did decide to keep pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. Both programs had been on the list to be eliminated.

Proposed cuts to the music and art programs have raised protests from students and parents, who have cited the importance of those skills in many children’s lives. At Shenandoah Valley, high school music teacher Robert Stoner and elementary music teacher Emily Volek have developed music programs that have revitalized the high school band over their time in the district – five years for Stoner, two years for Volek. Both are concerned that students who have participated will lose out if the programs are eliminated.

“I think what we have to do is reinvent ourselves,” Rakowsky said. “Now, we have to be introspective. It can’t be the same old thing from here on.”

Rakowsky said funding cyber and charter schools is putting a strain on school district budgets in Pennsylvania.

“We are facing something that we never expected – the cyber and the charter school situation,” Rakowsky said. “In 2007-08, we were budgeting $50,000 for those schools. Right now, we have in the current budget $600,000 with no end in sight. The governor supports all this stuff. We have to jump on that bandwagon.”

Rakowsky said the school district will look at providing those services.

“We’re going to work to create our own cyber charter blended school system,” Rakowsky said. “The initiative that Shenandoah Valley is taking is I have directed the administration – as part of our short- and long-term plan – is to see how we can provide the same services electronically that our kids are getting by going elsewhere. That’s how we’re going to deal with it.

“We going to reinvent ourselves electronically,” he said.

For the rest of the article, go to Shenandoah Valley superintendent says running school district can’t be business as usual

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Mich. House of Representatives narrowly approves bill allowing more online charter schools

April 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Republican-led state House has narrowly approved a bill that would allow more online charter schools in Michigan.

The bill passed 56-54 on Thursday and goes back to the Senate where it originated because of changes made in the House version. It raises the cap on the number of cyber charter schools allowed in the state, which is now set at two.

For the rest of the article, go to Mich. House of Representatives narrowly approves bill allowing more online charter schools

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