As we watch our children embark on yet another school year, so many questions whiz through our minds.  Will they like their teacher? Will they make friends? Will they learn a lot this year? Will they get the support they need? The level of assistance in a cyber school is equivalent to, if not more than the brick and mortar school. At PA Virtual Charter School, students have teams of teachers, administrators, family support coordinators and their very own learning coaches cheering them on. 

 

The Diamond Model of Partnership

PA Virtual Charter School embraces a Diamond Model of Partnership. This partnership highlights the powerful support squad that surrounds each and every student.  To be successful in school, students need highly qualified teachers, parents/learning coaches, family support, a robust curriculum and state of the art technology. 

 

 

 

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  • The K12 curriculum at PA Virtual Charter School is a rigorous program designed to support a range of learning styles and students. It spans through our three programs, Kindergarten-5th grade, 6th-8th grade and 9th-12th grade.  Students work through this program synchronously or asynchronously with their highly qualified teachers. The educator component of our diamond includes but is not limited to general education, special education, specialists, academic support, enrichment, and specials teachers. In conjunction with educational support, families receive an additional layer of guidance through their cyber schooling journey.  Family Support Coordinators, counselors, parent ambassadors and pupil health staff are just a few of the important individuals that enhance our partnership. The component that keeps our diamond shining is our families and learning coaches. These priceless partners assist students in keeping up with their routines and assignments. They maintain communication with the school and perform administrative duties to continue their student’s education. 

 

Flexible Learning Formats with Teacher Support

It’s no secret that every student learns differently.  Luckily there are two paths with virtual education to adhere to your student’s unique learning style.  Students can participate in a synchronous or asynchronous classroom.  Let’s break options those down:

 

Synchronous

Asynchronous 

  •  Live class sessions with one or more teachers each day

  •  Set of classmates that move through the same classes

  •  Small group work in differentiated groups

  •  Academic support teachers that push into live classes and provide additional targeted   assistance

  •  Specific schedules can be viewed here

  •  Self paced learning through the online K12 curriculum

  •  Teacher planned supplemental course work

  •  Pacing guides through programs and lessons

  •  Daily teacher availability and scheduled meetings with an assigned   asynchronous teacher

  •  Specific eligibility for the asynchronous model can be viewed here

 

The Diamond Model of Partnership carries through both educational paths. Teachers are available to support students with specific strategic support. They actively supervise the class’s progress through the curriculum and ensure they are on track to success. Additionally, they will check in with the students regarding specific challenges that are arising from their coursework. This may lead to assigned remediation courses, academic support, homework help or other avenues.

 

Additional Layers of Educational Support

In a cyber school, students can seek out assistance in a multitude of ways.  There are both independent and collaborative sources for help. If confused or unsure about a lesson topic, students can independently re-watch class recordings or online lessons.  These recordings can be paused and additional notes or time for practice can be achieved. Students can also choose to attend drop in homework help sessions.  This allows them to work with a highly qualified teacher to review the content and take the steps necessary to complete an assignment. Students in grades 5-12 can also take the initiative to attend a specific teacher’s office hours.  These office hours are designed to welcome students with questions regarding a specific topic or assignments.  At that time teachers can provide supplemental explanations or guiding resources. 

 

Students may be assigned to additional layers of support. For example, a teacher may request a student attend their office hours to continue covering or reviewing a topic.  If in middle school, the student could be assigned a remediation class to target a challenging subject. Teachers that work with an academic support teacher may have additional assistance during live classes in whole group or small group formats. The academic support teacher will review the content at a slower pace with supplemental practice. They may have access to additional curriculums and resources to target particular skills. PA Virtual Charter School offers an array of clubs. One of which is a tutoring club! Your parent ambassador or family support coordinator can guide your student through the clubs that can support their learning and social experiences.

 

School Counseling 

School counselors are remarkable individuals that take on a multitude of support services. They help students unlock their potential through academics, personal growth, and career planning. The school counselors at PA Virtual Charter School work closely with families through active communication and collaboration. Additionally, they offer the necessary support for crisis management using a wealth of resources and strategies.  

 

The school counselor’s role differs between the specific schools. In the elementary and middle schools, counselors will visit classrooms or set up assemblies to address executive functioning skills and character building. They also create sessions on career readiness in the middle school. These counselors are readily available to assist with any anxiety your student may be feeling. They may address these feelings with scheduled check in meetings and phone calls home. Counselors have a wealth of ideas related to skills for classroom success and can provide resources to help you coordinate your schedule.

 

At the high school level, counselors extend the above responsibilities to include college readiness and post high school planning. College readiness includes lessons on time management and post secondary options. With assistance from school counselors, students use the Naviance program to prepare for college.  This career platform includes search tools to help students hone in on their interests, abilities and school choices. Counselors at the high school level also walk families through the scholarship and financial aid options that are available to them. As these students begin their post secondary path, the counselors continue to provide mental health and social/emotional education. 

 

Family and Community Support Structures

As one of the shining beacons on our Diamond Model of Partnership, we want to ensure that parents and learning coaches receive the support they need. This family support comes in the forms of Pupil Services, Parent Education, Parent Ambassadors, Pupil Health and Family Support Coordinators. Once again, PA Virtual Charter School provides a substantial, powerful squad of individuals to ensure success. The Family Support Coordinators (FSCs) and Parent Education and Engagement are regularly connected to our families.  

 

Family Support Coordinators are assigned to students based on their region. These individuals are the consistent first point of contact regarding non-academic concerns.  They assist with questions related to attendance, basic technology issues and obtaining curriculum or supplies. Families initially meet their family support coordinator during orientation. FSCs schedule additional opportunities throughout the school year to meet with other families within their region. This may be a face to face activity, community service project or virtual field trip.

 

The Parent Education and Engagement program provides the educational programs to make learning coaches as successful as possible. PA Virtual Charter School recognizes that parents are vital contributors to the innovation and excellence of the school. As a result, they offer parent lunch & learn sessions as well as certificate programs. Families can support the school culture by volunteering and becoming mentors. Parents are encouraged to  join school committees and focus groups to make their thoughts and experiences heard. It is through these opportunities that families can truly feel the inclusivity of this supportive learning environment.

 

Ensuring Well-Being and Removing Barriers

PA Virtual Charter School cares about the whole student,  including their health and wellbeing. The dedicated Pupil Health Team works with your student from the very start.  They begin by verifying that all physicals and dental records meet the state mandated requirements. The Pupil Health team will proceed to provide resources and guidance pertaining to immunizations and screenings. Their goal is to collaborate with families and staff to target individual health needs, and provide the necessary education to promote wellness across the schools. 

 

Schools across Pennsylvania are required to have a multidisciplinary team that connects schools and parents with the resources needed to break the barriers to student learning. The Student Assistance Program (SAP) assists students that are struggling with mental health, substance abuse, family and home difficulties. Services include both home and school based support. Professional staff at PA Virtual Charter School are required to obtain training in the Student Assistance Program and can offer support with the process. Together, this substantial team can remove the barriers that impact learning and help students continue on their educational paths. 



PA Virtual Charter School offers a layered, person-centered support system—from daily classroom support to counseling, family coaching, health services, and beyond.   Students require a substantial, powerful squad to help them through their educational journey.  The best learning occurs when students feel confident, safe and supported.  To guarantee that these feelings occur, PA Virtual Charter school provides a network of academic and emotional support. To learn more about these supports and connect with staff to support student success, please visit our website at https://www.pavcsk12.org.