Summer is right around the corner. While everyone is undoubtedly excited about the summer weather, many students are preparing for online high school courses. First-time online school students may be wondering how online summer school actually works. We have the rundown for you.
First, we can tell you what online summer school isn’t.
Online summer programs do not mean that students lose their summer. On the contrary, students are able to set their own schedule, move at their own pace, and take summer courses wherever they have an internet connection. They can enjoy all of the wonderful things that summer offers while also learning full time.
Summer courses aren’t just for those students who need credit recovery. While online credit recovery courses are great to take during the summer, they aren’t the only things online school offers. Online summer school allows students to get a jumpstart on advanced academic courses so that they are adequately prepared for college.
How It Works
Unlike traditional schooling during the school year, online summer school often requires a completely separate application and admission. Because online schooling offers the opportunity to work from anywhere at nearly any time, the separate application will allow online school corporations to track, record, and grade students effectively so that each student receives the credit(s) they have earned.
Online summer school providers will likely have prospective students or parents create an account before moving forward with an application. This is largely to ensure that enrollment is safe and secure for all parties involved.
Then, prospective students or parents will complete an enrollment application, likely with general information about the student, the family, access to the internet, and why the student would like to enroll in the program. The student and parent(s)/guardian(s) will then be told if their student has been successfully enrolled in the online program.
Also during this process, students will likely have to know what summer courses they’d like to take. Online summer school programs often offer courses in math, English, social studies, science, and more depending on the program. This often means planning during the school year well in advance of the registration/enrollment date.
Once summer classes begin, students and parents will need to stay up to date with all assignments, assessments, and teacher communications through whichever online portal the summer school program uses.
Student success is always going to be the goal of any online education program, and courses are designed to facilitate that student success. Even though interactions may not be face to face in online education, students and parents can rest assured that they will get quality one-on-one help with any struggles.
What Students Should Expect
Students in online school programs often have worries about what they should expect from the experience. After being accustomed to traditional full-time schooling, the transition to online schooling can be a bit of a shock. For many first time online students, virtual schooling comes as a welcomed change.
Online students should expect to have far more freedom than a traditional school. Students will largely be able to select the times they spend on courses, the pace at which they complete their work, and how they choose to organize their work.
Students can expect to make organization a priority in their online schooling. Staying organized is essential for success in more than just online high school courses. Because students have no face-to-face interaction with teachers or peers, it’s on each individual student to stay organized and up to date with their courses, homework, and teacher/peer communication.
Communication is key during an online course. Because students don’t interact with their teachers directly, active and open communication is even more important than in traditional schooling. Each student works at their own pace and in their own style. Communicating that pace and work style with their teachers is crucial for online learners.
Students can also expect distractions to occur while they are trying to work on their online schooling. In the age of technology, this is completely normal. However, online students will need to be able to effectively reduce distractions around them in order to succeed. This is easier said than done, but it is achievable with the right discipline.
Why Choose Online?
Students who attend a virtual summer school receive accredited courses online, rather than attending school at a physical location.
State-certified teachers deliver a rigorous curriculum that correlates to state standards and provides students with a variety of innovative learning materials and good resources. Teachers are heavily involved in each student’s learning experience and prioritize tailoring instruction to fit each individual student’s needs and learning style.
Students participate in a virtual classroom from the comfort of their own homes – or anywhere else Internet access is available. There’s no school bus ride – and there’s no making up snow days.
Due to the flexibility online summer school provides, many students also enjoy being involved in outside extracurricular or volunteer activities or pursuing their athletic or creative talents and passions, without being stressed or over scheduled.
At Achieve Virtual, we put students first. Our comprehensive approach to online education allows us to give students the freedom they need to achieve the goals they set. Whether a student is taking summer school for credit recovery or to get ahead, Achieve Virtual can help.
Achieve Virtual Education Academy is Indiana’s first public virtual high school operated by a local Indiana school district. Students have the option to accelerate learning, recover lost credits or earn a complete Indiana Core 40/Academic Honors High School Diploma. Study when it’s convenient. Attend full-time for free. Get help from teachers as you need it.
