Welcome to Omaha Virtual School
Onboarding 4 of 6
Meet our Learning Facilitators
Mr. Brannan: Social Studies Facilitator
Ms. Mendoza: Language Arts Facilitator
Ms. Ignowski: Science Facilitator
Mr. Gamble: Math Facilitator
Creating a learning schedule
Talk to your student: It’s always a good idea to get your child’s input before you set up his/her schedule. The school day will be much more productive if both of your needs are being met or, at least, considered. You can begin by using a family planner to put a plan in motion. Below are examples of some questions to ask during the planning process:
- Which subjects do you prefer to work on first, middle, and last?
- What time of day do you feel like you have the most energy?
- Which courses are easier for you? Would it help you to work on math one day and science another day?
- How would you run things if you had your way? After hearing your child’s answers, discuss how his or her expectations differ from yours and how you can compromise.
Be patient: Don’t get discouraged if the schedule you create isn’t perfect at first, as it may take some time to tweak and modify it before your family is satisfied. Think of the first few weeks as a trial period for your schedule rather than as something permanent or official. The great thing about virtual school is that you can adjust your student’s learning day as much as you need to.
Change your schedule to fit your family’s day: Even though students work well with a schedule, they don’t need to follow the same one every day. For example, if your student participates in extracurricular activities on Tuesday and Thursday, you can alter his/her schedule on those days.
Schedule time for breaks: Naturally, students need to reenergize their brains from time to time. Even if your student doesn’t ask for a break, it’s important to add a few in the schedule just in case he/she becomes restless. Something as small as a walk around the house will often give students the energy they need to continue working. Breaking up the day will also make the workload feel much less overwhelming and more doable.
Display the schedule in your home: Instead of letting your child rely on you to provide reminders, help him/her develop independent learning skills. Students should be able to view their learning schedule as needed, as it will help them stay on task and feel more prepared. Consider displaying the schedule in your student’s learning space so he/she can easily refer to it. You can even have some fun with the schedule by decorating it to fit your student’s personality or interests!
Once you find a schedule that works for you and your student, you will be pleased by how productive the learning day can be. You can easily create a successful school schedule with communication, persistence, and variation.
Core Values: Integrity
We hold integrity very high in our school community due to the nature of our program. We want to ensure there is growth through the content and materials, rather than progressing through for the sake of progressing. Independence is a large component of our school, as all students work from home through the curriculum. Learners must understand their role in committing to learn in a non-traditional environment.
How does your learner and family define integrity? What steps will you take to ensure your learner is upholding academic integrity in our school? Discuss these questions to ensure your student understands their role in OVS.
Upcoming Orientation Schedule
K-10th Grade
A PARENT ONLY orientation will be held August 1-7th for NEW and RETURNING families of kindergarten-10th grade students. During the parent orientation session, staff will review updated policies and procedures in our student hand book. We have enhanced our procedures for the upcoming school year, so it is important that all families attend. Please sign up HERE for the session you are planning to attend.First Week of School
Wednesday, August 15th, from 8:30-12:30 - first day of school for OVS High
Learners and learning coaches will attend the first day of school together, from 8:30-12:00 with a school-wide picnic at noon, so pack your lunches! Learning coaches, come prepared with your own device, if you have one. Devices will be distributed to learners on this day.
Thursday, August 16th, from 8:30-12:30- Only NEW OVS High students
This is to ensure that students are comfortable with the curriculum and content. Learning coaches can drop in from 8:30-9:30 for additional support and to answer questions/concerns.
Friday, August 17th- Online class sessions
This will be an opportunity for learners to test the online learning system from HOME.
The schedule will be shared with learners on the first day of school.
Omaha Virtual School
Mission: OVS is committed to empowering life-long learners by developing collaborative relationships. Within our community, we provide an innovative, personalized learning experience. Success in this mission will cultivate critical thinkers who have the tools to contribute to a changing global society.
Vision: Future ready, today.
Core Values: Growth Mindset, Positivity, Collaboration, Integrity, Accountability, Self-Advocacy
Email: virtualschool@ops.org
Website: ovs.k12.com
Location: 4640 South 59th Street, Omaha, NE, USA
Phone: 531-299-0269
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OPSVirtualSchool/
Twitter: @OPS_Virtual