WVS MS Synchronous Online Options
More about the NEW WVS Synchronous Middle School Opportunity
As the state-led supplemental program partnering with districts to provide online and blended learning options to their learners, who remain enrolled in their district, WVS is excited to announce for the 22-23 school year a synchronous middle school opportunity. This delivery will provide 6th-8th grades a virtual option with more structure and live instructional time with Wisconsin certified teachers in their licensed core content area. This does not impact our current asynchronous offerings with rolling enrollments. We are simply providing a new option to meet learner needs.
What will the content be like?
Students will receive live instruction and support in the four core content areas of Math, Science, Social Studies, and English weekly and work independently too with the digital content. Each course is aligned to the Wisconsin State Standards and taught by Wisconsin certified teachers. The content includes a variety of interactive activities, videos, and readings. In addition, the online teacher will provide grade-level appropriate live instruction and support sessions tailored to student needs. Students' social and emotional needs will be met through weekly homeroom lessons that will be used to build community among students and provide opportunities for additional character development exercises.
Classtime Sessions
Students will participate in live ClassTime sessions through a video conferencing tool. During ClassTime, students will have an opportunity to engage with the teacher, classmates and the digital content. Activities might include, but are not limited to: community building activities, collaborative projects, interacting with lesson activities, including introduction to new material review of materials and concepts and looking ahead and making connections. As part of the curriculum, students will also complete discussion based assessments.
Digital Content and Other Materials
Students will utilize the suggested pacing of due dates in our learning management system to guide them through the digital content and submitting required work and artifacts to demonstrate mastery of concepts. This will include: videos, readings, games, listening activities, discussion based assessments and other interactives (drag/drop, interactive maps, etc.) Offline activities like reading a book/newspaper, doing a kitchen-based science lab, and others may require additional materials. Our website has a list of materials, which are also referenced in the syllabi. In addition to access to their instructors, students will also be able to utilize peer help to reach out to classmates who have completed the work, as well as 24/7 access online tutoring.
Collaboration, DBAs, & Offline Work
The Middle School courses include collaborative projects that students will complete sometime during each semester of the courses. There are also discussion-based assessments (DBAs) which learners will be able to sign up for to complete these activities 1:1 and/or during ClassTimes with their peers. Again, learners will not be working 100% of the time in the digital content. There are items that will be completed offline like reading a book, magazine, taking a walk to note and observe math shapes in the real world, hands-on labs, etc.
Amount of Time
Learners can expect to spend one hour daily at a minimum in each core content area. This will be a combination of live instruction (whole class and support sessions) and independent work.
One 50-minute whole group live instruction lesson each for ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science each week. These will occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Content-Grade level specific Student Support Hours (up to 2 hours per week)
Homeroom 50 minutes per week on Wednesdays.
Independent Work (asynchronous instruction):
- Students should set aside approximately one hour a day for each subject, or a combined 4 hours, to work on their assignments and navigate through their lessons.
- Homework help and tutoring are available as needed.
- Other elective courses may be offered at an additional cost, or students have the opportunity to participate in these classes at their local school.
Example Student Schedule
Below is an example of what a student's MS synchronous schedule may look like. Keep in mind that not all grade level schedules will look the same, but all schedules will occur during regular school day hours. Depending on enrollment numbers of learners there could be just morning options, afternoon or both.
Core Content Courses
This is the recommended scope and sequence. The local school will have the option to place a student in a different grade level class if needed:
- ELA: MS Language Arts I (6th grade), MS Language Arts II (7th grade) and MS Language Arts 3 (8th grade)
- Math: MS Mathematics I (6th grade), MS Mathematics II (7th grade) and Pre-Algebra (8th grade)
- Science: MS Comprehensive Science I (6th grade), MS Comprehensive Science II (7th grade), MS Comprehensive Science III (8th grade)
- Social Studies: MS Civics (6th grade), MS US History (7th grade), MS World History (8th grade)
Review the Syllabus and Example Digital Content
The WVS MS website page will have a current course list and link to all active syllabi. Potential partners wanting to take a deeper dive into the content to test local device interaction, look at design and types of activities and assessments and compare to local scope and sequence can reach out to wvshelpdesk@cesa9.org to request curriculum review access.
Technology
As you know, getting learners off on the right foot and ensuring schools fully prepare and test learner devices, connectivity, and build support for using infrastructure tools are keys to avoiding frustration and access issues. Our computer readiness document is a great resource for local IT in preparing access and the device. We recommend that you have your IT department test the digital content on the devices that you plan to roll out to learners.
- Reliable Internet access
- Appropriate processing speeds for devices
- Chromebooks or laptop recommended, with up to date browsers (Google Chrome and Firefox are preferred)
- Ability to utilize and adjust microphones and volume and/or use plug in devices as needed
- Headphones (not required but recommended)
Coach and Guardian Responsibilities
Although each WVS course is led by a Wisconsin certified teacher who provides online instruction, students will still participate in independent learning daily. This is where the local district coach and guardian support is integral to the success of the student. Coaches and guardians should:
Monitor Progress & Help Learners Reflect
Guardian support includes monitoring their child daily. Help them access ClassTime sessions, complete work, understand directions, ask for help, and organize themselves for success. Ensuring that their child is completing the weekly work that is expected of them is part of a guardian's role in an online learning environment. This includes, but is not limited to, communication with district coach and WVS teacher.
Both coaches and guardians should be in regular communication regarding providing support for the learner. The online coach is an essential part of local support for the learner to help ensure they are meeting local expectations for progress and course completion.
Help Navigate, Submit Work, and Troubleshoot
Learners sometimes need support in understanding the design of the course and the best way to navigate and access the content and support. MS students will have access to online Student Orientation resources and "live" sessions. WVS highly suggests coaches require learners attend and review these resources as well as coaches being able to refer learners back to those resources when they do not know how to submit work, or share their Google documents correctly, etc.
Coaches also need to work help connect learners with local IT when working on school issued devices. The WVS office is not able to support school or personal technology. We can test to see if we can duplicate issues and are also happy to assist when learners forget their password to login, etc. Coaches should ensure guardians have access to local IT direct support, if appropriate.
Maintain Communications & Review Feedback
There will be a lot of teacher feedback provided in the learning management system for work submitted in the courses. This may include written, video, and audio feedback. Coaches and guardians can help ensure learners understand where to see and review that feedback, to help them be successful in the courses.
Cost
$600/course/semester/student for the core content offered: - Math, Reading/ELA, Science, Social Studies
$2400/student - one semester
$4800/student - full year
$290/course/student/semester for other elective courses - Online asynchronous, no "Live Instruction" , one hour weekly "Connect Time"
Additional Considerations
Districts will have the opportunity to attend an informational overview session or request 1:1 time with WVS Executive Director, Jason Schmidt. When ready, districts will request a district partner sheet to begin providing and documenting necessary data.
Orientation / Open House / Meet Your Online Teacher (August 30th & 31st 1st semester and January 16th & 17th for second semester) for learners and families.
Districts will provide a local coach, arrange for state testing, and make arrangements for electives/specials (optional content is available through WVS for a cost)
Districts are responsible for student IEPs and 504 Plans (please have conversations with us on what we can do to support your learners)
Districts are responsible for reporting attendance, student completion, and progress as required
Districts will need to ensure students have appropriate technology for the program
Regular check-in opportunities with coaches will be conducted to review what is working and opportunities for growth
No contracts required (drop timeline instead) and districts will place course requests for grade level homerooms to reserve a spot (up until September 1st if there is room 1st semester and up until January 19th for second semester as room allows.)
Drops from the homeroom (holding core content synchronous spots with live instruction) have to be made by July 31st for September 1st start and November 30th for January 19th start or districts will be billed for core content courses.
Enrollments in other online elective asynchronous courses have a 28 day drop period and have rolling enrollments.
Resource to Share with Families About this Opportunity
The Guardian and Student facing flyer can be shared with families.
Feel free to reach out with specific questions to:
Jason Schmidt (WVS Executive Director) or
Michele Nickels (WVS Director)
WVS Office: 715-453-1953